New Palette for New Toronto

University of Guelph

MLA Program

New Toronto Infill Project

LARC 612 Community Design

Prof. Cecelia Paine

Project by Tatiana Zakharova

April 5, 2017

& e r u ge t l Cu erita H

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Con ne

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NEW PALETTE FOR NEW TORONTO Inte rac

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Concept A neighborhood with rich history like New Toronto deserves respect for its cultural heritage and historical form. At the same time, the requirements of a growing city put additional pressures of density and employment targets on any new development.

Combined with the costs associated with remediation of a former industrial site, the ever-present need for sustainability, and the necessity to incorporate development into the fabric of the surrounding streets and provide for social inclusion, the seemingly conflicting requirements present the New Toronto Infill Project as a challenge.

f o e s r t n itie e C tiv ac Under the header of CULTURE & HERITAGE,

GREEN palette calls for resilience and sustainability

appropriate conservation and restoration efforts

in development. For the New Toronto Infill project,

will see the three designated historical buildings on

this means not only designing parks and adding trees

site (see Existing Conditions for details) preserved

to the urban canopy, but also incorporating such low

and developed into an indoor market with a major

impact development solutions like green roofs, bio

grocery store and smaller proprietary food retailers

swales along roadways and within building courtyards,

and an art center with exhibition space, artist studios

and storm-water management areas.

for rent, art school for children and adults, and an

Hectic schedules, daily commutes and social pressures

outdoor sculpture garden. Here, culture will serve as

contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness. In

an economic and community identity drive and a tool

the New Toronto Infill project, design solutions will

for social inclusion and connectivity, providing richness

be combatting these by creating opportunities for

of experiences for New Torontonians and beyond.

INTERACTIONS through major amenities such as

Furthermore, the historical forms and materials

linked pedestrian pathways connecting all parts of the

of buildings such as Humber College’s Lakeshore

development and a centrally-located common house

Campus (former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital) will be

where communal kitchen, gym, library and events

reflected in new built forms of townhouses and low-

room will be open to all participating residents.

rises.

The New Toronto site will be the CENTER OF

The following proposal demonstrates that

The proposed development will strengthen

this challenge can be met and all targets

ACTIVITY, with centrality experienced at all scales.

CONNECTIONS with the areas around the site.

The art center and marketplace will attract visitors

exceeded with the development concept

This goal is achieved through the proposed street

from the Etobicoke-Lakeshore ward and beyond. At

grid layout which both highlights the historical street

the neighborhood scale, the common house will be

layout of the New Toronto of residential street running

the heart of activities. At block-scale, green spaces and

north from the Lake Ontario, and connects the infill

complete a masterpiece, the development

parks designed throughout the entire site will welcome

site with the future townhouse development at 225

visitors throughout the year.

team can take the most valued and

Birmingham Street which will see 12th street restored

The project will meet the guidelines of an URBAN

dubbed NEW PALETTE. Here, like an artist who takes the most fitting colours to

most proven concepts from around the neighborhood and incorporate them into a single site.

Illustrations (above; in order of appearance): Satellite image of New Toronto neighborhood From: Google Earth Fire Insurance Map showng New Toronto (south-east) 1911 From: City of Toronto Archives, via Wikipedia.org Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital, between 1988 and 1993 From: City of Toronto Archives

and connected with Birmingham. The proposal is also sensitive to the existing densities and accounts for the likely future development of existing light industrial buildings along Birmingham St.

GROWTH CENTER, providing not only a variety of housing options (including affordable housing – see Pro Forma for details) but opportunities for employment, places to shop, learn and play.

Hydro Substation, South Etobicoke Neighborhood Icons Illustration by: Graham Brindle (used with the author’s permission)

Townhouses, 2012 From: CG Architect.com

Street rendering, Turning Copenhagen blue and green From: State of Green, Denmark

Satellite images of New Toronto and Etobicoke-Lakeshore From: Google Earth

Building in Clouth Quartier, Köln, Germany Photo by Ilya Varlamov; from: varlamov.ru

Mathallen, Oslo From: Outer Hop, 2013

References: Greg Young, Reshaping Planning with Culture, 2008 Chris ScottHanson & Kelly ScottHanson, The Cohousing Handbook, 2009

Existing Conditions New Toronto, established in 1890, is a neighbourhood in the south-west area of Toronto, locat-ed along Lake Ontario. New Toronto is bounded (as marked on the map) by Lake Ontario to the south, with a western boundary of Twenty-Third Street and the midpoint between Twenty-Second and Twenty-Fourth Streets, the Canadian National Railway mainline to the north, and Dwight Ave-nue to the east.

New Toronto neighborhood features a number of existing amenities including public schools, commu-nity centres and parks including Colonel Samuel Smith Park.

Humber College’s Lakeshore Campus, home to more than 10,600 full-time student, is located with a 10-minute walk of the site.

The New Toronto Infill Project site (further highlighted in the image below), the focus of this pro-posal, is located north of Birmingham street, between Sixteenth Street and Toffee Court / Islington Avenue.

The latter road is classified as major arterial road, with the two other surrounding streets (Birmingham and New Toronto) classified as collector roads, and all other existing streets as local.

Existing dedicated cycling lanes, including Lakeshore waterfront trail

New Toronto boundary

Within a five minute walk of the site is Lakeshore streetcar, which connects New Toronto with the downtown financial district and Union Station. Public bus routes operate around the site. Mimico GO Transit station is located less than 3 km away. Existing dedicated cycling lanes run along Birmingham Street and the waterfront.

The site is surrounded by low-density residential areas to the west, medium and high density residen-tial areas (including affordable housing) to the south and light industrial and manufacturing facilities to the east and south-west. It is likely that the latter sites will be redeveloped as residential in the future, similarly to the redevelopment of a former manufacturing facility at 225 Birmingham Street into a townhouse complex which will see 12th street restored and connected with Birmingham. To the north, and across New Toronto Street, lay the CN Rail mainline and maintenance facility. Two parks, including a skatepark and 1.1 hectares Lakeshore Village Park are located less than 200 meters from the site.

Established neighborhood with a large number of existing (including recently-built) amenities Access to active public transportation & cycle network Consistent slope (~1.00), flat site Established trends: growing population and real estate market prices Heritage buildings present cultural value Existing established street grid to work off No existing vegetation to limit construction activities Potential views of Lack Ontario from upper floors of buildings; relatively unobstructed sight lines Existing parks provide opportunity to create connected green spaces

Constraints

Opportunities

N

The project site includes three heritage properties: Toronto Hydro Sub‑Station (140 Birmingham St), built in 1919; and two buildings within the industrial complex at 222 Islington Avenue: McDonald Stamping Works (surviving only the 1891 ten-bay façade with patterned brick detailing facing Birmingham St) and Reg. N. Boxer Company, constructed after 1908 in the Edwardian Classicism style of brick with limestone trim.

North-facing aerial view of New Toronto neighbourhood bounded by Lake Ontario to the south and the Canadian National Railway mainline to the north.

Noise pollution from the rail line and maintenance facility to the North High costs & restrictions associated with restoration of heritage buildings High costs associated with likely required remediation – as land is currently used for industrial purposes with suspected pollution including possible soil contamination Evidence of vandalism in the vicinity of the site; some evidence of neglect of surrounding buildings Remaining pockets of industrial activity, including directly adjacent to the site along Burmingham St, reduce the commercial value of development and offer no aesthetic value/control No existing mature vegetation to work with

N

%

0 1.0

Aerial view of the project site and immediate vicinity, looking west

Proposed Land Use

Block Types Framework The proposed density and zoning reflect the character and existing zoning in the area and include (please see Pro Forma table below for colour code and legend of symbols): Single family detached homes Townhomes (condominium) Stacked townhomes (affordable housing) Midrise condominium buildings Retail/grocery (market place) Office (non-medical facilities; mid-rise buildings) Cultural facilities (art centre and common house) Parks and green spaces including exclusive pedestrian-bike path

Building Types Framework The plan shows location of proposed building by zone/density types and demonstrates gradual transi-tion in scales.

Examples of proposed housing typologies have been provided on the Concept panel. The image below shows the inside of a renovated warehouse in Oslo, Norway, that houses a grocery store, food markets and eateries; a precedent for establishment of market place on the New Toronto Infill project site.

Green Spaces & Mobility Framework Public transit includes exiting bus stops and easy access to Lakeshore Streetcar (5 min walk) Existing cycling lanes (dedicated bike lanes along Birmingham St and waterfront trail) are complimented by the proposed establishment of dedicated bike lanes along all proposed streets as well as along a network of exclusive pedestrianbike paths. Similarly, all proposed streets will include wide sidewalks. Overall, the provisions are meant to create safe and enjoyable experience for riders and pedestrians alike.

A network of local streets (overall, allocated 20m right-ofway) provides vehicular access to the entire site and links the proposed development with the existing and in-development circulation network. On-street parking and bio-swales are to be incorporated into the design of all streets (see Street Cross-Sections for details).

Three major parks, totaling 1.85 hectares, are proposed.

Two of the major green spaces will house the art center and common house, respectively. The third park, adjacent to the market place, may be privately owned but publicly accessible. Two storm water areas have been incorporated into the project design. Green spaces are connected through exclusively pedestrian-cycle path network as well as through local streets.

Notes: [1] assumed: 21 sqm of space required per one office/art centre job; 58 sqm of space required per one grocery/market/retail job [2] total number of proposed jobs exceeds the required job rate of 1.3 jobs per housing unit (1,976 required jobs)

Master Plan

CH

Sound walls added to offer protection from sound pollution from the rail line and maintenance yard

MP

Twelfth Street AC

SCALE 1:1250

Legend CH - common house AC - art centre MP - market place - STOP traffic sign - proposed traffic light

N

Aerial View

B’ B

C’

C

A’

3.5

1

1.5

1.6

3.3m

single family house front yard 7.6m

1.6

1.5

bio swale 2.4

townhouse entrance w/street plantings

driving lanes 3.5

3.5

2.4

1

1.5

1.6

3.0m

B’

C

single family house front yard 7.6m

1.6

1.5

edge zone

4.8

B

cycle track

3.5

A’

sidewalk

1.5

condominium w/ entrance awning

driving lane

edge zone

1.6

planted medium / bio swale

cycle track

6.2m

driving lane

sidewalk

private property (condo) w/ public seating

cycle track edge zone

A

sidewalk

Street Cross-Sections

A

parking lane 2.4

3.5

townhouse entrance w/street plantings

parking lane

driving lanes 3.5

2.4

1 1.5

1.6

3.0m

C’