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City Planning October 2009DRAFT
Toronto Urban Design Guidelines
Bloor Corridor Visioning Study:Avenue Road to Bathurst Street
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table of contents
1. IntroductIon ...................................................................................................................1 1.1Background.............................................................................................................................. 2 1.2VisionStatement..................................................................................................................... 3 1.3TheBloorCorridorUrbanDesignGuidelines........................................................................ 4
2. context .............................................................................................................................5 2.1DefinitionoftheBloorCorridor............................................................................................ 5 2.2PlanningContext..................................................................................................................... 6 2.2.1ProvincialPlanningDocuments.................................................................................... 6 2.2.2OfficialPlan................................................................................................................... 6 2.2.3ZoningBy-law............................................................................................................... 7 2.2.4DesignCriteriafortheReviewofTallBuildingProposals......................................... 7 2.2.5AdditionalRelevantCityofTorontoPublications...................................................... 9
3. development prIncIples ............................................................................................10 3.1Sustainability......................................................................................................................... 10 3.2Diversity.................................................................................................................................. 10 3.3BuiltForm.............................................................................................................................. 10 3.4PublicRealm...........................................................................................................................11 3.5HeritageandCulture..............................................................................................................11
4. structure plan .............................................................................................................12 4.1NodesandPrecincts.............................................................................................................. 12 4.1.1InstitutionalPrecinct................................................................................................... 13 4.1.2OISEBlock.................................................................................................................... 17 4.1.3SpadinaNode............................................................................................................... 19 4.1.4UniversityofTorontoSites......................................................................................... 23 4.1.5MainStreetArea.......................................................................................................... 24 4.1.6BathurstNode.............................................................................................................. 25 4.2PublicRealmFramework...................................................................................................... 26 4.2.1OpenSpaceNetwork................................................................................................... 26 4.2.2PublicSpaces............................................................................................................... 28 4.2.3Streetscapes.................................................................................................................. 30 4.3Gateways,ViewsandTerminusSites....................................................................................31 4.4Heritage.................................................................................................................................. 34 4.5PublicArtProgram................................................................................................................ 36 4.6SupportingActiveTransportation........................................................................................ 37
5. General buIlt form GuIdelInes ..............................................................................38 5.1PedestrianScaleDesignConsiderations............................................................................... 39 5.1.1InterfacewiththeSidewalk........................................................................................ 39 5.1.2Parking&Loading....................................................................................................... 39 5.1.3Mid-blockconnections................................................................................................ 39 5.1.4Safety............................................................................................................................ 40 5.2StreetWallScaleDesignConsiderations.............................................................................. 40 5.2.1StreetWall.................................................................................................................... 40 5.2.2BuildingElements........................................................................................................ 42 5.2.3OrientationandPlacement......................................................................................... 42 5.2.4ParkingandServicing.................................................................................................. 42 5.3UrbanScaleDesignConsiderations...................................................................................... 43 5.3.1BuildingHeightsandTransition................................................................................. 43 5.3.2ShadowsandPedestrianComfort.............................................................................. 45 5.4SustainableDesign................................................................................................................ 46
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1. IntroductIonTheBloorCorridor,definedinthisdocumentasBloorStreetWestbetweenAvenueRoadandBathurstStreet,isahigh-traffic,mixed-usedistrictservingvariouspublic,privateandinstitutionaluses.ItlinksthreeBusinessImprovementAreascentredonBloorStreetWestandconnectsseveraldistinctandstableresidentialneighbourhoods.Hometomajorcultural,academicandotherinstitutions,aswellasavibrantretail/commercialarea,itattractsresidents,studentsandvisitorsfrombothlocalandregionallevels.TheBloorCorridorisarouteforthemovementofpedestrians,vehiclesandgoodsinto,outofandthroughthearea,withsomeofthehighestcyclingvolumesinthecity,andhasbecomebothadestinationandasourceofurbanvitalityandactivity.
Figure 1: Aerial image of Study AreaOverthelengthoftheBloorCorridor,severalidentifiableareasemergeaccordingtothepatternoftheexistingurbanfabric.TothewestofWalmerRoad,thebuiltformishighlyconsistent,withtwo-andthree-storeymixed-usebuildingsliningbothsidesofBloorStreetinafine-grained,compactform.TheareaeastofWalmerRoadfeatureslargerbuildingfootprintsandvariabilityinheights:generally,high-riseapartmentsandofficebuildingsarefoundonthenorthsideofBloorStreet;whilethesouthsideconsistsmainlyofsignificantmedium-riseinstitutionalbuildingswithlargebuildingfootprints,openspaces,andgeneroussetbacks.TheseguidelineshavebeencreatedtoreinforceandrespondtothesecharacteristicsastheBloorCorridordevelopsovertime.
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1.1 backGround: bloor corrIdor vIsIonInG studyIn2007,theCitylaunchedtheBloorCorridorVisioningStudytocreateadevelopmentstrategythatwouldprotecttheexistingdistinctandstableresidentialneighbourhoodsadjacenttothecorridorwhileaccommodatingsomeintensificationascontemplatedinToronto’sOfficialPlan.Throughacomprehensivepublicengagementstrategy,theVisioningStudyallowedallstakeholders(residents,businessowners,propertyowners,politicalrepresentatives)tocontributetothedefinitionofprinciplesthatwouldshapethelong-termdevelopmentofthiscorridor.
TheVisioningStudy’smainobjectivesincluded:
■ DevelopingacoherenturbandesignconceptfortheBloorCorridor;
■ Establishingprinciplesforthebuiltformoffuturedevelopment;
■ Identifyingopportunitiesforpotentialpublicrealmimprovementsandenhancingthepedestrianizationofthecorridor;
■ SettingreasonableexpectationsforintensificationalongtheBloorCorridorbyexaminingappropriateareasfordevelopment;
■ Protectingandenhancingstablelow-riseresidentialneighbourhoods,aswellasheritageandculturalresources;and
■ EnsuringthatchangeintheBloorCorridor–andparticularlydevelopment–contributestoenvironmentalsustainability.
InMay2008,theCity’sconsultants,ledbyOfficeforUrbanism,submittedtheirfinalreportontheVisioningStudyprocess.
The Bloor Corridor: Gateway to the Downtown
Ecology Park
The Royal Ontario Museum
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1.2 vIsIon statementTheVisioningStudyexerciseresultedinthefollowingVisionStatementfortheBloorCorridor:
"Stable neighbourhoods should be protected by directing planned growth towards areas along the corridor such that, in the long term, a coherent urban structure will emerge. The visual character of each precinct will be maintained on properties fronting Bloor Street. In particular, the traditional main street character from Walmer Road to Bathurst Street will be protected, and infill in this area will be designed with elements that complement the existing character.
Bloor Street between Avenue Road and Bathurst Street should be developed as a pedestrian priority area. This study proposes that a westbound lane west of Spadina Avenue may be removed to accommodate sidewalk expansions. This in turn would accommodate a continuous green promenade contributing to an enjoyable walking experience. It would also visually connect a necklace of open spaces / parks proposed by this study on the south side of Bloor Street between Avenue Road to Bathurst Street, which would create a friendlier interface between institutional uses and public spaces. The public realm should also be enhanced through the creation of new plazas; the Museum Plaza in front of the Royal Ontario Museum would add more programmable space for city-wide cultural activities while a Trinity St. Paul’s Church Plaza proposed for the future would provide a neighbourhood focus for local events.
Sustainability will be the leading objective in both future developments and the evolution of the public realm. Evaluative criteria that can measure the evolution of this corridor into a sustainable district should be created towards this end. The environmental impact of new and existing development will be informed by the City of Toronto Green Standard."
Thisvisionstatementprovidesthebasisforidentifyingcommunitypriorities,developingpoliciesandguidinganurbandesignconceptforthelong-termdevelopmentofthecorridor.
Philosopher's Walk
Bloor Street at Bathurst Street
Bloor - Bedford Parkette
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1.3 the bloor corrIdor urban desIGn GuIdelInesThisdocumentformsasetofguidelines,endorsedbyCityCouncil,whichbuildonsite-specificOfficialPlanpoliciesandapplicablezoningby-lawsthatsetoutlanduse,builtformandpublicrealmobjectives.ThegoaloftheseguidelinesistoimprovethequalityofthephysicalenvironmentintheBloorCorridorandensurethatthoseelements,whichcontributetothespecialcharacterofthediversepartsofthearea,areretainedandenhanced.
TheBloorCorridorUrbanDesignGuidelinesdefineanurbanstructurefortheareaaswellasprinciplesforresponsibleandsensitivedevelopment.Generally,theseguidelinesdescribethedistinctnodesandprecinctsthatcomprisetheBloorCorridorandprovidedirectionforimprovementstothepublicrealm.Specifically,they:
■ provideavisionofthedesiredurbanstructurefortheareaandaframeworkfordevelopment;
■ defineappropriaterelationshipsbetweenbuildingsandthepublicrealm;
■ provideappropriatebuiltformguidanceaddressingmatterssuchassetbacksandmassing;
■ identifyopportunitiestoimprovethepublicrealm;and
■ provideatool,whichcanbeusedinevaluatingapplicationsforsiteplanapprovalandrezoning,aswellasforco-ordinatingpublicimprovementstobeundertaken.
TheBloorCorridorUrbanDesignGuidelinesprovideadditionalcontextandguidancetobuilduponthevision,whichwasdevelopedinconsultationwiththeworkinggroupandOfficeforUrbanismin2007-08andledtothecreationofarea-specificpoliciesinChapterSevenoftheCity’sOfficialPlan.
Heritage elements
The OISE block
Ecology Park
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2. context2.1 defInItIon of the bloor corrIdor
ForthepurposeoftheseGuidelines,theBloorCorridorreferstoallpropertiesfrontingontoBloorStreetWest,betweenAvenueRoadtotheeastandBathurstStreettothewest.ItisimportanttonotethattheselandswereidentifiedasPhase1oftheentireBloorCorridorarea,whichalsoincludesPhase2landsbetweenBathurstStreettotheeastandChristie/GraceStreetstothewest(seeFigure2).Asthe2007-2008VisioningStudydealtwiththePhaseIlandsonly,theseguidelinesonlyapplyeastofBathurstStreet.WhenastudyiscompletedforthePhase2lands,resultinginarea-specificOfficialPlanpoliciesand/orurbandesignguidelines,theymaybeappendedtothisdocument.
TheBloorCorridorincludesmanykeycivicandinstitutionaldestinationssuchastheUniversityofToronto(inparticular,VarsityStadium),theRoyalOntarioMuseum,theRoyalConservatoryofMusic,theBataShoeMuseum,andtheMilesNadalJewishCommunityCentre.Italsoincludesnumerousretailandofficespacesatvaryingscales.Intermsofretailcharacter,thestudyareaincludesestablished‘local’retailshopsinthewestendwhichcontrastswiththe‘regional’destinationshopsandhotelstowardstheeast.Theareaisexceptionallywell-servicedbypublictransitwithfoursubwaystationsprovidingaccesstoboththeBloor-DanforthandYonge-University-Spadinalines,aswellasaccesstotheLightRapidTransitlineonSpadinaAvenue.Thestudyareaisalsoservicedbyseveralbusroutes,includinganightbusserviceroutealongBloorStreet.
Figure 2: Context Map and Area of Influence
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TTC entrance at Walmer Road
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AnimportantelementoftheVisioningStudyhasbeentheconsiderationofan‘AreaofInfluence’surroundingtheStudyAreathatincludestheneighbourhoodsofChristiePits,BickfordPark,Palmerston,HarbordVillage,Huron/Sussex,theUniversityofTorontoSt.GeorgeCampus,Yorkville,andtheAnnex.Generally,theAreaofInfluence,exceptfortheUniversityofTorontoproperties,consistsofstableandmainlylow-riseresidentialneighbourhoods.
2.2 plannInG context
2.2.1 provIncIal plannInG documents
The2005ProvincialPolicyStatement(PPS)providesdirectionondevelopmentandlanduseplanningmatters,indicatingwhereintensificationandredevelopmentisappropriate,andwhatconsiderationsshouldbeapplied.ThePPSstatesthatintensificationandredevelopmentinbuilt-upareasshouldprovideamixofuses,housingandemploymentopportunities,parksandopenspaces,andtransportationchoicespromotingpedestrianmovement.
Ontario’sPlacestoGrowAct(2006)providesavisionandGrowthPlanfortheGreaterGoldenHorseshoe,whichcentresontheGreaterTorontoArea.TheGrowthPlanisapolicyapproachthatidentifiesurbangrowthcentres,setstargetsforpopulationandemploymentdensityandsupportsexpandedinfrastructureingrowthareastoprotectandconserveruralandgreenbeltlands.ThisstrategyisconsistentwithToronto’snewOfficialPlanandisthebasisforintensifyingexistingurbanareas,includingtheDowntown,withinwhichtheBloorCorridorislocated.
2.2.2 offIcIal plan
TheCityofToronto’sOfficialPlanidentifiestheBloorCorridorasbeingpartofToronto’sDowntownarea.Inparticular,asshowninFigure3,themajorityofthecorridorisdesignatedMixed Use Areas,withtheexceptionsofInstitutional AreassouthofBlooratAvenueRoad,andtwolocalParksfrontingBloorStreet.Thesurrounding‘AreaofInfluence’consistsprimarilyofexistingstableNeighbourhoodsandApartment Neighbourhoods,aswellasMixed Use Areas,ParksandInstitutional AreastowardtheeasternendoftheCorridor.
Bata Shoe Museum
Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
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WhiletheDowntownandMixed Use Areasarespecificallyidentifiedforintensification,theOfficialPlanalsorecognizesthevalueofestablishedneighbourhoodstotheCityofToronto.ThePlanincludespoliciesandcriteriafornewdevelopmentregardingappropriatebuildinglocation,massing,compatibilitywithsurroundings,protectionofadjacentNeighbourhoodsandtreatmentofthepublicrealm.
WithinInstitutional Areas,majoreducational,health,governmentalinstitutionsandtheirancillaryusesareregardedasimportantemployersandserviceprovidersthatwillcontinuetogrowtoservetheneedsofanincreasingcityandregionalpopulation.Theseinstitutionsareencouragedtocreatecampusplansinconsultationwithnearbycommunitiesthatcanaccommodateplannedgrowthwhileminimizingitsimpact.
Area-specificpoliciesidentifythecharacterofvariousdistrictswithintheBloorCorridorandcallfornewdevelopmenttorespondtoandenhancethosecharacteristicsthroughbuiltform,sustainablepractices,andopportunitiestoimprovethepublicrealm.
Figure 3: Land Use Designations - excerpt from the City of Toronto's Official Plan
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2.2.3 ZonInG by-law
ZoningBy-law438-86,asamended,oftheformerCityofTorontopermitsmixed-usedevelopmentthroughthemajorityofthecorridor,andonlyinstitutionalusesalongthesouthsideofBloor,fromtheRoyalConservatoryofMusicsitethroughtoAvenueRoad.PermittedheightsanddensitiesarelowestbetweenBathurstStreetandWalmerRoad,withheightsincreasingincrementally,movingeastwardtoAvenueRoad.RecentdevelopmentsbetweenBedfordRoadandAvenueRoad,approvedonasite-specificbasis,haveexceededthegeneralheightanddensitypermissionsandcreatedanewbuiltformcontextforthispartofthedistrict.Permittedheightsanddensitiesinthesurroundingneighbourhoodstendtobelowerinscale.Throughoutthearea,controlstolimittheplacementandmassingofbuildingsarealsoregulatedbytheZoningBy-law.
2.2.4 desIGn crIterIa for the revIew of tall buIldInG proposals
TheDesignCriteriafortheReviewofTallBuildingProposals(TallBuildingGuidelines),adoptedin2006,indicatepreferreddesignconsiderationsfor‘tallbuildings’andtheanalysisrequiredoftheirpotentialimpacts.Abuildingisdefinedas‘tall’whenitsheightisgreaterthantheright-of-way
Figure 4: Zoning By-law Designations
Tall buildings within the Bloor Corridor
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City of Toronto's Green Development Standard
widthoftheprincipalstreetonwhichitislocated,orthewideroftwoprincipalstreetsiflocatedatanimportantintersection.TheseCity-wideguidelinesareinplacetoensurethattallbuildingsdonotadverselyaffectpublicspace(openspace,streetscapes,buildingedges),thelocalenvironment(wind,shadow,micro-climates),heritagebuildings,andconcernslikeprivacy,light,andsafety.Thedocumentalsoaddressessustainablebuildingpracticessuchasbuildingorientation,lightingandheatingsystems,andgreenroofs.AnyapplicationsfortallbuildingswithintheBloorStreetCorridoraresubjecttotheseguidelines.
2.2.5 addItIonal relevant cIty of toronto publIcatIons
AdditionalplanninganddesigninitiativesthatprovidecontextandguidancefordevelopmentandwhichshouldbeconsideredincludethefollowingCityofTorontopublications:
■ UrbanDesignHandbook
■ StreetscapeManual
■ AccessibilityDesignGuidelines
■ PreservingNeighbourhoodStreetscapes
■ TorontoGreenStandardandGreenRoofBy-law
■ Bird-FriendlyDevelopmentGuidelines
■ DesignGuidelinesfor‘Greening’SurfaceParkingLots
■ GuidelinesfortheDesignandManagementofBicycleParkingFacilities
■ EastAnnexHeritageConservationDistrictStudy
■ HarbordVillageHeritageConservationDistrictStudy-Phase1
■ EmergingstudiesonHarbordVillageandAnnexHeritageConservationDistricts
■ UniversityofTorontoSecondaryPlan(CityofTorontoOfficialPlan,ChapterSix)
■ BuildingTorontoTogether:ADevelopmentGuide
■ AvenuesandMid-RiseBuildingsStudy(ongoing)
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3. development prIncIples
Thefollowingprinciplesformthebasisforanurbandesignstrategyspecifictogrowth,developmentandimprovementstothepublicrealmwithintheBloorCorridorarea:
3.1 sustaInabIlIty – toronto Green standardAsBloorStreetchanges,itwillbuildonitsprimelocationwithinthecityanditsexceptionalpublictransitaccesssothatitmayshowcaseexamplesofsustainablelivinganddevelopment.BloorStreetwillpromotesustainabilityinmovement,energyuse,buildingtechnology,and“green”infrastructure-andwillimplementcreativesolutionstothechallengesoftreeplantinginthepublicright-of-way,andofgreeningingeneral.
3.2 dIversItyBloorStreetwillcontinuetosupportawidevarietyofretail,residential,employment,institutionalandopenspacelanduses,andwillintegratethemtoensureanactive,well-usedstreetatalltimesofthedayandallseasons.Mixedretailatgrade,aswellasinstitutionalbuildings,shouldco-existwithofficeandresidentialuses.Neighbourhoodsshouldmaintainaspiritofinclusivenessandresidentialdiversitythatcanbeensuredbysupportingavarietyofhousingtypes,sizes,andtenuresthatwillsatisfyalltypesofhouseholds.
3.3 buIlt form Buildingsshouldcontributetothecoherenceofthestreetscapethroughhighqualitydesign,andthroughappropriatetransitionsbetweenbuildingsandtheirsurroundingcontext.Newbuildingsshouldbedesignedtolimitimpactsonadjacentareasbyensuringadequatelight,viewsandprivacy.Densitywillbedirectedtotransitnodes.BuildingsalongBloorStreetshouldprovideatransitioninheightandbuiltform:onasite-by-sitebasis;alongthecorridorbetweennodes;andtothenorthandsouthinordertoprotectexistingstableresidentialneighbourhoodsfromthepotentialnegativeimpactsofdevelopment.
Seeking "greening" opportunities
Built form potential in the Bloor Corridor
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Trinity-St. Paul's Church - a heritage landmark
3.4 publIc realm BloorStreetshouldbeanactive,invitingandbeautifulstreetforallusers,providingacohesivepublicenvironmentwhilelinkingthedistinctcharacteristicsofitsvariousdistricts.Citypoliciesandactionsshouldprotect,enhanceandseeknewopportunitiestodevelopparkettesandplacestosit.Thestreetshouldprovideactiveat-gradeusesthataresafe,accessible,andinterconnected.Thisstrategycanbesupportedwiththeprovisionofcoordinatedstreetfurniturethatsupportsyear-round,aswellasall-dayactivities.Asadestination,BloorStreetwillaccommodateallmodesoftravel,withaparticularemphasisonpedestriansafetyandutility.Asacorridor,BloorStreetshouldbalanceitsvehicularcapacitywithahighquality,continuouspedestrianrealm.Surfaceparkingareasshouldberedeveloped,whilemeetingparkingdemandsthroughothercreativesolutions.
3.5 herItaGe and cultureHeritagepatternsofblockstructure,builtformandstreetcharacter,aswellasculturalheritage,shouldbemaintainedandenhancedtosupporttheover-archingvisionforBloorStreet.Heritageelementsbothtangible(builtform)andintangible(values,spirit-of-place,character)shouldbemaintainedandenhancedtoaddtothecharacterofthecorridor.
HighlightingandemphasisingthedistinctnodesandprecinctsoftheBloorCorridorthroughtheseguidelineswillhelpmaintainthoseaspectswhichmaketheareaunique.
Public realm enhancements at Bloor-Bedford Parkette
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4. structure plan
TheprimarycomponentsthatmakeuptheBloorCorridor,includingstreets,parksandopenspaces,helptoestablishaframeworkforfuturedevelopmentinthearea(Figure5).Thissectionprovidesadescriptionofthekeyorganizingelements.
Figure 5: Structure Plan
4.1 nodes and precInctsTheBloorCorridoriscomposedofanumberofnodesandprecincts,eachdefinedbyitsattributesintermsoffunction,builtformandcharacter.TheorganizationoftheBloorCorridorintothesedistinctareasallowsconsiderationofthespecificsofeachsettingandensuresthatnewdevelopmentisappropriatetoitslocation.Figure6depictsthesenodesandprecincts.
Thedescriptionsprovidedbytheguidelinesofthesevariousnodesandprecinctswillhelpfurtherdefinetheindividualcharacteristicsoftheseareas.Thesecharacteristicswillhelpoutlinethelongertermgoalsandobjectivesoftheseareas,andwhereandhowgrowthshouldbeaccommodated.
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Parks and Open Space
Mid-block Pedestrian Connection
Bloor Street “Green Necklace”
Enhanced Green Streetscape
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Figure 6: Nodes and Precincts
Institutional Precinct: looking west from Avenue Road
North side of Bloor Street, looking east toward Avenue Road
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4.1.1 InstItutIonal precInct
EastofMadisonAvenueandextendingtoAvenueRoad,theInstitutionalPrecinctincludesasignificantUniversityofTorontopresenceonboththenorthandsouthsidesofBloorStreet,whichismixedamongotheruses.NewbuildingsintheInstitutionalPrecinctshouldcontributetowardsthecreationofaconsistentstreetwallwithhighqualitymaterialsandactiveat-gradeuses.Theyshouldinfillgapsinthestreetscapeandprovidevisualcohesionthroughtheuseofmassingandarchitecturalelementsincludinggroundfloorheights,podiumheights,cornicelines,materials,andresponsivenesstokeyviewsandlocations.
Buildingsonthenorthsideshouldbebuiltparalleltothesetbacksoftheexistingstreetwallwhilebuildingsonthesouthsideshouldbesetbackfromtheright-of-waytopromotetheconceptofinter-connectedopenspacesthroughtheprecinct,ora“greennecklace”.
StartingwiththeRoyalOntarioMuseumandcontinuingwiththeRoyalConservatoryofMusic,VarsityStadium,theSchoolofGlobalAffairs,WoodsworthCollegeResidence,theBataShoeMuseum,SenatorCrollBuildingandendingwith371BloorStreetWestandMattCohenParkatSpadinaAvenue,thereisaconsistentprovisionof
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outdooropenspacesbywayofbuildingsetbacksandlandscaping.Currentlythislandscapeishandledinmanydifferentways.TheremaybeopportunitiesinthefuturetoconsidergreaterdesignconsistencyandmaterialityinordertobrandthesespacesasauniqueconditionalongBloorStreet.ThroughouttheVisioningStudy,thesespaceswerereferredtoasa"NecklaceofParks".Theseguidelinesalternativelyrefertothesespacesasthe"BloorStreetGreenNecklace"discussedfurtherinSection4.2.1.
WithintheblockboundedbyBloorStreet,BedfordRoad,PrinceArthurAvenueandAvenueRoad,opportunitiestorevisitparking,lanewayandaccessarrangementsintheinterioroftheblock,inordertofacilitatethecreationofalandscapedpedestrianconnectionbetweenthosestreets,shouldbepursued.NewdevelopmentshouldalsosupportthepossibilityofconvertingtheexistinglanewayrunningnorthfromBloorStreetintoalandscapedpedestrianlinkage,withopportunitiesforactiveusesatgradelevel.
BuildingheightsbetweenBloorStreetandBedfordRoadshouldtakeintoconsiderationthepreservationandenhancementofviewsupUniversityAvenueoftheOntarioProvincialLegislature.
Thebuiltformonthenorthsideofthestreetshouldrespectexistingpodiumheightsandhavestep-backswhichrelatetotheadjacentbuildings.Largeexposedblankwallsshouldbeavoided.
IftheVarsityStadiumsiteisredeveloped,thefrontyardsetbackfromBloorStreetshouldbemaintained,consistentwithcurrentzoning.Thissetback,togetherwiththeremovaloftheexistingbrickwallliningBloorStreet,wouldenableawiderpublicrealmwithgenerousstreetscaping.TheviewterminussouthalongBedfordRoadshouldbeanimportantconsiderationforthedesignofnewbuildings,andcanbeaddressedthroughlandmarkpublicartorarchitecturaltreatment.
TheBloorStreetTransformationProjectisunderconstructioneastofAvenueRoadandinvolvesthere-claddingoftheBloorStreetsidewalksingranite.TheremaybeopportunitiesinthefutureforthisnewstreetscapetreatmentwestofAvenueRoad.
Creating a consistent streetwall: north side of Bloor
Varsity Stadium
Royal Conservatory of Music
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Streetscaping on Bloor Street at Devonshire Place View east from St. George Street
Open space at Senator Croll Apartments east of Huron Stret
Philosopher's Walk - looking south Philosopher's Walk - looking north toward Bloor
University of Toronto Schools landscaped setback
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Potential enhancement of "Bloor Street Green Necklace": Bloor Street at Devonshire Place
Potential enhancement of "Bloor Street Green Necklace": looking west from Varsity Stadium
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4.1.2 the oIse block
TheOntarioInstituteforStudiesinEducation(OISE)blockencompassesthelandsboundedbyBloorStreet,St.GeorgeStreet,PrinceArthurAvenueandBedfordRoad.Theblockcontainsavarietyofbuildingtypes,includingalow-riseheritagestructure,asingle-storeysubwayentrance,andmid-andhigh-risebuildings.Thelandusesintheblockincludeinstitutional,residential,retailandtransitusesaswellassurfaceparkingandapubliclyaccessibleopenspace.
LocatedattheintersectionoftheBloor-DanforthandYonge-University-Spadinalines,thisblockisappropriateforsomeintensification.Ideally,newdevelopmentontheselandsshouldbeconsideredinthecontextofacoordinatedmasterplanfortheblockthatachieves:
■ rationalizationofpotentialsharedlaneways,parkingandserviceaccessarrangements;
■ publicrealmandopenspaceimprovements;
■ mid-blockpedestrianconnections,bothnorth-southandeast-west;
■ integrationofTTCservices;and
■ appropriatetransitiontotheNeighbourhoodtothenorth.
Ingeneral,newbuildingsshouldbedesignedtoreinforcethebuiltstreetwallonBloorStreetwhilemaintainingandenhancingopenspacewithintheblock.
Developmentat246-252BloorStreetWestandtheTTCSt.GeorgeStation–BedfordEntrance/BusLoopshouldprovideatransitioninheightfromexistingheightsonPrinceArthurAvenue(11and19storeys)towardsapeakonornearBloorStreet.AccesstoTTCservicesshouldbeinternalizedwithinnewbuildings,ormadevisibleandprominentfromBloorStreetviathepositionofnewpublicspace.Groundfloorusesshouldincludehighlyvisible,activeusesatgradetoanimatethestreetfrontage.
OnthesiteoftheYorkClub,at135St.GeorgeStreet,thehistoricGooderhamHouseshouldbemaintainedandenhanced.Developmentthatdoesnotdetractordiminishtheprominenceoftheheritagebuildingcouldbeaccommodatedontheexistingparkinglot.Accordingly,newbuildingsshouldstepdowninheightfromtheUniversityofTorontolandstotheeast,andshouldbedesignedtoframeviewstowardtheheritagestructure.
OISE Block
Potential redevelopment of Bloor-Bedford intersection showing external transit entrance
Potential redevelopment of Bloor-Bedford intersection showing internalized transit entrance
Potential development on OISE Block viewed from St. George Street
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The“Bloor-BedfordParkette,”locatedonUniversityofTorontoproperty,isavaluableneighbourhoodopenspacethathasbeenenhancedandimprovedthrougharecentworkinggroupprocess.Thecontinualenhancementofthisspaceshouldbeincludedinlonger-termredevelopmentplansfortheblockasahighlyvisibleurbanpark,providingagatewaytotheneighbourhood.Thoughthisareamayberelocatedaspartoftheredevelopmentoftheblock,itshouldprovidethesameoragreateramountofpubliclyaccessibleopenspace,surroundedbyactive,visiblegrade-relateduseswhichmayincluderestaurantsandcafestoprovideanimationandoverlook.Theopenspacemayalsobeanappropriatelocationtointegrateanew,landmark-qualityTTCentrance.
Sketch of Bloor-Bedford Parkette enhancements
Recently completed improvements to Bloor-Bedford Parkette
Bloor-Bedford Parkette
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4.1.3 spadIna node
TheintersectionofBloorStreetatSpadina,betweenWalmerRoadandMadisonAvenue,isakeymulti-modaltransithubwhereitisappropriatetoaccommodateintensification.Newdevelopmentatthisnodewillhelpdelineatethedifferentscales,intensityandbuiltformbetweentheInstitutionalCorridortotheeastandtheMainStreetAreatothewest.
WhilegreaterheightsanddensitiesarecontemplatedfortheSpadinaNode,itisimportantforthebuiltformofnewdevelopmenttointegratewiththelocal,mainstreetcharacteratstreetlevel.BuildingsintheSpadinaNodeshouldincorporatealow-risepodiumconsistentwiththestreetwalloftheMainStreetArea,withsimilarfine-grainedusesandcharacteristics,toprovideforacontinuouspedestrianexperience.
northwest corner
Giventheimmediatecontextofneighbouringhigh-risebuildings,significantbuildingheightatthisintersectioncanbelocatedatthenorthwestcornerofBloorandSpadina.OpportunitiestointegrateanentrancetotheexistingTTCstationintotheredevelopmentofthiscornershouldbeencouraged.
northeast corner
DevelopmentatthenortheastcorneroftheSpadinaNodewillneedtobalanceseveralurbandesignconsiderations,including:itslocationattheviewterminusofSpadinaAvenue;itsproximitytoEcologyPark;itsheightrelativetothepeakatthenorthwestcorneroftheintersection;andtransitaccess.BecauseSpadinaAvenuejogsslightlytothewestasitapproachesBloorStreet,accommodatingtheopenspaceprovidedbyMattCohenPark,thebuildingsatthenortheastcornersitattheterminusofanimportantviewnorthward.ThisisalsowithinasignificantviewcorridorfromCollegeStreet,withthespireofthehistoricUniversityofTorontoOneSpadinaCrescent,previouslytheConnaughtLaboratoriesbuilding,asitsfocus.Forthesereasons,thedesignofnewbuildingsatthenortheastcornershouldhaveparticularregardforlandmarkarchitecturaltreatmentwithattentionpaidtobuildingarticulation,roofline,andthequalityofmaterials.Atthesametime,buildingsshouldnotbebuilttoaheightthatwoulddetractfromthesilhouetteoftheOneSpadinaCrescentbuildingspire,asviewedfromCollegeStreet.
NewdevelopmentshouldalsomitigateanyshadowimpactsonEcologyPark,whichmaybeachieved
Recent development to the south of Miles Nadal JCC
Matt Cohen Park
Spadina Avenue jog with Matt Cohen Park to the right
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bypositioningatallerbuildingelementclosertothecorner,withlowerheightsmovingeasttowardsMadisonAvenue(seeFigure7).ThevisibilityandconnectivityoftheparkfrombothBloorStreetandSpadinaRoadcanbeenhancedthroughsuchfeaturesasapedestrianmid-blockroute,colonnadeand/orwidenedsidewalk.ThedesignofanybuildingfacingEcologyParkshouldcreateafacadeoverlookingtheopenspace,byincludingfeaturessuchaswindowsorunitsaccessiblefromgradelevel.Thereshouldnotbeblankwalls,garbageareasorloadingdocksfacingthepark.
OpportunitiestoincorporatetheTTClandsintoanoveralldevelopmentschemeforthenortheastcornerareencouraged.Thiswouldallowforpossibilitiestoprovideavisuallyprominenttransitentranceintegratedintothebuiltform,andanenhancedpedestrianlinkageorparkconnectionbetweenEcologyParkandSpadinaRoad.
southwest corner
TheMilesNadalJewishCommunityCentreanchorsthesouthwestcorneroftheintersectionandisnotlikelytoberedevelopedintheshortterm.WestoftheCentre,anyredevelopmentoftheMetrosupermarketlands,includingitssurfaceparkinglot,shouldbelowerinheightthanattheintersection,providingadownwardtransitionfromtheheightpeaktotheNeighbourhoodtothesouth.ThefrontwallofthebuildingshouldbesignificantlysetbackfromBloorStreettoprovideasightlinetothespireofTrinitySt.Paul’sChurchandtofacilitatethefuturecreationofapublicsquare.
Toensureacomprehensiveandcohesivetreatmentofthesouthwestblockandsitecirculation,theselandsshouldbeplannedanddesignedtogetherwiththetwoadjacentlotstotheeast.Thiswouldprovidetheopportunitytoimproveandwidenthenorth-southlanewayforsharedaccessthroughtheblock,includingtheprovisionofhigh-qualitypavingtreatmentsandbuildingfenestrationoverlookingthelane.
Figure 7: Potential built form massing at Northeast Corner: view westward from Madison Avenue
North side of Bloor Street east of Spadina
Miles Nadal JCC
View of Metro supermarket lands and adjacent lots
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southeast corner
Atthesoutheastcorner,MattCohenParkshouldberetainedandenhancedasaneighbourhoodfocalpoint.AnyredevelopmentoftheUniversityofTorontoSchool(UTS)siteshouldbeconsistentwithUniversityofTorontoSecondaryPlanpoliciesandguidelines.NewdevelopmentshouldmaintainthehistoricBloorStreetfaçadeoftheUTSbuilding,withnewbuiltformelementssteppingbackfromthestreetasreflectedinthecurrentzoningenvelopeforthesite.Redevelopmentofthebuildingshouldprovideactiveat-gradeuses,aswellaslandscapingtreatmentsandstreettreeplantingalongtheBloorStreetandHuronStreetfrontages.Similarly,activeat-gradeusesfacingMattCohenParkwouldhelptoanimatethepublicopenspace.
FurtherwestwithintheSpadinaNodearethelandslocatedatthecornersofBloorStreetWestatWalmerRoad.Shouldthesesitesberedeveloped,theyshouldbedesignedwithsufficientsetbackstocreateapublicplazafocusedonTrinitySt.Paul’sChurch.Incentivessuchasthepermissionofadditionalgrossfloorareainthepodium,integrationoftheTTCWalmerRoadautomatedentrance,andstreetwallheightuptosevenstoriesmaybeusedtofacilitatethecreationoftheplaza.Newbuildingsatthisintersectionshouldaccommodateactive,grade-relatedusessurroundingtheplaza,andshouldbedesignedwithlandmarkarchitecturalelementstoterminatetheviewnorthwardfromRobertStreet.
Matt Cohen Park - looking south from Bloor
UTS building at Southeast Corner
Rear view of Metro supermarket and adjacent properties from Robert Street Playing Field
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Potential redevelopment of Spadina Node: view east toward SpadinaNorth side of Bloor between Walmer Road and Spadina Road today
Potential streetscaping at Bloor/Robert/Walmer intersectionView north toward Bloor Street from Robert Street today
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University of Toronto Schools
4.1.4 unIversIty of toronto sItes
TheBloorCorridorUrbanDesignGuidelinesrecognizethecurrentbuildingenvelopesassetoutintheUniversityofToronto(U.ofT.)SecondaryPlanandSiteSpecificDevelopmentGuidelines.TheUniversityisundertakingaseparatesecondaryplanreviewwhichincludestheirpropertieswithintheBloorCorridor.WithrespecttoU.ofT.lands,theseguidelinesshallbeinterpretedinconjunctionwithapplicableplanningguidelinesandpoliciesspecifictotheSt.Georgecampus.
Ingeneral,Universitybuildingsshouldcontributetoananimatedstreetscape.BuildingsfrontingontoBloorStreetorpublicopenspacesshouldincludeactiveat-gradeusesthatareaccessibletothepublic,forexample,retail,andrestaurantuses.Heritageelementsshouldbepreserved,maintainedandenhancedwhereverpossible.
University of Toronto gateway at St. George Street
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4.1.5 maIn street precInct
TheBloorCorridor’sprimarycommercialshoppingareaisfoundintheMainStreetPrecinctbetweenBathurstStreetandWalmerRoad.Thisdistrictischaracterizedbyattached,low-risebuildingswithnarrowfrontagesatthestreetedge.Typicallythesebuildingshouseretailusesatgradewhichservethesurroundingneighbourhoods,andofficeandresidentialusesabove.Newdevelopmentsthatarecompatiblewiththeexistingformanduseinthisareaareencouraged.BetweenLippincottStreetandWalmerRoadtheexisting16metre(5storey)zoningenvelopeshouldgenerallybemaintained.
NewdevelopmentintheMainStreetPrecinctmayalsohelptofacilitatecertainpublicrealmimprovementstoexpandthe"BloorStreetGreenNecklace"openspacenetwork.Inparticular,theVisioningStudyhasidentifiedtwoopportunitiestocreateadditionalpublicspaceintheneighbourhood:
■ OntheexistingCity-ownedparkinglotsouthofBloorStreet,betweenLippincottandBordenStreets,fortheestablishmentofanewpark(seeFigure8);and
■ AttheintersectionofBloorStreetwithWalmerRoadandRobertStreets,tocreateanewplazafocusedaroundTrinitySt.Paul’sChurch(seeFigure9).
Wheredevelopmentmayfacilitatesuchpublicrealmimprovements,additionalheightupto7storeysmaybecontemplated,subjecttoappropriateangularplanerestrictionsandotherurbandesignconsiderations.
Retail-commercial area
Boulevard cafe on Albany Avenue
Brunswick Avenue south of Bloor
View east from Dalton Road
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4.1.6 bathurst node
AsnotedinSection2.1,theseguidelinesapplytothePhaseIlandsoftheBloorCorridor,betweenAvenueRoadandBathurstStreet.ItisanticipatedthatthePhase2landsbetweenBathurstStreetandChristie/GraceStreetswillbethesubjectofafuturestudy.TheBathurstNode,therefore,providesanimportanttransitionandconnectionbetweenthePhaseIandPhase2lands,andshouldbeexaminedinfurtherdetailinthecontextofthatstudy.
AttheintersectionofBloorandBathurstStreets,aswellastheTTC’sBloor-DanforthsubwaylineandtheBathurststreetcarandbuslines,theBathurstNodeisanotherlocationthatmayappropriatelyaccommodateintensification.
Newdevelopmentshouldbedesignedwithabuiltformthatintegrateswiththelocal,mainstreetcharacteratstreetlevel.BuildingsintheBathurstNodeshouldincorporatealow-risepodiumconsistentwiththestreetwalloftheMainStreetPrecinct,withsimilarfine-grainedusesandcharacteristics,toprovideacontinuouspedestrianexperienceaswellasappropriatetransitiontotallerbuiltformelements.
South side of Bloor Street looking east from Bathurst Street
Honest Ed's retail store
Northwest corner of Bloor and Bathurst Streets
Figure 8: Potential open space between Lippincott and Borden Streets
Figure 9: Potential long-term vision for Trinity-St. Paul's Square
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4.2 publIc realm frameworkThePublicRealmFrameworkfortheseguidelinesprovidesdirectionsforincreasingpedestriansafetyandamenityinthecorridorandredistributingpedestrianactivitytoanimateeveryspace.TheFrameworkalsogivesanindicationofwheretoinvestinpublicspacefacilities.Itrequirespartnershipsforthedevelopmentofnewpubliclyaccessibleplazasonprivatepropertieswhichcouldcontributetoanover-archingvisionofpedestrianismalongtheBloorCorridor.Thisframeworkissupportedbytheothersectionsoftheseguidelines,whichprovidegeneralandsite-specificrecommendationsonhowtocreateandtransformpublicspaces.
4.2.1 open space network
TheBloorCorridorUrbanDesignGuidelinesidentifyarangeofopportunitiestoimproveandexpandthepublicnetworkofparks,openspaces,pedestrianlinks,forecourts,courtyards,andthequalityofthepedestrianenvironmentalongtheexistingroadnetwork(Figure10).Anopenspacesystemreferredtohereasthe"BloorStreetGreenNecklaceSystem"canbeachievedbystringingtogetherasequenceofplazas,forecourtsandseatingareaswithacompatiblelandscapedsidewalksystemalongthesouthsideofBloorStreet.Acontinuouspedestriancircuitshouldbeimplementedthroughoutthecorridorwithway-
Figure 10: Open Space Network
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Opportunities to improve the public realm
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Passive seating area on a sidestreet
Potential sidewalk widening on north side of Bloor Street
"Green Finger" opportunity on sidestreet south of Bloor
findingelementssuchaspublicart,signageand/oraunifiedlandscapingtreatment.
Keyinitiativesinclude:
■ Enhancingexistingparksandopenspaces;
■ Establishingnewandenhancingexistingmid-blockconnectionstofacilitatepedestrianmovementthroughoutthecorridor,asshowninFigure10,especiallywheretheylinkwithparksandopenspaces;
■ Seekingopportunitiestocreateandenhance“greenfingers”ontheboulevardsofsidestreetsextendingnorthandsouthfromBloor,throughtheprovisionofstreettreeplanting,landscaping,andstreetfurniture;
■ Encouragingthecontributionofapubliclyaccessibleopenspaceatgradeleveltothepublicrealmineachsignificantnewdevelopment;
■ Enhancingstreetscapingthroughoutthecorridor,andproviding‘promenade’treatmentswithadoublerowoftreeswherespacepermitsandasopportunitiesarise;and
■ PromotingtheestablishmentofnewpublicspacesasdetailedinSection4.2.2below.
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4.2.2 publIc spaces
ThevisionfortheBloorCorridorincludesthepursuitofopportunitiestocreatearangeofnewcivicspacesincertainlocations:
museum plaza
TemporaryplantersandbarricadetreatmentsmaybeappliedacrosstheroadwayadjacenttotheRoyalOntarioMuseumfrontageonBloorStreetsuchthatitcouldbeusedasprogrammablespaceforoutdoorevents.Ontheseoccasions,thispartofthecorridorwouldbeclosedtovehicles.Furthermore,toincreasepedestriansafety,amid-blockpedestriancrosswalkmaybeconsideredtoconnectPhilosopher’sWalkandtheMuseumPlazatothenorthsideofBloorStreet.
varsity stadium plaza
OpportunitiesexisttoenhancethestreetscapeandsidewalksinfrontofVarsityStadium.ThesetreatmentsmaybedesignedinasimilarmannertotheMuseumPlazatohelpstrengthentheconceptofasequenceofopenspaces.
trinity st. paul’s square
TrinitySt.Paul’sChurchisanexistinglandmarkthatistreasuredbylocalresidents.ItcouldberecognizedasanewfocusandgatheringplacefortheneighbourhoodthroughthecreationofapublicspaceattheterminusofWalmerRoad.Attimes,thestreetcouldbeclosedtoaccommodatelocalfestivalsinthisspace.ThiswillreinforcetheprominenceoflocalheritageintheneighbourhoodandcelebrateTrinitySt.Paul’sChurchasaneighbourhoodlandmark.Thenewsquarewouldalsofunctionasa‘threshold’markbetweenthe‘mainstreet’characterareafoundwestofWalmerRoadandthemixedcharactertotheeastofWalmerRoad.
Thesquareshouldbebuiltinaphasedmanner,asredevelopmentpermits.Astherearebuildingsthatcurrentlyexistonthenortheastandnorthwestcornersofthisintersection,theremaystillbeopportunitiestodistinguishtheintersectionintheshorttermthroughaunifiedstreetscapingapproachincludingcommonlandscaping,seatingareas,etc(Figure11).Acomprehensivedevelopmentplan,orconsolidationofthepropertiespriortoamasterplanningprocess,isnecessarytorealizethelong-termrecommendation.
Museum Plaza as a temporary public gathering space
Varsity Stadium
Potential enhancement of Varsity Stadium streetscape treatment
Figure 11: Potential interim plaza treatment for Bloor/Walmer/ Robert intersection
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lippincott park
TheexistingCity-ownedparkinglotsouthofBloorStreet,betweenLippincottandBordenStreets,representsanopportunitytoseekpublic-privatepartnershipsforthepurposeofcreatingalandscapedparkatthatlocationwithnewdevelopmentfacingit.Moderateadditionalheightanddensityforthisdevelopmentmaybeconsideredtoprovidetheincentivetocreateparkamenitiesonthesite.
“xpr” x-pand public realm
Throughoutthestudyarea,opportunitiesmayexisttoexpandthepublicrealmthroughthedevelopmentreview/planningprocess.Inthelastdecadealone,wellover1.2millionsquarefeethasbeenaddedtothepublicrealmofthedowntownonlandsthatwerepreviouslynotownedbythecity.Thesespacestaketheformofparks,plaza’s,pedestrianconnections,parkettesandpubliclyaccessiblecourtyards.ThecourtyardatOneBedfordisanexampleofapubliclyaccessiblespacethatwascreatedthroughtheplanningprocess.Thespacewillincorporatearestoredheritagefacadeandfeatureacaféwithoutdoorseating.
Public realm considerations in design of One Bedford Road development
Courtyard at One Bedford Road development
City-owned parking lot between Lippincott and Borden Streets
Vision for a park between Lippincott and Borden Streets
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4.2.3 streetscapes
BloorStreetshouldbeexaminedtoexploreoptionsforimprovingthepedestrianrealmandcommunity-widepedestrianlinkages.Thismayalsoentailtheremoval,subjecttoappropriatereviewandassessment,ofatrafficlanefromSpadinaAvenuethroughtoBathurstStreet.SidewalksalongBloorStreetatSpadinaRoadandBedfordRoadcouldthenbewidenedwheretheyarecurrentlytoonarrowforexistingpedestriandemand.Theremayalsobelimitedopportunitiestodesignintegratedlay-bysfordrop-offsanddelivery,pullingthemoffBloorStreetthroughlanes.Streetscapescanalsobeenhancedbyinvestigatingwaystoconsolidatesignage,utilitiesetctoeliminate‘double-poling’inthepublicright-of-way.Inadditiontoenhancedlandscapingandstreetfurnitureplacement,creativesolutionstostreettreeplantingwillberequiredtoenhancethestreetscapeandpedestriancomfort.
Potential sidewalk widening
Sidewalks in the Main Street Precinct today
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4.3 Gateways, vIews and termInus sItesTheseUrbanDesignGuidelinesidentifypotentialandexistingGatewayAreasthatareofcity-wideimportanceorrelatedtoeachoftheprecincts.Figures12and13illustratediagrammaticexamplesofgatewayandterminussiteswithintheBloorCorridorthatwarrantspecialdesigntreatmentbecauseoftheirlocationandvisibility.Thesesites,andtheviewstowardthem,haveatremendouspotentialtostrengthenanarea’sidentityandimprovethequalityofthepublicrealm.
GatewayAreasrepresentsignificantopportunitiestomarkentryintotheBloorCorridorarea,aswellasspecificprecinctssuchastheMainStreetPrecinctorInstitutionalPrecinct.GatewayAreascanbeexpressedthroughacombinationoflandmarks,buildingmass,landscaping,signage(excludingadvertising),upgradedsidewalktreatments,speciallighting,gatheringareas(wherepossible),seatingandpublicart.Thescaleandcharacterofthegatewaytreatmentshouldbeinkeepingwiththecontextoftheareawhichitisintroducing.SpecificsitesencouragedforgatewaytreatmentareidentifiedinFigure12.
Figure 12: Gateway Areas
Bloor-Bathurst gateway area
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AnincreasedsenseoforientationandgreaterlegibilityofthedifferentnodesandprecinctsoftheBloorCorridorcanbeachievedbyreinforcingkeyviewcorridorsandbyprovidinglandmarkfeaturesathighlyvisiblelocations.Viewsthroughandtosignificantsitescanalsoassistinencouraginganddirectinggreaterpedestrianmovementinallareas.Figure13identifiessignificantviewsthatshouldbeprotectedandreinforced,aswellaslocationswherevisualterminustreatments(buildingentries,structuralelements,banners,publicart)shouldbelocated.
Terminussitesarethefocalpointofaviewcorridorandhavestrategiclocationsforpublicorcommercialuses.Theyalsoofferanopportunitytocreatevisualinterestfromgreaterdistancesandifdesignedwithdistinction,canactaseffectiveorientingdeviceswherepeoplecangaugetheirrelativelocationinthedistrictorcity.Terminustreatmentscanincludearchitecturalelements,monumentsandartinstallations.Terminustreatmentsitesshouldnot,however,beconsideredthesingularjustificationforadditionalheight.
Atthesestrategiclocations,theprogrammingofthebuilding,thetreatmentofthearchitecture,materialsandbuiltformshouldreinforceitslocationasagateway,visualterminus,node,orcombinationthereof.Toenhancethedistinctionand
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Figure 13: Views and Key Sites
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Gateway Area: Bloor-Bedford intersection
Terminus Site: Trinity-St. Paul's Church spire
Terminus Site: Varsity Stadium
landmarkqualityofnewbuildingsonprominentcornersorvisualterminussites,modestexceptionstostep-backsandheightrestrictionsmaybepermittedtoencouragemassinganddesignsthataccentuatethevisualprominenceofthesite;forexample,architecturaltreatmentscanincludetallslenderelementssuchasspiresandturrets.Newdevelopmentsonterminussitesshouldaligndesignfeaturestotheviewaxis,includingentriesorporticoopenings.Onallcornersitesdevelopmentshouldbeorientedtobothstreetfrontages.
Asnewdevelopmentsatgatewayandterminussitescanshapetheimageandcharacterofanarea,theyshouldhavegreatercivicobligationstoensurethatthehighestpossiblestandardsindesignandmaterialqualityaremet.
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4.4 herItaGePreservationandenhancementofbuiltandnaturalheritageisvitaltotheidentityoftheBloorCorridor.
Figure14illustratesthepropertieslistedontheCity'sInventoryofHeritageProperties,ordesignatedundertheOntarioHeritageAct,todate.Additionalpropertiesand/orheritageelementsmaybeaddedinthefuture.
Thesebuildingsaretobeprotectedandenhancedandadjacentdevelopmentsshouldcomplementandfeaturethesehistoricstructures.Whileheritagebuildingscanbeincorporatedwithinnewdevelopments,wherepossible,theintegrityoftheentireoriginalstructureshouldbemaintainedandrestored.
Heritageandlandmarkbuildingsshouldbecelebratedinthestreetscapewhereverpossible,throughstrategiesthatmayinclude:
■ providingapublicspaceinfront,suchasaplazaorseatingarea;
■ settingbackadjacentbuildingstoprovideadirectviewofheritagebuildings;
■ designingadjacentbuildingstorespondtothemassing,articulationandmaterialoftheheritagebuilding;and
■ ensuringredevelopmentofheritagebuildingspreservestheheritagecharacterofthebuilding,throughrestorationofheritageelementsandcarefuldesignofnewelements.
Medical Arts Building
York Club
University of Toronto Admissions Building
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Figure 14: Map of Listed and Designated Heritage Buildings
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Existing Under Study
Bloor Street United Church detail
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4.5 publIc art proGramPublicartwillplayasignificantroleinreinforcingtheurbandesignguidelinesforthepublicrealmintheBloorCorridor.Opportunitiesforpublicartcanrangefromtheintegrationofideasintostreetscape,openspaceandbuiltformdesignstothecreationofindependentsculptures.Gatewaysandvisualcorridorterminationsshouldbecomeprominentpublicartsites.
ItisanticipatedthattheCity’sPrivateDeveloperPercentforPublicArtProgramwillbeamajorcontributortotheimprovementofpubliclyaccessibleareas,bothonprivateandpubliclands.PublicartpoliciesandguidelinesarereferencedintheCity’sUrbanDesignHandbook.
Gwendolyn MacEwen Park
Public art detail in Matt Cohen Park
Matt Cohen Park
Forecourt of Senator Croll Apartments
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4.6 supportInG actIve transportatIon
walking
AlternativesforaddressingthesidewalkwidthonthesouthsideofBloorStreet,westofSpadina,shouldbeexamined.Thismayneedtobecompletedifandwhenredevelopmentoccursadjacenttothislocation.Theprovisionofstreetfurnitureshouldbeconsolidatedasneededandlocatedtomaximizepedestriancapacity.
cycling
ThecyclingnetworkinthestudyareaisconsistentwiththeCityofToronto’s2001BikePlan.Theexistingzoningrequiresprovisionofbikestorage,changerooms,andshowersinalllargescaledevelopments.TocomplementtheongoingeffortsoftheCityofTorontoinimplementingtheBikePlan,thisrequirementshouldbeaugmentedwithprovisionsfordedicatedbikestorageinparkinglotsandgaragesinnewdevelopmentsorrenovations.Theremayalsoexistopportunitiesforconsolidatedbikeparkingareasonsidestreetswherepedestriandemandsarelower,orwherethepublicrealmoraredevelopmentallows(forexample,inthepublicboulevardsatthesoutheastcornerofBrunswickStreetorthesoutheastcornerofRobertStreet).
AtitsmeetingofOctober23and23,2007,CityCouncildirectedstafftoreportonthefeasibilityofestablishingabikewayonBloorStreetWestandDanforthAvenue.IfadoptedbyCouncil,abikewayonBloorStreetshouldworkinharmonywiththepotentialsidewalkwideninginitiativesidentifiedinthisstudy.
transit
Thedevelopmentofnewbuildingsadjacenttotransitentrances,oroftheentrancesthemselves,offertheopportunitytointegrateand/orenhancepedestrianaccessto,andvisualprominenceof,thesubwaystations.Inparticular,theBedfordRoadentrancetotheSt.GeorgeStationisimportantasa“gateway”totheRoyalOntarioMuseum,VarsityStadiumandArena,andtheRoyalConservatoryofMusic.OpportunitiestowidenthesidewalksonBedfordRoadsouthofthesubwayentranceshouldbeexplored.PavementtreatmentsextendingacrossBloorStreetcangiveaddedprominencetothepedestrianmovementsattheselocations.
Providing cycling infrastructure
Supporting pedestrian movement
Accessibility of public transit
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5. General buIlt form GuIdelInes
Urbandesignfortheareashouldconsiderthecomfortandconvenienceofthepedestrianasshapedbythestreetscapeanditsinterfacewiththebuiltform.Inthisregard,builtformelementssuchasheight,mass,setbacks,parkingandservicing,access,sunpenetrationandvisualconditionatthestreetarecrucialtothepedestrianexperienceandcontributetotheuniquecharacteristicsoftheBloorCorridor.
Figure 15: Schematic massing study for the Bloor Corridor
Low-rise street wall in the Main Street Precinct
Thefollowingguidelinesproposeahierarchyofbuiltformstandardsthatcorrespondtothreescales:thePedestrianScale,theStreetWallScaleandtheUrbanScale.Theseconsiderationsarederivedfromthefollowingprimaryconcerns:
■ Maintainingandenhancingthevitalityofthepedestrianenvironment.
■ Maintainingthepedestrian-scaledstreetwallwhereitexists.
■ Differentiatinglow-riseresidentialandmixed-usefromneighbouringhigher-risedevelopment.
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5.1 pedestrIan scale desIGn consIderatIonsThepedestrianscaleisprimarilyconcernedwithabuilding’sinterfacewiththesidewalk,protectionfromtheelementsandcreatingvisualinterest.Theseelementsaffecthowthebuiltformsupportsthecomfortofthepedestrianandhowitanimatesthepublicrealm.Creatingacomfortablepedestrianrealmencourageswalkingasacleanairalternative,contributingtosustainabledevelopment.
5.1.2 Interface wIth the sIdewalk
Inpredominantlycommercialareas-includingtheMainStreetPrecinct,SpadinaandBathurstNodesandthenorthsideofBloorintheInstitutionalPrecinct–awningsandcanopiesforweatherprotection,aswellastransparentwindowtreatments,providecomfortandinterestforthepedestrian.Narrowerretailfrontagesaredesirableforthesestripsandsignageshouldbeappropriatelyscaledtothepedestrian.
Throughoutthecorridor,apositivepedestrianexperiencewillrelyontheeffectivenessofthestreetscapingtreatment.Thebuiltformshouldincorporatelandscapingtreatmenttoenlivenotherwiseneutralbuildingedges.
5.1.3 parkInG and loadInG
Parkingandloadingareasshouldbeplacedbelowgradewherepossible.Ingeneral,loadingandparkingareasshouldbehiddenfromview,andlocatedonroadswiththeleastamountofpedestriantraffic.Accesstoparkingandloadingareasshouldnotbelocatedatgatewaysites,orattheterminusofaviewcorridorunlesstheyareincorporatedintothedesigntreatment.
5.1.4 mId-block connectIons
Mid-blockconnectionsandwalkwayscontributetotheeaseandaccessibilityofpedestrianmovementandshouldbeenhancedandencouragedwhereopportunitiesarise.TheseUrbanDesignGuidelines,aswellasarea-specificpoliciesintheOfficialPlan,identifyanumberofpotentialextensionstothepedestriannetwork,withoutprecludingadditionaloralternativelocations.Theprovisionofpubliclyaccessible,privatelydevelopedandownedopenspacesishighlyencouragedonindividualsitesthroughouttheBloorCorridor.
Pedestrian walkway design
Mid-bock connection
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5.1.5 safety
Safetyinparksandoff-streetpedestrianpathsshouldbeincreasedwithappropriatepavingtreatments,lightingsystems,andlandscaping.Pedestriancrosswalksshouldbeclearlydefinedthroughpavementtreatments,markings,signallingandclearsignage.
5.2 street wall scale desIGn consIderatIonsThestreetwallscaleistheportionofthepublicrealmthatdefinesandformstheedgestothestreet.Thescaleandcharacterofthestreetwallhasafundamentalimpactonthepedestrianexperience.
5.2.1 street wall
Thestreetwallistheportionofthebuildingthatfrontsthestreetandwhichhasthegreatestimpactontheimageofthestreet.Ingeneral,thestreetwallofanewbuildingshouldalignwiththoseoftheneighbouringbuildingsorhavethesamesetbackasthepredominantbuildingsontheblock.Insomeinstances,thestreetwallalignmentmaybecompromisedinordertoachieveawider,landscapedsidewalk,aswouldbepreferredwithintheInstitutionalPrecinct,forexample.
Itiscriticalthatthestreetwallhasthehighestqualityofarchitecturaldesignandmaterials,especiallyatthegroundandsecondfloors,asthisportionofthebuildingisthemostvisibleandaccessibletopedestrians.Tothisend,1:50scaleelevationdetails(withmaterialslabelled)willberequiredwithnewdevelopmentapplicationsinordertosecurethequalityofmaterialsandarchitecturaldetailsadjacenttothepublicrealm.Itisatthestreetwallthatthequalityofthepublicrealmcanbemostenhanced.
ThestreetwallthroughouttheBloorCorridorshouldbedesignedtoensurepedestriancomfortandadequatelightpenetration,throughconsiderationofthefollowing:
■ BuildingsfacingBloorStreetshouldhaveactiveusesat-gradewithaminimum75%glazing,providedthatminimumenergyperformancetargetsaremet,toachievemaximumvisualtransparencyandanimation.Weatherprotectionforpedestriansisencouragedthroughtheuseofawningsandcanopies;
City of Toronto's 1:50 elevation requirements
Main Street Precinct street wall
Mid-rise street wall emerging in the Institutional Precinct
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■ Podiumorstreetwallheightsshouldgenerallybe13-16metresor4-5storeysintheMainStreetPrecinctandSpadinaNodewestofMadisonAvenue;
■ Podiumorstreetwallheightsshouldgenerallybe19-25metresor6-8storeysintheInstitutionalPrecinct,eastofMadisonAvenue;
■ Thestreetwallshouldcontributetothe‘fine-grain’characterofthestreetscapebyarticulatingthefaçadeinaverticalrhythmthatisconsistentwiththeprevailingcharacterofnarrowbuildingsandstorefronts–generallyinintervalsbetween9and12metres;
■ At-graderetailshouldhaveaprominentpresenceonthestreetwithafloor-to-ceilingheightthatisnolessthan4.5metres;
■ Commercialsignageshouldadddiversityandinteresttoretailstreets,butnotbeoverwhelming;
■ Streetwallsshouldbedesignedwiththehighestpossiblematerialqualityanddetail;
■ Nosignificantblankat-gradestreetwallconditionsshouldbepermittedonanyfrontage;
■ Whilematerialsandarchitecturecanvarybetweenbuildings,itisgenerallydesirablethatthestreetwallheightbeaconsistentline.Above-gradesetbacksaregenerallyrecommendedtostrengthenthequalityofthepedestrianexperience.
Opportunities to fill gaps in the street wall
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5.2.2 buIldInG elements
Toencouragecontinuityinthestreetscapeandtoensurehorizontal‘breaks’inthefaçade,buildingsshouldbedesignedtoreinforcethefollowingkeyelementsthroughtheuseofsetbacks,articulation,texturesandmaterials:
■ Base–Withinthefirstthreetosixstoreys,abaseshouldbeclearlydefinedthatpositivelycontributestothequalityofthepedestrianenvironmentinthelevelofanimation,transparency,articulationandmaterialquality.
■ Middle–Thebodyofthebuildingabovethebaseshouldcontributetothephysicalandvisualqualityoftheoverallstreetscape.
■ Top-Theroofconditionshouldbedistinguishedfromtherestofthebuildinganddesignedtocontributetothevisualqualityoftheskylineofthenodes.
5.2.3 orIentatIon and placement
Ingeneral,buildingsshouldbeorientedtoandplacedatthestreetedgewithclearlydefinedprimaryentrypointsthatdirectlyaccessthesidewalk.BuildingsonthesouthsideofBloorStreet,eastofSpadinaAvenue,shouldbesetbacksubstantiallyfromtheright-of-waytofacilitatethepublicrealmvision.ThroughouttheBloorStreetCorridor,buildingsshouldbebuilttoreinforcetheexistingstreetwall.
5.2.4 parkInG and servIcInG
Whereverpossible,parkingfornewdevelopmentsshouldbeprovidedbelowgradeandaccessedbyarearlane.Redevelopmentsitesshouldplanforacontinuousrearlanenetworkwhereverpossible.
Above-gradeparkingstructuresshouldnotbeconsideredexceptaboveasubway,wherebelow-gradeparkingisnotpossible.WheretheyfrontontoBloorStreet,suchstructuresshouldbescreenedfromviewthroughintegrationofelementssuchasusesfacingthestreet,“greenwall”treatment,orpublicart.
Serviceareasincludingloadingdocks,garbageareasandgarageentrancesshouldbelocatedtotherearofadevelopmentandgenerallynotvisiblefromthestreet.Whereserviceareasarevisibleorpubliclyaccessible,theseentrancesshouldbedesignedtobeintegraltothefaçadeandanextensionofthepublicrealm,withhighqualitymaterialsanddetailing.
Loading and servicing should be more thoughtfully considered
Articulation of building elements - Institutional Precinct
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5.3 urban scale desIGn consIderatIonsTheurbanscaledefinesthesegmentsofbuildingsperceivedfromgreaterdistances.Urbandesignconsiderationsareprimarilyconcernedwithissuesofmassingandheight.Theseissuesaffecthowabuildingfitsintoitssurroundings,howitisperceivedfromthestreetorfromadistance.Themassing,profileandheightoftheupperportionsofthebuildingshouldsatisfythefollowingdesigncriteria.
5.3.1 buIldInG heIGhts and transItIon
AsFigure16depicts,existingorapprovedbuildingheightsintheBloorCorridorgenerallyfollowalogicalpatternthathaspeaksatstrategicnodesandintersections(Bloor/Bedford,Bloor/Spadina,Bloor/Bathurst)whichtransitiondownwardtolowerheightsthatreflecttheestablishedbuiltformineachoftheInstitutionalPrecinctandtheMainStreetPrecinct.Thistransitionlessensboththephysicalandtheperceivedimpactofheightontheseareas.
Withinthecorridor,thetransitiondynamicreflectsitspositioninthegeneralcity-widepattern:higherandmoreintensetowardtheCitycentreintheeast,andlesssointhewest.AtWalmerRoad,thereisadistinctchangeinheightanddevelopmentintensity.ThefuturebuiltformalongBloorStreetshouldgenerallymaintainthispattern.
Anadditionalconsiderationistheestablishmentofdevelopmentnodes,atSt.George,SpadinaandpossiblyatBathurstStreet.Theirlocationsatsubwaystopsareidealforintensification,andareappropriatelocationsforhigherbuildings.Developmentshouldbedesignedtoprovideadequatetransitiontowardthesetallernodes.
Figure 16: General pattern of building heights
Higher building heights in the Institutional Precinct
Considering buildings within their broader urban context
Existing Buildings
On Bloor Behind Bloor
Proposed Buildings
On Bloor Behind Bloor
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Eachbuildinginthecorridormustrelatetothesitessurroundingit,bothalongBloorStreet,andintheadjacentlow-riseNeighbourhoods.Inadditiontotheparametersgoverninglanduse,densityandheight,thesesite-to-sitetransitionsshouldinvolvethecarefulconsiderationofsite-andbuilding-specificdesigndetails,includingsiteplanning,buildingmassing,andmaterials,amongothers,toensurefitandconsistencywithinagivencontext.
GeneralandspecificguidelinescontainedinSection4aboveidentifywhere,onasitebysitebasis,transitionsshouldconsider:
■ intensityandlanduse;
■ overallbuildingheight,podiumheight,andmassing;
■ shadow,wind,andskyview;
■ horizontalrhythm;
■ at-gradeheights,cornicelines,fenestrationpatterns,andotherarchitecturalfeatures;
■ materialsandcolours;
■ pedestrianandvehicularaccessandcirculation;and
■ viewsandprominentlocations.
Transitionshouldalsobeafactorinthecomprehensivedesignofsites.Forexample,thereareanumberofpropertieswithintheOISEBlockthatshouldbeconsideredasawhole,inordertoplanappropriatetransitionsfortheblock.Eachsiteshouldbeplannedanddesignedinconcertwithadjacentsites,regardlessofownership.Towardsthisend,ownersshouldconsidercollaborating,whenpossible,tocreateblockorareaplans,sothattransitionscanbeconsideredmostmeaningfully.
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5.3.2 shadows and pedestrIan comfort
Residentialareasandthepublicrealmmustbeprotectedfromundueshadowingfromproposedbuildings.
Inordertominimizetheadverseimpactofproposedbuildingsontheneighbouringareas,applicantsofprojectswhichhaveaheightabovetheexistingcontextshouldprovidedrawingsshowingshadowscastbytheproposeddevelopmentonpubliclyaccessibleareasandonbuildingssurroundingit.
ShadowsshouldbeshownforMarch21andSeptember21forthehoursof9:18am,10:18am,11:18am,12:18pm,3:18pm,4:18pm,5:18pmand6:18pm.Shadowdrawingsaretobeprovidedearlyinthedevelopmentreviewprocess.Shadowstudiesatadditionaltimesmayalsoberequired,forexampleinJunewhenthesunshineswellintotheevening.Shadowstudiesforadditionaltimesmayberequiredwhenwarranted.
Modelling shadow impact of existing and potential development
Shadow-sensitive areas include parks and open spaces
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5.4 sustaInable desIGnDevelopmentintheBloorCorridorshouldexhibitleadershipinenvironmentallysustainableplanninganddesignwithinanurbanizedsetting,withtheobjectivetoachievehigherstandardsforthedistrictasawhole.TheOfficialPlanpromotesandencouragessustainabledevelopment,andinDecember2008,CityCounciladoptedtherevisedTorontoGreenStandard(TGS).Minimumsustainabilityperformancemeasuresarerequiredforallnewdevelopmentgoingthroughtheplanningprocess.Inaddition,greenroofsarerequiredundertheGreenRoofBy-lawinnewdevelopmentforbuildingslargerthan2,000squaremetresstartingJanuary31,2010.
TheTGSisatwo–tieredsystemofperformancemeasuresthatareconcernedwiththeprotectionofairandwaterqualityandurbanforests,andthereductionofenergyuse,greenhousegases,wasteproduction,andlightpollution.Thereareseparatestandardsformid-tohigh-risedevelopment,low-riseresidentialdevelopmentandlow-risenon-residentialdevelopment.Tier1,whichrequiresmeetinganenergyefficiencytargetof25%betterthattheModelNationalEnergyCodeforBuildings(MNECB),isrequiredthroughtheplanningprocess.Tier2isdesignedtoachieveahigherlevelofenvironmentalperformance,includinganenergyefficiencytargetof40%betterthatMNECB.Itisachievedthroughincentivessuchasa20%developmentchargerefund.TheperformancemeasuresofTier2oftheTorontoGreenstandardwillbeencouragedforallnewdevelopmentintheBloorCorridor.
TheTorontoLEED(LeadershipinEnergyandEnvironmentalDesign)supplementwillbeavailableasoftheFall2009toassistdeveloperswhointendtopursuetheLEEDaccreditation,toensuretheyhaveaddressedtheCity’sTGS.DesignoptionstoimplementtheperformancemeasuresoftheTGScanbefoundin‘DesignGuidelinesforGreeningSurfaceParkingLots’andthe‘BirdFriendlyDevelopmentGuidelines’.
TheCityoffersincentivestoundertakeenergyefficiencymodelingthroughtheBetterBuildingsPartnershipforNewConstructionprogram,andfurtherincentivesfornewbuildingsthatachievereducedelectricityconsumption.TheEco-RoofIncentiveProgramoffersupto$50persquaremetreforinstallationofagreenroofand$2to$5persquaremetreforinstallationofacoolroofforindustrial,commercialandinstitutionalretrofits.
More information can be found at:
www.toronto.ca/greenroofs and www.toronto.ca/planning
Encouraging sustainable design