See the features page for current details

History

On April 9, 2013 the Toronto and East York Community Council adopted recommendations to approve the development of a seven- storey, 142 unit mixed-use condominium building on the site of the O’Connor Bowl at 1401 O’Connor Drive.

The original development proposal submitted in May 2012 has been changed significantly based on input from the public, City staff and a community Working Group. The building will have 7 floors instead of 10, 142 units instead of 198, and the ground-floor live-work units have been replaced with retail units. The building has been pushed forward toward O’Connor and stepped back at the upper floors to reduce the impact on Westview Boulevard properties. The design and built form has been changed to better articulate the façade, reduce the shadow impacts, push back the shoulders of the building and provide a better relationship to the street. The proposal includes the required indoor and outdoor amenity space, car and bicycle parking spaces, streetscape improvements, tree planting and landscaping.

The new development is the first to be reviewed under the new Urban Design Guidelines developed through the O’Connor Drive Avenue Study. The building’s height, density, built-form and “angular planes” conform fully to the new guidelines.

The building will meet “Tier 2” green development standards, including a green roof, extra on-site storm-water containment facilities, re-cycled materials, energy and water efficient components. The building will be required to display and incorporate into its design features the history of the O’Connor Bowl. There will be a “Section 37” community benefit contribution of $300,000 for Topham Park clubhouse or other local public realm improvements.

The 24-member Working Group of Topham Park residents, City staff and the Applicant met four times, provided input on all aspects of the proposal, and supported the revised proposal. There remain concerns about traffic infiltration and volume into the Topham Park neighbourhood, and further traffic studies and regulation will be considered in the coming months.

A Community Liaison Committee will be established to provide community input during construction, and the builder will be required to participate fully and implement any recommendations from the neighbourhood Environmental Assessment on basement flooding.

Builder

The Lanes Condos is a new condo development by Edzar Group of Companies at 1401 O’Connor Drive, East York, ON M4B 2V5, Canada, Toronto.  Pre-construction pricing started from the $200,000’s. The development has a total of 142 units, ranging in size from 570 to 1,100 square feet.