Another Eglinton West Site Headed for Change
Eglinton Avenue West continues to be one of Toronto’s most closely watched development corridors, and 1675–1685 Eglinton Ave West is the latest site to enter the planning pipeline. A formal application has been submitted to redevelop the property, replacing two existing low-rise rental buildings with a high-density, transit-oriented mixed-use project.
For anyone tracking what’s being built across the city, this proposal offers a clear example of how long-term transit investment and City planning policy are shaping the future of Eglinton West.
Where the Site Is — And Why It Matters
The subject site sits on the south side of Eglinton Avenue West, mid-block between Northcliffe Boulevard and Glenholme Avenue. It’s a stretch of the corridor that has been under steady pressure for intensification, largely because of its transit access.
The property is within walking distance of two Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown stations: Oakwood Station to the west and Fairbank Station to the east. Both stations are designated as Protected Major Transit Station Areas, a planning framework that encourages higher-density, transit-supportive development. Combined with Eglinton’s role as a major arterial road, this location is consistently identified as having capacity for growth.
What’s There Today
Today, the site is occupied by two 4-storey residential apartment buildings containing a total of 75 rental units. Between the buildings is a surface parking area with 23 spaces, which also accommodates vehicle access and garbage collection.
The existing buildings do not provide indoor or outdoor amenity space for tenants, and the overall site configuration reflects an older, low-density form of development that is increasingly uncommon along Eglinton West.
What’s Being Proposed
The proposal has since advanced through the City’s review process and is now supported by a City Planning Decision Report recommending approval of both the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment.
The approved form of development is a 37-storey mixed-use building, standing 123.5 metres excluding the mechanical penthouse. The building is organized with a 4-storey base building along Eglinton Avenue West and a 33-storey residential tower above, a configuration City staff found appropriate for this stretch of the corridor.
In total, the project would contain 424 residential units, including 75 rental replacement units, and approximately 269 square metres of ground-floor commercial-retail space along Eglinton Avenue West. The total gross floor area is approximately 26,600 square metres, resulting in a density of roughly 12.6 times the area of the lot. This revised scheme reflects refinements made through the City review process and aligns with transit-oriented intensification policies.
Rental Replacement: A Central Part of the Application
Rental housing replacement remains a central requirement of the project and was a key consideration in City staff’s recommendation for approval.
The approved proposal confirms the replacement of all 75 existing rental units currently on site. These units will be secured through the zoning framework and a separate Rental Housing Demolition application, which addresses tenant assistance and relocation requirements.
The replacement units reflect the existing tenure and are part of a broader unit mix that includes studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units. City staff concluded that this approach satisfies Official Plan policies intended to protect existing rental housing while allowing for additional supply along major transit corridors.
As part of the approval process, a tenant relocation and assistance plan would be developed with the City to address the transition for existing residents.
Built Form and Design Approach
From a design standpoint, the proposal aims to balance height with street-level scale. The 4-storey base building establishes a consistent streetwall along Eglinton Avenue, helping maintain a pedestrian-friendly frontage and supporting retail activity at grade.
Above the base, the tower element is designed to be slender, with stepbacks intended to reduce its visual impact from the street and provide appropriate transitions to lower-scale residential areas to the south. The Planning Rationale emphasizes that this massing approach aligns with Official Plan policies and applicable urban design guidelines.
Planning Status: What’s Been Approved
As of June 2025, City Planning has issued a Decision Report recommending approval of both the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment for 1675 and 1685 Eglinton Avenue West.
City Council adopted amendments that:
- Permit a tall building on the site with a maximum height of 37 storeys
- Establish site-specific zoning standards for height, density, setbacks, and massing
- Secure a 3.0-metre rear land conveyance to support a future east–west public laneway
- Coordinate shared vehicular access with the adjacent redevelopment at 1711–1741 Eglinton Avenue West
Final enactment of the zoning is subject to conditions, including approval of the related Rental Housing Demolition application and the submission of a revised pedestrian-level wind study.
How This Fits into the Bigger Eglinton West Picture
City staff evaluated the proposal within the context of the Eglinton West corridor, the Dufferin Focus Area policies, and the surrounding Protected Major Transit Station Areas at Oakwood and Fairbank.
While earlier planning frameworks concentrated the tallest buildings strictly at the Dufferin and Eglinton intersection, the City’s analysis notes that provincial policy and transit investment now support additional height in proximity to — though not directly at — that intersection. In this context, the 37-storey height was found to provide a reasonable transition down from nearby taller approvals while still delivering significant housing density near rapid transit.
The proposal also integrates broader public realm objectives, including widened sidewalks, future conversion of the shared driveway into publicly accessible landscaped space, and contributions toward a continuous rear public laneway. Taken together, City staff concluded that the project represents an appropriate evolution of this section of Eglinton West.
What Happens Next
With City Council’s adoption of the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments, the project moves closer to implementation. Remaining steps include final approval of the Rental Housing Demolition application, satisfaction of outstanding technical conditions, and completion of the Site Plan Control process.
As with many large projects, design details related to landscaping, wind mitigation, and the public realm will continue to be refined. Still, the approval marks a significant milestone — confirming that a tall, mixed-use building is now permitted on the site.
For anyone watching how Eglinton West is changing, 1675–1685 Eglinton Avenue West now stands as a clear example of how transit, housing policy, and corridor planning are reshaping the avenue block by block.
