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Dovercourt Road Mixed-use Development
Toronto, Canada
2020 –

Toronto, (ON) Canada

Project start: 2020

Completion due: 2027

Status: ongoing, rezoned

Gross floor area: 3,270m²

Client: 466 DCR Urban Properties

Architect: AXIA Design Associates

Project team: Taymoore Balbaa, Chris Wong, Michael Good, Leisdania Reynoso, Justine Houseley, Neil Jo, Lee Chen

 

The proposal at 466/468 Dovercourt brings mixed-use development at a unique scale to one of Toronto’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. Committed to high architectural standards, the design and building materials respond to the character of the street and urban context while restored elements of the Matador Ballroom form a publicly accessible and permanent commemoration. Thirty residences are divided between two residential blocks, offering a selection of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units in an inspired and intimate setting.
The proposal is located just north of College Street, on the west side of Dovercourt Road. The intersection of College St. & Dovercourt Rd. provides the best of what Toronto has to offer: a vibrant neighbourhood (Dufferin Grove), with excellent amenities and transit connections, within proximity to the downtown core.
The proposal is a well-balanced distribution of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom unit types, as well as an amenity meeting room and outdoor terrace. Two separate residential cores service the two residential blocks, and are accessed from both Dovercourt Rd. and Bill Cameron Lane. The cores provide intimate access to the units, and create a strong sense of community, with only 2 to 4 units per floor. A second-floor corridor above the commercial level connects both blocks.

A material palette of tan-coloured brick is predominant and provides texture and familiarity on a street characterized by elaborate brick homes. Wood and metal accents complement the brick in a contemporary manner. Just to the north of the commercial entry (466 Dovercourt Rd.), the residential entrance at 468 Dovercourt Rd. is recessed farther away from the street, aligning itself with the scale and character of the residential context. The proposal contributes to the public realm with a 0.86m lane widening along Bill Cameron Lane and a generous setback and streetscape improvements along the Dovercourt Rd. frontage, including tree planting and bicycle parking.

The commercial component is unique in its quality of space, and in its relative scale within this mixed-use proposal (one third of the project Gross Floor Area). Culminating in an expansive double-height space lit by skylights, the commercial component replicates the drama and volume of the Matador Ballroom, and provides much-valued employment space.