Urban Strategies was retained by Siteline Group to obtain an Official Plan Amendment and rezoning to permit a residential mixed-use redevelopment at 440 Dufferin Street. Located on the west side of Dufferin just north of Queen, the site was designated as an Employment Area and required a re-designation to permit residential uses.

Toronto is very protective of its Employment Areas, which can only be converted to other uses during a formal Municipal Comprehensive Review (occurring approximately every 10 years). Urban Strategies guided the project through the this difficult and politically-charged review process, working closely with the client and consultant team to develop a robust planning rationale in support of a carefully considered concept for the site. This involved providing a full replacement of existing employment GFA and ensuring an appropriate built form relationship with the site’s complex context, including existing employment uses to the west and a low-rise residential neighbourhood to the east.

We played a key role during Ontario Municipal Board-assisted mediation, working with the project architects and legal team to address the City’s final concerns without a significant loss of density for the client. By building consensus around an appropriate, defensible concept for the site, we secured the approvals our client needed through a settlement, avoiding a costly and time consuming full-length hearing at the Ontario Municipal Board.

All images courtesy of Quadrangle Architects.

credit: Quadrangle Architects

credit: Quadrangle Architects