[Paclo]

143 Main Street – KFA Architects and Planners

kfarchitecture.com

KFA has developed this 10-storey mixed-use building at 143-147 Main Street, just south of Gerrard Street, overcoming the challenges of a narrow lot. Previously, the site was occupied by a two-storey rental building, once serving as the Main Street Village post office. The new design incorporates ground-level retail and 58 rental units above. Careful attention has been paid to heritage considerations, with the two-storey base aligning with the existing roof lines of neighboring buildings to the north.

9-storey design

Parcel boundary

Google Street View of the site/existing structure as of May 2021

Existing building (c. 1927) is listed but not designated in the Heritage Register, more info here: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-242773.pdf

Nothing in the AIC yet...

 

[christiesplits]

I'm fine with the scale, but not a fan of the sandstone colour or cold grey spandrel on the crown. Please send back to the drawing board.

 

[Northern Light]

I missed this thread somehow.

I don't see this one flying at that height, there's no area precedent for anything above 6s, and even that's a couple of blocks away.

That the proposal is also as charming as a suburban office park doesn't help matters any.

I think they could get this through at 6s, but to sell this at all, they need to reference the small-town, early 20thC vibe of the area. That doesn't necessarily mean pastiche. Just old-school, mason-laid brick on the podium, with a scale similar to the area in term of streetwall, maybe 1 storey more, a nice podium roofline etc.

 

[rdaner]

While I do see the reason to see precedent and neighbourhood style as benchmarks for measuring a proposal I do wonder about the recent changes in zoning? I have included two images which show the 800m radius around a transit station (Danforth GO) which this falls within. Secondly Main Street is considered a Main Street (Avenue) which is coming up.

Interesting times!

 

[Northern Light]

The MTSA will likely cover this property, but in the real world, I expect the increase in density within the MTSA to be almost entirely fulfilled on the north side of the rail corridor.

The Main Street Planning study from 2019 would be informative:

The area south of the corridor does have a pocket included in the Main/Gerrard intersection, but that includes a large park abutting the rail corridor which may be shadowed by buildings to the south, there are also heritage buildings such as the library adjacent to this proposal.

Its possible the City will approve the height, but there are some well moneyed and connected folks here who would likely give that a rough ride.

 

[rdaner]

Thanks! I am interested to see what constitutes as valid concerns for any authority hearing objections moving forward.

 

[Northern Light]

Application is public facing in the AIC.

Application Details

www.toronto.ca

@Paclo

Change in architecture firm to DEEP

Tenure: Purpose-Built Rental, 56 units

The render is a marked improvement:

Site Plan:

Ground Floor Plan:

Unit sizes here are WAY too Small:

Less than 800ft2 for 3 bedroom, I do not think so!

1 Bedrooms sub 500ft2, 2brdm units at ~550ft2. That's barely a 1bedroom. Completely non-viable.

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A peek behind the curtain into the PAC process:

Description:

Elevator Ratio: 2 elevators to 56 units or 1 elevator to 28 units.

@HousingNowTO

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Comments: Notwithstanding that the height is anomalous, the architectural treatment here has me leaning in a supportive direction.

However, the units as proposed are unlivably small. I think they need to cut 2 units per floor and re-jig this as a 40 unit proposal.

 

[Paclo]

Additional perspectives:

 

[yyztvguy]

I stumbled on this from the planning notice in The Star today. In looking at the ground floor - am I right that there are two elevators - in the middle of the building, with stairs up to the rear garbage collection area?

How would someone move in / out of this building given the rear alley is very small/narrow - and out front reduces to a single lane with a dedicated left turn lane?