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25 St. Mary
Tenblock is the housing developer and manager of the development process. Any questions related to the redevelopment of the property should be directed through this website.
There is a 24-storey purpose-built rental building with 259 units on site, built in the 1960’s. The property also includes underground parking and landscaped areas along the street frontages.
As of right now, there are no changes for the tenants. We still do not have any of the required approvals to begin construction. Tenants will remain in their current units, where no changes will occur other than regular and ongoing maintenance work. Tenblock is committed to keeping tenants informed throughout the process and encourages them to reach out should they have any questions or feedback.
Proposed Development
The proposed development includes two contemporary towers which will replace the existing building at 25 St. Mary. The East Tower is proposed to be 54 storeys and the West Tower would have a height of 59 storeys. A total of 1,283 residential dwelling units are proposed, comprised of 259 replacement rental units, a minimum of 18 new rental units, and 1,006 new residential units (tenure of these 1,006 units has not been determined).
A 500 m² public park is proposed at the southeast corner of the property, with frontage onto St. Nicholas Street and Inkerman Street. A 339 m² publicly-accessible open space is also proposed along Inkerman Street linking the proposed park with the neighbouring site's open space. An additional new mid-block connection is proposed along the west edge of the property.
The proposal also includes a 730 m² daycare facility within the lower levels of the West Tower that will accommodate up to 62 children. Commercial space is proposed at grade within the East Tower, fronting onto St. Nicholas Street, helping to further animate the public realm.
Beyond the public benefits outlined in the previous question, the proposal features numerous enhancements to improve the pedestrian experience along all public frontages. These enhancements include minimum 2.1 metre wide sidewalks along all street frontages (including minimum 6.0 m setbacks from nearest building element to street curbs), enhanced planting and new street trees along St. Mary Street and St. Nicholas Street, and new public art opportunities.
New indoor and outdoor amenities will better support the needs of existing and future residents. Key aspects include a central courtyard, pet relief areas to achieve the City’s guidelines on pet-friendly design, as well as dedicated indoor and outdoor amenity spaces. The proposal also includes first-in-class, high quality bicycle parking and amenities. The exact programming of the amenity areas will be determined later in the process.
Development Application Process
Initial applications were submitted for an Official Plan Amendment, a Zoning By-law Amendment, Site Plan Control, and Rental Housing Demolition to the City of Toronto in early June 2021. Informed by comments from City Staff, our existing residents, and the broader community, in November 2022 we submitted revised Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Rental Housing Demolition applications to the City.
There will continue to be significant review and consultation by several parties before we can obtain the required approval from the City that would permit any construction to begin. We will update the community as we move through the various stages of the development process.
The development application review process takes time. We are still early in the process. On June 7, 2021 applications were submitted for an Official Plan Amendment, a Zoning By-law Amendment, Site Plan Control, and Rental Housing Demolition. This submission began the formal review process with the City of Toronto. On November 29, 2022, we submitted revised Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment, Site Plan Control, and Rental Housing Demolition applications to the City, based on their comments as well as feedback from our existing residents and the broader community. The revised proposal will undergo additional review by City Staff and subsequent revisions as part of the Site Plan Approvals process.
This process typically takes anywhere from 24-36 months (from the date of the initial submission) before we could receive an approval of the above noted applications. From that point, construction may begin approximately 6-12 months later, taking approximately 3-4 years. These timelines are a best estimate given our current stage in the process.
This website will be where you can learn about any updates to the proposal, ask questions, and provide feedback. We encourage the community to use this digital tool as the go to resource for the redevelopment process. We will be sure to post any upcoming events for stakeholders to get involved. Have a question that wasn’t answered here? Want to provide your feedback? Give us a call at 416-391-0209 or submit your questions and ideas through the contact us form.
Existing Tenants of 25 St. Mary
Current rent will not increase as a result of this development proposal. The standard increases allowed through the Residential Tenancy Act still apply.
All of the 259 purpose-built rental units will be replaced on site in the new development. All tenants who live at 25 St. Mary when the application was submitted and when the notice to vacate is distributed later in the process, will have the right to return to one of the new rental replacement units. To learn more about the rental replacement process and your rights as a tenant, reach out through the contact page.
We encourage all existing tenants of 25 St. Mary to reach out to us through the contact page of this website, we would be happy to answer any questions you have. City Housing Policy Staff will also be available throughout the process to answer your questions. If you would like to speak to them directly, we would be happy to provide their contact information.