Coxwell station plan by kavehwahdat

Urban Design Study of Coxwell Station DECEMBER 2017

A project for PLG 720 Client: Leah Cooke, Planner, M.Pl., Urban Strategies Inc. Instructor: Neil Phillips, Senior Planner, Infrastructure Ontario Adrianna Wojtis, Akheim Cooke, Andrew Leung, Anusha Singh, Eri Manastirli, Kaveh Wadhat, Rebeka Soltesz, Steven Nguyen, Whitney Dang, Zachary Mezzatesta

December 7, 2017 School of Urban and Regional Planning Ryerson Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Community Services

REPORT CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1 Executive Summary 1.2 Study Overview 1.3 Who We Are 1.4 Scope and Structure of Work

6 6 6 6 7

2. VISION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 9 2.1 Vision 9 2.2 Guiding Principles 3. POLICY AND REGULATORY ANALYSIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 10 3.1 Overview 10 3.2 Growth Plan 10 3.3 Toronto Official Plan 13 3.3.1 Zoning Regulation 13 3.3.2 Housing 14 3.4 Toronto Avenues and Mid-Rise Building Study 14 3.5 Toronto Cycling Network Plan 14 3.6 Complete Streets Guidelines 4. EXISTING CONTEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 15 4.1 Existing Built Form 17 4.2 Existing Circulation 19 4.3 Existing Streetscape and Public Realm 20 4.4 Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats 5. CHARRETTE PROCESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 6. RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.1 Circulation 6.2 Built Form 6.3 Streetscape 6.4 Land Use

23 24 29 33 34

7. CASE STUDIES & BEST PRACTICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 36 7.1 Canada 36 7.2 United States 37 7.3 Netherlands 37 7.4 United Kingdom 8. IMPLEMENTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.1 Phase One 8.2 Phase Two 8.3 Phase Three

38 39 41 42

9. CONCLUSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 10. INDEX OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 11. INDEX OF MAPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 12. REFERENCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Executive Summary

A1 Consulting group has been retained by the client Urban Strategies to conduct an Urban Design Study of the Coxwell/ Danforth TTC Station and surrounding area. This project is guided by a set of primary requirements that are stated within the terms of reference report which is provided by the client. The intention of this report is to provide all interested parties with a detailed analysis of the study area and recommendations which is influenced by community programming, neighbourhood character, and most importantly, transportation and connectivity to Coxwell Station. The report is broken down into sections where it starts off with its vision and guiding principles, policy context and existing site context. It is followed by our charrette process and the recommendations proposed for the site. Case studies from around the world that have been completed to support the proposed transit-oriented development. Details on implementation approaches are included in the subsequent section. The outcome of the report is to offer a high-level vision for the highest and best use of the Coxwell Station site as well as recommendations for the community to achieve a vibrant future that could also be practically replicated in other major transit station areas.

1.2 Study Overview

1.3 Who We Are

The study area was primarily focused on Cowell Subway station, located at the intersection of Danforth Avenue and Coxwell Avenue. In addition, the study area was expanded towards the southern portion of Danforth Avenue between Coxwell Avenue and Hillingdon Avenue, containing the Toronto Transit Commission bus maintenance facility. The boundaries of the site was Wolverleigh Boulevard to the North, Monarch Park Avenue to the West, Woodrow Avenue to the South, and Glebemount Avenue to the East. The study also provides background information and contain a full comprehensive proposal of possible developments focusing on key design element on both the Northern and Southern portion of the site.

The group members of A1 Consulting Group consists of ten fourth year students. Each student brings forth their own strengths and all will contribute to creating a comprehensive final report.

Rebeka Soltesz is a creative mind, and enjoys collaborating across multidisciplinary fields. She is in her final year, so she is focusing on expanding her design portfolio with applications such as ArcGIS, SketchUP, and Adobe Suite. Rebeka is one of the main speakers for the final presentations. She helps ensure that everyone is working towards the same vision

Eri Manastirli aims to express his passion for design in all projects he is involved in, and has taken extra steps to increase his professional knowledge by studying architecture in his time off. Eri will focus more on the design aspect of the project, such as visioning, renderings and 3D modeling, however, he will also be part of the formatting and editing team.

Zachary Mezzatesta has been fascinated with cities since childhood so urban planning was the logical course of action to allow him to study cities and how they evolve. He is a person who understands the strengths and weaknesses of teammates and always pushes the group towards their goals. Zachary is also one of the main presenters for the final presentation.

Andrew Leung is a jack of all trades. He is previously educated in political science, architecture and business administration. He wishes to contribute to city building realm through his wide array of knowledge. His interests in public policy and building designs are best fit for him to take on policy research, and massing design roles for this project.

Whitney Dang has a passion for architecture and design.She has built up her knowledge and experience to provide quality recommendations for all types of projects. For this report, Whitney is responsible for the SketchUp copies of all of the Charrette Maps, as well as many design aspects which can be seen in the final reccommendations section of the report.

Adrianna Wojtis is visionary by nature; she always brings new ideas to the table. Her eye for detail has made her the lead in designing both interim and final reports. She enjoys collaborating with likeminded individuals to create plans that have farreaching potential. She is also the project liaison that will connect all interested parties.

Steven Nguyen enjoys being part of a team and working towards creating high quality work for clients. Over the years at Ryerson, Steven has developed a strong interest in transportation planning as well as GIS mapping. For the final, he will be responsible for map creation as well as major points related to circulation within both sites.

Kaveh Wadhat is team player and always aims to be a major contributor in any project he is involved in. He is a capable, flexible, adaptable and efficient individual. For this final report, Kaveh is responsible for providing the background information for land use designations as well as ancillary research. He is the primary editor for both the interim and final reports.

Anusha Singh has a strong interest in urban design and environmental planning and, as such, she is working towards obtaining a certificate in architecture. She is also LEED accredited. She aims to be well rounded in all sides of planning and will be taking on parts of the Policy and Zoning aspects of the Interim report, as well as taking responsibility over the design of multiple buildings within the study area. Akheim Cooke is a detail-oriented, team player that expresses a passion for transportation and pedestrian circulation. He will be focusing on the public transportation, vehicle circulation, and pedestrian circulation aspect of the project, in addition to any policies that have to do with supporting our reccomendations within those topics. He will also edit if needed.

1.4 Scope / Structure of Work The scope and structure of our work regarding the Urban Design Study of Coxwell Subway Station was broken down into two phases, phase 1 being a background research and preliminary analysis, and Phase 2 which contains our plan and design recommendations.

Phase 1: Background Research / Preliminary Anlysis In phase 1, a majority of the preliminary research, site boundaries and key physical characteristics were determined by the group. In addition, the work plan was created to establish tasks, key meetings, deliverables and milestones. This phase outlined key stakeholders, policies, legislation, and relevant precedent studies and developments from around the world. Guiding principles were drafted based on main takeaways from best practises, and were applied to the second phase of this project.

Figure 1 Dang, 2017

Phase 2: Plan and Design/ Recommendations Phase 2 builds upon the preliminary findings to explore design schemes that respond to the challenges and planning context identified in Phase 1. This portion will include all design materials created for introducing new developments. Phase 2 will include all aspects of the design charrette and contain visual design features such as complete renderings of the entire site, detailed mapping and 3D modelling of the proposed features. The main focus of phase 2 is to showcase how the future of the Coxwell Subway Station will look in 5, 10, and 20 years with the integration of our developments.

2. VISION / GUIDING PRINCIPLES 2.1 Vision

The vision of the Coxwell Station Urban Design development is to create a complete community rooted in a versatile transportation system, that builds upon the established neighbourhood identity.

2.2 Guiding Principles

Preserve & Create a Liveable Community To create and preserve a livable neighbourhood through the promotion of good urban design, that cultivates healthy, cohesive, and inclusive communities that integrates affordable housing and community facilities

Provide a Variety of Built Forms

To create a vibrant and diverse range of built forms to integrate with the existing established community, while achieving Toronto Official Plan goals of Densification and Intensification. Figure 2 Dang, 2017

Foster Integrated and Permeable Spaces To connect the site with the surrounding established community through a network of pedestrian pathways, parks, and laneways. Connections will invite pedestrians into a vibrant and interactive space.

Create Legible & Animated Public Places

To create safe, welcoming, and engaging public spaces with identifiable and usable signage and wayfinding. Through good urban design and integration with the surrounding building and neighbourhood, public spaces will engage local residents and visitors.

Figure 3 Dang, 2017

3. POLICY / REGULATORY ANALYSIS 3.1 Overview The following sections review and analyze the proposed development in the context of the policy and guideline documents noted below. The site is subjected to the following provincial and municipal planning policies:

1. Provincial Policy Statement 2014 2. Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 2017 3. Toronto Official Plan 4. Toronto Zoning By-laws 5. Toronto Avenue and Mid-Rise Building Study 6. Toronto Cycling Network Plan 7. Toronto Complete Streets Guidelines

3.2 Growth Plan The Provincial Policy Statement of 2014 and the Growth Plan of the Greater Golden Horseshoe of 2017 set the Province’s vision in land use planning. They encourage building strong communities and regional economy through efficient land use and development patterns, transit oriented designs, intensification in delineated areas and the provision of appropriate housing options. Key objectives from the two policies include: 1. Promote land use pattern, density and mix of uses that minimizes the length and number of vehicle trips while planning for public transit and other alternative transportation modes. 2. Direct planning authorities to identify and promote opportunities for intensification and redevelopment where this can be accommodated. Prioritize intensification and higher densities to make efficient use of land and infrastructure, in addition to supporting transit viability. 3. Require municipalities to ensure provision of appropriate range and mix of housing types and densities required to meet growth and to offer affordable housing that serve all sizes, incomes and ages of households. 4. Support achievement of complete streets and complete community. Streets and neighbourhoods are required to be planned for safety, to support healthy and active living, foster social interaction, facilitate community connectivity and meet people’s needs for daily living throughout an entire lifetime. 5. Conserve and promote cultural heritage resources to support the social, economic, and cultural well-being of all communities.

The proposed development conforms to the Provincial Policy Statement and the Growth Plan. The subject site is located in City of Toronto, within a linear built-up area located on top of a higher order public transit station area and major avenue where it is delineated for intensification of residential, retail and employment uses by the Province. The proposed development represents an efficient use of land, infrastructure, and public service facilities through intensification within the existing urban area where intensification is anticipated by the province. It supports existing and planned transit service levels, represents desirable mix of uses and will expand the range of housing stocks along Danforth Ave.

3.3 Toronto Official Plan The site is currently designated as a “Neighbourhood” zone under Section 4.0: Toronto Official Plan Land Use Designations. The Danforth Ave corridor running through the site is classified as a major mixed use Avenue and is permitted to accommodate a wide variety of small retail, and commercial/ residential use. The current neighbourhood has standard building heights for all residential homes, and most mixed use units, as being around 3- 4 storeys in building height. In order to ensure the new development complies with the Official Plan’s definition of fitting into the “physical neighbourhood context”, minor amendments must take place. This section outlines major attributes the site already complies to within the Official Plan, and few amendments necessary prior to implementation. Most of the existing conditions and guiding principles of the Official Plan Policies will be followed and closely applied in order to guide development for the new proposal. These Official Plan principles fully support the proposed development: Under Section 2.0 the new development shall: - Integrate the subway station into multi storey developments, - Take into account density requirements around the station, - Aim to reduce auto dependency by planning for intense development around existing transit corridors, - Expand and upgrade laneways to improve accessibility and safe/ usable spaces, - Maintain transportation terminals near development to provide for intermodal connections for taxi’s, buses and other public transit modes, - Create innovative green spaces such as green roofs and parks to reduce the urban heat island effect.

Under Section 3.0 the new development shall: - Enhance city streets that will better connect people and places and support sustainable and economically vibrant developments and complete communities, - Serve as community destinations and public gathering places, - Promote visible accessible sites and buildings, - Provide ground floor access to public parks and major streets, - Organize vehicle parking, and provide safe pedestrian and cyclist routes, - Provide a full range of housing and encourage more units through efficient intensification, - Help improve current community facilities, and provide a mix of uses and a range of building types, - Provide an array of employment opportunities and maintain a strong economic base, - Support economic development. - Promote local opportunities and small business In addition to the Official Plan principles the development will support, Section 4.0 of the Official Plan will require minor changes in order to better facilitate the changes the proposal will bring. These Changes will be presented to council before plans are finalized, and are stated as below: Under Section 4.0 the new development shall: Section 4.1.3 Although Danforth Ave is considered a mixed-use road; the entire area is considered a “Neighbourhood” under section 4 of the Official plan (Map 20 of the OP). In order for the proposal to include the new small scale retail and offices recommended to support the residents, compliance with section 4.1.3 is necessary to permit these uses through amendment of the Zoning by Law on Danforth Ave (designated as a major arterial under Map 3 of the Official Plan). This zoning amendment will allow for rezoning for select parcels to change from residential neighbourhood, to a more appropriate designation that accommodate the larger office spaces and new retail units that are proposed.

Section 4.1.5 This section, in addition to the above, states that no changes will be made through rezoning, minor variance, consent or other public action that are out of keeping with the physical character of the neighbourhood. This part of the Official Plan will need to be amended and possibly reworded to “minor changes” for the proposal, as the new developments do not physically comply with the standard building heights (3-4 storeys) for the physical neighbourhood.

Section 4.1.5 continued The largest building proposed is currently 7 storeys tall and due to the fact that this height is not visually in compliance with the physical character of the neighbourhood, alterations to the wording of this policy shall be required. The proposed buildings can be justified for this neighbourhood due to the fact that they provide employment, recreation and residential opportunities to the neighbourhood, while increasing connectivity and accessibility to nearby transit systems. The policy will need to be amended to account for this portion of Danforth Ave, and the new physical changes it will bring. Section 4.1.7 This section will need to be recommended in order to encourage proposals for intensification on major streets in neighbourhoods. The current policy discourages intensification on roads like Danforth Ave and will need to be amended to allow for the vast amount of intensification the new proposal will bring. The current proposed development recommends a sufficient amount of residential units (in nearly all structures) than permitted by the zoning by law, and will need to be reviewed and amended under this section to allow for a greater intensification of residential units. Section 4.1.9 Since the proposed development (mainly on the south development) will accompany larger buildings, and lots sizes that vary for the local pattern of the neighbourhood, this section will need to be amended in order to allow for heights and massing that are not fully compatible with the 2-3 story residential buildings adjacent to the site. Part C of this section, that talks about buildings fronting onto existing or newly created public streets, would also possibly need to be altered in order to accommodate for the new townhomes proposed on the far south of the southern lot. These homes would be back to back units, and so would be fronting onto a more private street/ newly created laneway as opposed to a public street or existing corridor. This policy would need to be reinstated to permit new developments to front onto semi private laneways. Potential Site Boundary Land Use Designation Change In order to accommodate for the new development, a preliminary amendment would be to rezone the entire area from “Neighbourhood” to a “Mixed Use Area”. This rezoning would allow the development to fully comply with section 4.5 of the Official Plan in the sense that it would offer a broad variety of residential uses, offices, retail, and parks that are closely knit together and allow for a more walkable community. It would also allow for the larger building heights to be less unusual in the physical context, and allow for proper densification that is in full compliance with Section 4.5.2 of the Plan.

3.3 Toronto Official Plan CONTINUED Woodington Ave

Glebeholme Blvd

Glebemount Ave

Wolverleigh

Coxwell Ave

Monarch Park Ave

LAND USE DESIGNATIONS

Strathmore Blvd

Legend Neighbourhoods

Apartment Neighbourhoods Mixed Use Areas

1:3 000 Map 1

Rhodes Ave

Woodrow Ave

Aldridge Ave

Roseheath Ave

Drayton Ave

Gillard Ave

Hillingdon Ave

Danforth Ave

Earl Haig Ave

Parks Open Space

The above map illustrates the land uses of the site if all land use and zoning by-law amendments are completed. The lots that are outlined in black signify what is included in the new development. For further clarification on the new development as it pertains to both Coxwell Station and the Wheel-Trans Facility please go to page 23. The underutilized space of the TTC Wheel-Trans Garage, which is currently situated where the orange buildings are, would be redeveloped into an area that provides green space as well as affordable housing and live-work housing units See Map 2 on page 15 for further clarification of where the Facility is located. The open space is the proposed parking lot, but it has the capacity to double as a community meeting space, among other programming options. The southern site would also be a major employment area due to the commercial businesses that would inevitably hire from within the neighbourhood.

3.3.1 Zoning By-Law Amendments Apart form the potential rezoning of the area from Neighbourhood to Mixed Use, smaller zoning amendments to Zoning By-Law 569-2013 will need to be proposed to council regarding the vacant lot on the south side of Danforth Ave, and to the Danforth Station parcel itself. The following amendments will need to be made: Danforth Ave: North Site (Coxwell Station) Zoning is currently residential and will need to be changed to CRE (Commercial-Residential-Employment) in order to properly facilitate the proposed commercial uses and restaurants alongside Danforth Ave and the Offices. (Section 1.40.60 of the Zoning By law) Danforth Ave: South Site (TTC Garage Facility) This site was once zoned as industrial, but now it is an ‘unzoned’ area. Our design requires that it be changed from “unzoned” land to a CR (commercial-residential) zone. This enables the live-work units to exist alongside affordable housing, commercial stores, and office/ employment space. The parcels currently occupied by the TTC WheelTrans Garage and the Toronto Public Library, municipally known as 1627 Danforth Ave and 1675 Danforth Ave, will be consolidated into one parcel and subsequently severance into multiple lots to meet the new built form design (Section 1.40.40 of the Zoning By law). Section 5.10.1.30 (1) This policy must be amended to allow for buildings to be built on the current unzoned lands outlined on the City of Toronto Zoning by law map. The current designation for the south lot is “Unzoned” and the by-law currently does not allow for buildings to be placed on unzoned lands. The policy would be amended to not only include open space on this lot, but also include an array of mixed use development beneficial to the community. Section 10.5.40.10 The development proposed will comply to all midrise height guidelines for midrise buildings. The height of specific structures on the buildings that are facilitating green roofs will be the only possible exception to exceeding the building heights by 1.5m. (Permitted under section 10.5.40.10 of the By-Law)

3.3.2 Housing Affordable Housing Affordable housing units are proposed to be built on the south lot of Danforth Ave in order to meet the Housing Opportunities of Toronto (HOT), targets which calls for around 10,000 affordable housing units and 2,800 market ownership homes by 2080. The development will contribute to some of those units by providing affordable housing on the left side of the southern lot development. Affordable housing will conform to the 2010-2020 Affordable Housing Action Plan and support the goals of the Housing Opportunities Toronto (AHO) and the Housing Opportunities Toronto Report of 2016 (AHO). They will: 1. Create new housing opportunities for the neighbourhood 2. Help Mitigate homelessness and vulnerable people in the neighbourhood 3. Assist families to afford rent and be close to employment opportunities close to home 4. Create facilities for Good Supportive Housing Programs 5. Comply with The Streets Needs Assessment 6. Revitalize the neighbourhood to accommodate for a variety of mixed income families 7. Collaborate with the Open Door Affordable Housing Program to improve financial incentives for affordable housing

Live-Work Arrangements A number of live-work housing units are proposed along the south-west side of the South Site. These units will be residential homes on the top storeys and commercial retail uses on the bottom. These units will comply with the 2010-2020 Affordable Housing Action Plan and the Toronto Housing Charter. They will: 1. Provide for a greener city by having people live in the same unit where they work 2. Be energy efficient in comparison to the greenhouse gases emitted by heating and cooling units within buildings that are only residences 3. Encourage local business investments from the surrounding community 4. Improve the quality of life for lower income individuals who own the small businesses 5. Enable the development to offer a diverse variety of housing options

3.4 Toronto Avenues & Mid-Rise Building Study The Performance Standards of the Avenue and Mid-Rise Study are guided by the objective to create healthy, livable and vibrant main streets while protecting the integrity of adjacent neighbourhoods. The standards are envisioned to provide simple, straight-forward guidance for those seeking to develop mid-rise projects on the Avenues. Key provisions are as follows: 1. Buildings are moderate in height - no taller than the right of way is wide (27m or 8 storeys for the subject site) 2. Buildings provide an appropriate transition in scale in relation to the heights of the surrounding residential housing 3. Sidewalks are wide enough to include and support trees, in the hope of fostering a lively pedestrian experience as well as to ensure accessibility. 4. Sidewalks on avenues enjoy at least five hours of sunlight from the spring through the fall; 5. The ground floor of buildings provide uses that enliven sidewalks and create safe pedestrian conditions 6. The public realm should be protected and enhanced by limiting vehicle access from the avenue, encouraging shared access, and creating a public laneway system that is accessed from side streets 7. Streetscape and building design reflect excellence in sustainability, urban design and architecture, recognizing the important role of avenues in defining the quality of life for the city and its neighbourhoods 8. Mid-rise development sites located within Existing HCDs, HCDs Under Study, areas that warrant further heritage analysis, and Character Areas (see Section 2.3.1), should reflect local conditions and reference additional design guidelines that promote “context sensitive” intensification

3.6 Complete Streets Guidelines The Complete Streets Guidelines guidelines envision a safer and more universally accessible city with healthy and active travel choices, green infrastructure and economic prosperity. The guidelines are applicable and required to be considered in all street design projects in the City of Toronto. Major design principles include: 1. Provide wide sidewalk and boulevard space to support high to moderate levels of pedestrian movement. 2. Emphasize safety and connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists 3. Encourage people to linger with active ground floor uses, quality pedestrian-scale streetscapes and amenities 4. Support healthy street tree growth with open tree pits and planters, in addition to providing green space and landscaping 5. To reduce clutter and visual impacts, consider burying utilities if possible or coordinate with other infrastructure 6. Promote social and community interaction and activities 7. Maintain low motor vehicle speeds in neighbourhoods to help ensure street is safe for everyone 8. Accommodate neighbourhood vehicle access and circulation needs while deterring through traffic 9. Include lighting that illuminates street and sidewalk but prevents light pollution

3.5 Toronto Cycling Network Plan In 2016, the city council approved the Ten Years Cycling Network Plan which identified opportunities for cycling infrastructure investments in various locations in the city. Recommendations from the plan includes setting up cycling tracks, boulevard trails installing bike lanes and improving wayfinding. Monarch Park Ave is designated to be a “Quiet Street Route” and bike lanes on Danforth Ave is currently in discussion. Figure 4

4. EXISTING CONTEXT 4.1 Existing Built Form Public-Private Space FIGURE GROUND

N 1: 4 000

Map 2

Figure ground maps aid in visualizing built and unbuilt space. Map 2 illustrates that on Danforth Ave parcel sizes are much larger than compared to the streets further away from Danforth Ave. This is because Danforth Ave is a major corridor that hosts mixed use developments, whereas the smaller streets are dominated by residential use. Coxwell Station is unique in that it is situated on a residential street rather than directly on Danforth Ave. The figure grounds excel at pointing out underutilized or unbuilt spaces, many of which are parking lots and green spaces, however; the most significant space is the large white space just south of Danforth Ave which is the TTC Maintenance Facility. Its function was under an industrial designation, but currently is exempt. The future of the facility has been under review at the City of Toronto since 2002. This land has potential and could be utilized to intensify and give life to the area, which is exactly what our reccomendations seek to accomplish.

4.1 Existing Built Form CONTINUED GLEBEMOUNT AVENUE

Existing Building Typology

Height Index GLEBEHOLME BOULEVARD

MONARCH PARK AVENUE

WOLVERLEIGH BOULEVARD

STRATHMORE BOULEVARD

DANFORTH AVENUE

Figure 5

1:3 500 Map 3

1 Storey

Data Not Availabe

2 Storey

Building Footprints

3+ Storey

Coxwell Station

ROSEHEATH AVENUE

Legend

HILLINGDON AVENUE

WOODROW AVENUE

As indicated in Map 3, the average height of both residential and mixed use buildings within the site is 2 storeyswith some residences having added a third storey (Figure 5). The businesses that front Danforth Ave are one to three storeys tall, with the exception of one seven storey building (Figure 6). Coxwell Station itself is only one storey tall. With consideration and good urban design, there is room for Coxwell Station to rise to at least four storeys in height with setback corresponding with neighbourhood heights.

Figure 6

The building typology of the surrounding area is characterized by late Victorian, bungalow, and American Foursquare architectural character and mixed use buildings spanning the entirety of Danforth Ave. You can see the predominant housing form of the residential uses below (Figure 7).

4.2 Existing Circulation Pedestrian Movement Danforth Ave and Coxwell Ave are major pedestrian zone, where pedestrian movement primarily occurs along designated sidewalks and pathways. Laneways and pathways are often used by pedestrian travelling to and from Coxwell Station providing a more direct connection to the subway entrance. Laneways play a dual purpose as they are also used for shipping and receiving for the businesses along Danforth Ave. The intersection of Coxwell Ave and Danforth Ave is the most predominate controlled intersection with smaller non-controlled intersections dispersed along Danforth Ave, and Coxwell Ave. Having a lack of designated crossing makes the area less walkable, and overall makes it difficult for people trying to access the subways station, shops and services.

Vehicle Circulation

Figure 7

On average, single-detached housing is the largest housing stock in both Ward 31 and Ward 32. The second largest is apartment buildings with greater than five storeys in Ward 31- North of Danforth Ave, whereas in Ward 32south of Danforth Ave it is apartment buildings with less than five storeys. Moreover, much of the original mixed-use retail fronting on Danforth Ave still has the original brickwork, which helps to create a visually diverse pedestrian experience

Figure 8

Danforth Ave and Coxwell Ave both serve as the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prime north-south, and east-west artery. Strathmore Ave serves as a collector street from Coxwell Ave with most of the traffic being TTC buses. Many of the local streets feed directly onto either Danforth Ave or Coxwell Ave. In order to prioritize traffic flow along Danforth Ave the local streets have stop signs to reduce the number of traffic lights on the artery. Along Danforth Ave, traffic lights are only where intersections Monarch Park Ave, Coxwell Ave, and Woodington Ave are located. Laneways allows small delivery trucks to load freight via the back door of the retail shops, avoiding the inconvenient practice of blocking a traffic lane for unloading at the front of buildings. Despite efforts to combat on-street loading, large trailer-trucks must load freight at the front of buildings due to their inability to maneuver large vehicles through the laneway. Some of the smaller storefronts do not have access to a back loading dock. In these cases, the delivery personnel unloads the truck and moves merchandise into the store via the front door on the main street which temporarily blocks one traffic lane. On-street parking can also be found on Coxwell Ave, residential streets, and around the subway station. Surface parking is both public and private. The private parking lots provide space for people going to shops and have a 2-hour time limit. A municipal parking lot is also located on Danforth Ave within our site, and provides space for people to park that plan on going to Robertson Parkette, Coxwell Station, or to the surrounding local shops.

4.2 Existing Circulation CONTINUED Public Transportation

GLE BEHOLME BOULEVARD

STRATHMORE BOULEVARD

DANFORTH AVENUE 300

HILLINGDON AVENUE

HANSON STREET

Legend

Subway Station

Subway Line 2

Signaled Intersection

Bus Routes

Bike Share Dock P

Surface Parking

ROSEHEATH AVENUE

WOODROW AVENUE

Cycling Network

2 300

1:7000

WOLVERLEIGH BOULEVARD

GLEBEMOUNT AVENUE

WOODBINE AVENUE

GREENWOOD AVENUE

MONARCH PARK AVENUE

DANFORTH AVE CIRCULATION

The Coxwell-Danforth Area is serviced by Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), with bus and subway services connecting commuters to other parts of East York and the rest of the City. The public transportation hub of the area is Coxwell Subway Station, which sits on the north-east corner of the main intersection along Strathmore Ave. The subway station is a fragment of the TTC’s Bloor-Danforth Subway line, locally named ‘Line 2’, which provides connections to the Toronto’s Etobicoke borough in the City’s West-End and Scarborough in the East-End. Three bus routes operate out of the subway station, primarily traveling north and south of the site. The ‘22 Coxwell’ which connects the area to the southern half of Coxwell Ave, the ‘70 O’Connor’ connects the site to both Warden Station and Scarborough. Additionally the ‘404 East York’ Community Bus, connects the site to Victoria Park Subway Station and The Beaches neighbourhood.

Map 4

Bike Circulation

There are currently no existing bike lanes on Danforth Ave. Despite the lack of designated biking infrastructure on the roads, there are ample amount of bike racks along Danforth Ave. Despite the large volume of cyclists, there has yet to be a safe pathway and circulation route for bikers to travel due to the absence of bike lanes, bike signals and open parks for bikers to use. There are currently over 30 bike racks, along with bike share docks on Danforth Ave within the study boundary. The residential streets facilitate quiet-street bike traffic, especially in front of Earl Beatty Junior and Senior Public School on Woodington Ave, as well as around Robertson Parkett on the western side of the site. As of 2016, City of Toronto council decided to reinstate a Danforth Ave Major Corridor Study in order to review the circulation along the street to possibly install protected bike lanes by 2018

4.3 Existing Streetscape & Public Realm Wayfinding Wayfinding is an information system that guides people through the physical environment and enhances the user experience. Wayfinding assists visitors in navigating through the public realm and can reinforce a streetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity. Public art can also contributing to placemaking along with fostering a sense of community, and convey themes and messages. The most significant wayfinding includes the abstract mural piece that is located along the pathway towards Coxwell Station. However, the most visible parts of the mural piece is obstructed because of the parking lot. Danforth Ave and Coxwell Ave both lack visual indicators to the station, making it difficult for visitors to find the station entrance.

Street Furniture Amenities such as seating, garbage receptacles, bike racks and others establish a usable and enjoyable space for pedestrians to experience and enjoy the site. There were multiple garbage receptacles and bike racks options along Danforth Ave and Coxwell Station which created an environmental conscious neighbourhood. Benches are sparsely located along Danforth Ave and while within the local parks/parkettes they are abundant. These benches were fixed seating provided by the City of Toronto. The minimal street furniture observed during the colder months raises the concerns about lack of seasonality. Other amenities include, a water fountain that was observed during the site visit in the local parkette (Robertson Parkette).

Lighting

Figure 9

Street lighting can be used to to improve and animate the street, and plays a key role for safety and aesthetics. Inadequate street lighting was observed during the site visit. The street lighting that was observed were along Danforth Ave however, they are angled to light the road for vehicles driving rather than for pedestrians walking along the sidewalks. This made it dim on the sidewalks, and creates an issue of safety for pedestrians traveling along Danforth Ave.

Street Trees / Planters

Trees improve air quality, provide shade, and manage stormwater, while providing pedestrian amenity and aesthetic beauty. Within Coxwell Stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vicinity, there was minimal soft and hard landscaping. Street trees are planted inside cement blocks, every 7 metres to 8 metres. They ranged in different forms, sizes, height, colour and in some areas they were dead altogether, or at least not flourishing (Figure 10). This did not produce a strong canopy along Danforth Ave. The Danforth Business Improvement Area (BIA) played an active role in creating an engaging and vibrant community, planting succulents, flowers and other plants, so the trees would not stand alone, and bring a sense of life to the soil- the first aspect that people see when walking by planter (Figure 3). Within the residential areas, there were mature trees evident which produced a nice canopy (Figure 11). The landscaping of each residential units was well maintained, and provided elements such as bioswales. See Page 32 for an image of a great bio-swale within the community, one that we hope to model. Figure 10

Figure 11

4.4 Strengths/ Weaknesses/ Opportunities/ Threats This section covers the strengths that bolster the sites use, weaknesses that hinder future growth, opportunities for change, and threats to change.

Strengths Coxwell Station is in close proximity to Danforth Ave. Coxwell Station is in close proximity to schools, community centres, businesses and homes. Coxwell Station is located on major transit corridor (Line 2).

Wayfinding is hidden from public view, and where there is signs and maps, it is difficult to find to someone that is not local. There is only a small walkway along a restaurant building between Coxwell Station and Danforth Ave. that leads to the station, and it’s entrance is not as visible as it could be.

Danforth Ave designated for development of higher density- according to the Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study.

Loading Zones are in the right-of-way, and take a lane away from active traffic.

Opportunities

Threats

Lack of street and alleyway lighting along pathways from Coxwell Station

Coxwell Station could be a central point of contact for the community

Community’s reluctance to development of higher density

There is a need for local grocery stores

Local roads’ capacity to absorb increased traffic generated by higher population density

TTC facility near the station could be developed into a more useful gathering place for the community. Danforth Ave can be a street where multimodal travel options exist.

Weaknesses

The concern of larger retail chains killing off the local businesses if densification were to occur

5. CHARRETTE PROCESS EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

COXWELL STATION + MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT ABOVE

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

WOODINGTON AVE

COXWELL AVE

EXISTING R

EXISTING

DANFORTH AVENUE

TRADITIONAL TOWNHOUSES BLOCK LANEWAY

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

Proposed

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

PARKING LOT

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

Proposed

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

Existing B

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

7-8 STOREY MIXED USE MID RISE BUILDING

LEGEND HILLINGDON AVE

PARK

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

3 STOREY MIXED USE BUILDING

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

EXISTING LIBRARY

EXISTING MID RISE

ROBERTSON PARKETTE

COXWELL AVE

We decided to include low-rise townhomes in the southern part of the site because we felt that it would provide an agreeable transition from the 6-7 storeys that we envisioned along Coxwell, to the 2-storey residential areas that surround the development. This, along with the inclusion of the park, was a main constant throughout all of our visions. We wanted to increase affordability within the new development, as well as create a more liveable community, as per our guiding principals.

STRATHMORE BLVD

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

Our charrette process enabled us to consolidate our main ideas for the best and highest uses of both Coxwell Station and the TTC Wheel-Trans Facility. Our first visioning session began by tracing the existing built form of the study area over a TV screen at a scale that enabled us to see everything within our study area. Therefore note that the drawings are not to scale, as the primary goal of the exercise was to get our rough ideas down on the table, or TV, rather. Based on our background study, we identified problems that needed to be solved within the two sites such as the need for increased biking circulation, for example. After tracing the buildings base outline, we began brainstorming possible pedestrian and bike circulation routes, which can be seen in the digital illustration to the right (Figure 12). Trace paper versions were digitized to enhance the legibility of what we were trying to portray and illustrate. Preliminary ideas of the built form were traced onto this copy, which were elaborated on and improved during the subsequent charrette session, as illustrated in Vision 2 (Figure 12).

CHARRETTE Vision 1 VISION 1

Existing B

Proposed

Figure 12

Vision 2

The proposed circulation routes are intended to enhance the internal and external connectivity of the subject site. We recommend that the proposed bike routes on Coxwell and Danforth Ave to be separated bike lanes to allow for safer cycling within the community. Ultimately, we wanted to expand accessibility to Coxwell Station. The grey pedestrian walkways in every Charrette Vision aim to fulfill this goal of accessibility.

Figure 13

Charrette Process CONTINUED Vision 3

We then layered another trace paper on top of our proposed circulation paper in order to flesh out the vague built form ideas laid out in Vision 1. To the south of the larger site, we created an additional laneway (Figure 14) so that we could accommodate affordable housing townhomes, some of which extend onto the northern side on the right. Another reason for this road was to solve the loading blockages that happens on Danforth Ave that potentially cuts off bikers should they choose to bike on Danforth Ave. Since we propose a new bike route on Danforth Ave, we had to move some of the loading to the back, hence the road. At this stage we are more conscious of the scale of the project and we became aware of how large the southern parcel actually is. We were also under the impression that parking was needed to accommodate customers of the businesses that we envisioned would be located within the mixed use mid rise buildings, shown in blue on our vision map. This idea received multiple revisions in the subsequent visioning session, but ultimately the team decided that the space would be designed with permeable paving to allow for a more diverse range of activities to happen on that space.

CHARRETTE VISION 4

Figure 14

Right from the start we knew that we wanted Coxwell Station to be redeveloped into a mixed use development to better utilize the space, so that concept did not change very much within every visioning session. This decision was based on our background research and precedents that continually showed that EXISTING RESIDENTIAL transit oriented, mixed use design is able to flourish above subway stations. Lastly, it is key to note that the park space is now much larger than in Vision 1. We wanted to create a nexus of activity for the community, as well as connect EXISTING MIXED USE the north-west portion of the sites to the south-east.

Vision 4

STRATHMORE BLVD WOODINGTON AVE

COXWELL AVE

COXWELL STATION + MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT ABOVE

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

7.5M ROAD

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

PA RK

ING

PARK

2 STOREY RESTAURANT

ATRIUM

7.5M ROAD

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

EXISTING MIXED USE

MIXED USE MID RISE BUILDING WITH INTEGRATION OF LIBRARY

HILLINGDON AVE

3 STOREY STACKED TOWNHOUSE (RETAIL ON GRADE, RESIDENTIAL ABOVE)

COXWELL AVE

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

Figure 15

MIXED USE MID RISE BUILDING

EXISTING MID RISE

ROBERTSON PARKETTE

ATRIUM

DANFORTH AVENUE

LEGEND Proposed Mixed Use Development Existing Building Proposed Low Rise Townhouses Proposed Green Space/Park Proposed Pedestrian Pathway

AFFORDABLE HOUSING TOWNHOUSES

EXISTING RESIDENTIAL

Existing Bike Routes Proposed Bike Lanes

6. RECOMMENDATIONS The Figure below shows the top-down view of our reccommended design. Precedents and many charrette visions have informed the design process. A1 Consultants hope to see both sites utilizing their spaces to the best potential available. Included in the design are affordable housing townhomes (brown), live-work units (yellow), an integrated park scheme with a reflection pond for use in every season, as well as a variety of mixed-use and commercial buildings to fully engage the community in a variety of ways (Figure 16)..

Figure 16

6.1 Circulation

Coxwell Ave

Danforth Ave

Pedestrian Network Existing

Proposed

Map 6

Map 5

Danforth Ave Coxwell Ave

Coxwell Ave

Danforth Ave

Road Network Proposed

Transit Network

Subway

Existing

Map 7

Bus Routes

Map 8

There are four main circulation networks that we have analyzed within this report; pedestrian (Map 5), cycling (Map 6), road (Map 7), and transit (Map 8). Each brings with it itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own set of problems and solutions that will be elaborated in the coming sections.

Pedestrian Infrastructure Pedestrian infrastructure can include walkways, lightings, and street furniture. Making sure there is key connection points and accessways throughout the site onto Danforth Ave and Coxwell Ave, it will improve the pedestrian access to Coxwell Station and to shops and services along Danforth Ave. By improving the pedestrian infrastructure along Danforth Ave through new paving of the sidewalks, it will help create a more accessible and safe environment for people who rely on mobility devices such as wheelchairs and electric scooters to move along the sidewalks. Introducing a new walkway atrium on the south side of Danforth Ave will help break up the block and provide a viewpoint into the park and open space on site. The parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pathway will branch from the atrium into the site, this will help move pedestrian through the site and providing access to the park and residential area behind. We have also included an underground pedestrian pathway for the employees of the commercial buildings south of Danforth, as seen in Figure 18.

Figure 17

Danco Square (Figure 19/20) is a commercial building that includes an atrium which connects passersby to DanCo Park. We designed this building with the pedestrian scale and wayfinding in mind, and the exact entrance and path through the Park can be seen within Map 5. Recommendations: 1. Enhance and expand the existing walkway from Danforth Ave to Coxwell Station. 2. Introduction of patio space along the walkway to create a welcoming and active environment. 3. Create a new access point on the south side of Danforth Ave designed as an atrium to provide a cover connection to the new park and open space. 4. A new pathway from Hillingdon Ave into the park and open space. 5. Consistent paving on the sidewalks and walkways. 6. Implement walkways through the park.

Figure 18

Pedestrian Infrastructure: Danco Square Cross Section and Rendering

Figure 20

Figure 19

Pedestrian Infrastructure: Atriums Atriums will be used to connect spaces together and increase pedestrian connections throughout the study area. Through the implementation of atriums, it will provide a sight line from Danforth Ave into the open green space. With the use of lighting, furnitures and public art, the atriums can draw people to space and allow people to move about more easily between buildings. The developers of the mid-rise buildings will be responsible to create and maintain the atrium. The atrium will help create a smaller block on the southern side of Danforth Ave that will help pedestrian cut through to access the new park or development (Figure 20). Recommendations: 1. Create a clear sightline to allow pedestrians view into the park and open space. 2. Consistent paving throughout. 3. The use of lighting to allow nighttime use and safety, as well as to enhance the appearance and visibility of the atrum to passersby. 4. Provide benches, tables, and chairs to slow movement within the atriums so that small businesses can capture business.

Biking Infrastructure: Strathmore Blvd & Coxwell Ave

mention Figure # (cycling map) from page 24 somewhere within this paragraph Recommendations: 1. Introduce cycling lanes along Danforth Ave and Coxwell Ave 2. Introduce bicycle parking at or near the subway entrance 3. Create viable alternatives to the use of personal automobiles

Figure 21

Figure 22

Cycling Infrastructure can include bicycle lanes on the main arterial streets of the site. This can be achieved through the introduction of at-grade, segregated, or raised cycling lanes along both Danforth Ave and Coxwell Ave, as well as the encouragement of cycling along Strathmore Ave. With the introduction of cycling infrastructure in the area, promotion and support for alternative, cleaner means of transportation becomes the priority. The reduction of reliance on personal automobiles can be transformative to the area with pedestrians and cyclists owning the streetscape, promoting more environmentally friendly modes of transportation. To promote this vision of eco-friendly transportation, the establishment of increased bicycle parking will be available at or near the subway station

4. Promote more environmentally friendly means of transportation, moving towards a vision of complete streets

Public Transit Infrastructure As an anchor to the neighbourhood, the redevelopment of Coxwell subway station is an integral aspect of the project. The improvement of public transportation infrastructure, and the connections to it, are a top priority for the successful development of the Coxwell-Danforth area. In order to achieve this goal, a relocation of the subway entrance has been proposed to improve the accessibility from Danforth Avenue, in addition to the new development at the south-east corner of the main intersection (Figure 24). The redevelopment of the south-east quadrant of the intersection will commence after removal of the existing TTC maintenance facility.

Figure 23

Public Transit Infrastructure: Coxwell Station Rendering

Figure 24

Recommendations: 1. Relocate main subway entrance to Danforth Ave from Strathmore Blvd 2. Removal of existing TTC maintenance facility from south-west corner of Danforth Ave and Coxwell Ave 3. Beautifying the area around the subway entrance to increase the wayfinding and curb appeal of the station

6.2 Built Form

GLEBEMOUNT AVENUE

The enjoyment of ours streets and open spaces depend largely on the visual quality, activity, comfortable environment, and perception of safety within the spaces. To help visualize what the new built form looks like see Map 10 . This is primarily influenced by the built form of adjacent buildings. By increasing the development within Danforth Avenue, it will provide opportunities for new types of built form that will contribute positively to the neighbourhood. The recommendations are guided by the objective to create healthy, livable and vibrant main streets while protecting the stability and integrity of adjacent neighbourhoods. It will provide certainty and some flexibility in creating building designs and development layouts that reflect the goals and policies of the Official Plan. The new development will respect the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s architectural character by planning building footprints that mimic those of the surrounding residential area. The design also applies appropriate transitions between the new developments and the existing stable neighbourhoods, as shown in the map below (Map 9). The development of low-rise and mid-rise buildings along Danforth Avenue and of Coxwell Station will create new planning context for the estsblished neighbourhood, while also adding new housing options such as the low-rise townhomes you can see in Figure 25.

Height Index GLEBEHOLME BOULEVARD

FIGURE GROUND

MONARCH PARK AVENUE

WOLVERLEIGH BOULEVARD

STRATHMORE BOULEVARD

N 1: 4 000

DANFORTH AVENUE

Map 10

1:3 500 Map 9

1 Storey

Data Not Availabe

2 Storey

Building Footprints

3+ Storey

Coxwell Station

ROSEHEATH AVENUE

Legend

HILLINGDON AVENUE

WOODROW AVENUE

Figure 25

Low-Rise Development CONTINUED This study will follow the City of Toronto’s Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines and Avenues to assist with the implementation of Official Plan policies. The recommendations will assist in achieving the appropriate design of primarily residential low-rise buildings. The new low-rise development consist of multi-unit residential buildings that will take forms of stacked townhouses (Figure 26) and back-to-back townhomes 3 storeys or less in height (Figure 25). Along the Southeast section of Danforth Ave and Coxwell Ave, 3 Storey Stacked Townhouses will be proposed as mixed use while along the Southern section of the study area, 3 Storey Back-to-Back townhouses will be proposed as residential. By providing low-rise development along the Southern section of the study area, it creates a sensitive transition from the existing residentials neighbouring our site area. Furthermore, providing low rise is a more acceptable as having larger and taller buildings may seems too “invading” in a neighbourhood where it’s predominantly 2-3 stories. Afterwards, the low rise will create a comfortable transition to the mid rise buildings fronting along Danforth Avenue. The proposed development will provide a level of intensification of residential units and will be integrated with affordable housing. It will improve the connectivity to the streets, parks and open spaces, community services, amenities and use of the transit system, Coxwell Station. The recommendations will enhance the quality of living environment through improved spatial relationships, design and materials.

Recommendations: 1. The maximum allowable height of low-rise buildings will be no taller than height of 3 storeys and shall follow the City of Toronto’s Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines 2. Stacked townhouses will be a mixed use development with the ground floor as retail/commercial use and residential above 3. Back-to-back townhouses will be strictly residential that is integrated as a new affordable housing development 4. Back-to-back townhouses will transition into laneway housing once the legislation is passed 5. New mixed use development should provide opportunities for small independent business with flexible floor spaces is encouraged to accommodate small retailers 6. Maximize the usability, comfort and appearance of front yards, building entrances, and private outdoor amenity spaces (balconies and terraces) while minimizing the negative impacts of overlook on public and private realms 7. Enhance the quality of the public realm and promote harmonious fit and compatibility with the existing and planned context through appropriate scale, placement, and setbacks of buildings 8. Enhance and expand the function of new parkland for the new proposed development that is easily accessible through walkways and community focal points 9. Orientation of residential buildings will frame the edges of parks and open spaces to provide animation and passive overlook 10. Ensure separation distances between facing units to allow for adequate access to sunlight, sky view and privacy 11. Extend and connect new streets, lanes, pedestrian mews and walkways to local street/pedestrian network and provide links to transit, community facilities and retail areas

Figure 26

12. On-grade parking and parking within the unit is proposed to avoid congestion of on-street parking

Mid-Rise Development This study will follow the City of Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mid-Rise Building Study to assist with the implementation of Official Plan policies. The recommendations will assist in achieving the appropriate design of mid-rise building performance standards. Mid-rise buildings are the â&#x20AC;&#x153;in betweenâ&#x20AC;? scale of building, they are bigger than houses but smaller than towers. They define or make walls to the street that are tall enough to feel like a city and provides lots of usable space, but low enough to let the sun in and open the view to the sky from the street. The mid-rise development along Danforth Ave will support a comfortable pedestrian environment, and animate the street by lining the sidewalk with doors and windows with active uses including stores, restaurants, services and community uses. Within our study, the mid-rise buildings will contain a mix of uses that include retail, commercial, office, residential and community services all in the same building. Four new mid-rise development will be proposed within the study area. This includes a new mid-rise development above Coxwell Station, integrated with the Station is office spaces above. Office spaces above Coxwell Station was the best recommended use with the integration of Coxwell Station. Providing residential units above Coxwell Station may cause conflicting and uncomfortability with private homeowners and the public using the station. Therefore, we have decided that office space for employees was the most viable use when using both the station and the building. For the rest of the buildings, the proposed development will integrate retail, commercial, office or community use on the first three storeys and then residential units above the following storeys. With the development site being 2.3 hectors, providing more density along the block will need support of retail, commercial and community use for new homeowners and visitors.

Recommendations: 1. The maximum allowable height of buildings on the Avenues will be no taller than the width of the Avenue right-of-way, up to a maximum mid-rise height of 7 storeys 2. The transition between a deep Avenue property and areas designated Neighbourhoods and Parks and Open Space Areas to the rear should be created through setback and angular plane provisions 3. Avenue streetscapes should provide the highest level of urban design treatment to create beautiful pedestrian environments and great places to shop, work and live 4. Mid-rise buildings should be built to the side property lines to incorporate a continuous street wall 5. Loading, servicing, and other vehicular related functions will not detract from the use or attractive of the pedestrian realm 6. Vehicular Access will be accessed through local streets and rear lanes, not on the Avenue 7. Mid-rise buildings will reflect design excellence and green building innovations 8. New building development shall integrate a mix of uses within the spaces, ranging from retail, commercial, office, community uses and residential 9. The public realm should be protected and enhanced by limiting vehicle access from the Avenue, encouraging shared access, and creating a public laneway system that is accessed from side streets 10. Redevelopment of Coxwell Station will integrate a mid-rise above the renovated Station will offer office spaces

Figure 27

Ecological Infrastructure The study will incorporate multiple forms of environmentally sustainable elements including stormwater management features and energy conservation materials. The recommendations will assist in achieving the City of Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Green Roof Standards. These green infrastructure features will assist in stormwater mitigation by reducing the amount of water runoff entering the city water and wastewater mains. The stormwater management features that are recommended for this development are green roofs on the mid-rise developments on Danforth Ave and Hillingdon Ave (Figure 28). Permeable Paving is also recommended on the surface parking and the surrounding laneway. As seen in Figures 29 and 30, there are already examples of bioswales and permable paving within the community, so it was only natural for us to include those features within our proposal. Bioswales would fit well if built within the park area and the permeable paving would apply to the surface parking lot. In order to aid in energy conservation, it is recommended that solar panels be installed on relevant buildings. In figure 28 you can also see the inclusion of solar panels in a buildings design, and although it is not considered ecological infrastructure, it is definitely a feature that increases the overall sustainability of the developement.

Figure 29

Figure 30

Recommendations: 1. Construct green roofs on all mixed-use buildings 2. To use materials that encourage water percolation in any circumstance that would require regular concrete through the use of either porous concrete or interlocking concrete paver blocks. 3. Construct bio-swales within the park area near the surface parking lot

Figure 28

4. Install solar panels on all buildings that can support the requirements of the technology

6.3 Streetscape Streetscape contributes to the appeal and appearance of an area, it plays a role in better connecting an area together and creating a coherent street. By enhancing the streetscape, it can improve pedestrian experience along Danforth Ave and for people using the the space within the study area. The recommendations will be guided by the City of Toronto Streetscape Manual, this will ensure consistency with other neighbourhoods in the city. By introducing new lighting to the area, it allows the space and path to be used at night. Recommendations: 1. Increase lighting along walkways to create a safe environment and to allow the space to be used during the day and night 2. Ensure consistent sidewalk width and paving.

Activity Within the Public Realm The public realm exists for the main purpose of bringing residents and visitors together and attracting people to the area. This can be done through the availability and conditions of public spaces which include: parks, the street realm, the quality and programming of public buildings (that have the ability to act as anchors for the community), as well as the maintenance of orphan spaces spaces, which are spaces that are not streets, parks, or public buildings. A way to accomplish this is by increasing the visual excellence and appearance of the site in order to encourage people to linger and utilize the space. The recommendation considers the existing network of public spaces that already contribute to the community, and adds onto that existing web. Programming is an integral part of our long-term vision for the development, and the picture below (Figure 31) is the site of what we hope to the area where skate rental and pop-up shops would be located in the future.

3. Bike parking along Danforth Avenue should not interfere with pedestrian flow. 4. Redevelop the landscaping along walkways and parking to soften the area 5. Improve wayfinding to increase accessibility and ease of access to the subway station

Figure 31

Recommendations: 1. Install a brand new fountain park within DanCo Park 2. Develop the Danforth Ave streetscape so it can be in line with the complete streets ideology as well as with the City Avenue guidelines 3. Using redeveloped public buildings and services, i.e. Toronto Public Library, to anchor the new public realm 4. Maintain and introduce more orphan spaces to the site (flower-potted spots at intersections and art installations within the site

6.4 Land Use Commercial Uses

Mixed Uses

Mixed use designations achieve many of the City of Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; planning goals through integration of multiple uses into one site. Uses like Residential, Commercial, Institutional, and Offices can be combined into one structure or site to achieve a higher density and better use of the site, than when built in single use forms. Following City of Toronto Avenue Guidelines, the site area will include three additional mixed use buildings which will integrate residential, commercial, offices, and transit uses. This will provide new residents, employment opportunities, and improved transit access to the study area, while also intensifying the area as well.

The single use commercial structure on the eastern portion of the site will provide retail and restaurant opportunities (Figure 33). These spaces will provide residents and visitors with unique shopping and dining experiences Recommendations: 1. Creation of a commercial only building, tailored to restaurants.

Residential Uses

The predominant form of residential uses in the study area are low rise and single detached homes. To prevent existing residential lots from being dominated upon by new mid-rise developments, low rise residential townhomes will be constructed along the southern ends of the site to ensure a steady transition of built forms between the low-rise and the high-rise (Figure 32). Recommendations: 1. Construction of Townhomes and stacked townhomes 2. Inclusion of affordable units and live work spaces

Figure 32

Figure 33

Parks /Open Spaces

Parks and Open Spaces provide residents with places to relax, spend time with friends and family, or even participate in sports activities. The new development of the parkland is recommended to be constructed in the centre of the southern block study area. It will provide connecting pedestrian pathways and atriums to invite visitors and community members into the open space while creating a positive public realm. The park will act as an anchor point for the neighbourhood and foster a stronger community and its relationship. It was not recommended to create the park along the major roads because it would stop the continuous retail street wall for the Danforth business. Alternatively, the park offers a space to relax after shopping or working a long day. This park space accommodates existing and new residents with the aim of giving everything needed for quality recreation within one area.

Recommendations: 1. Convert part of the existing industrial land use to park space 2. Enhance and expand the function of new parkland for the new proposed development to accommodate the new community 3. Additional green infrastructure, landscaping and terraforming along the streetscape 4. Integrate green roofing on all mid rise development 5. Provide park furniture such as playground structures, benches, a reflection pond and skating rink 6. Promote permeable paving along the site to maximize the usability of outdoor amenity space 7. Create a pedestrian pathway along the parkland to connect with the residential neighbourhood and proposed businesses within the mixed-use dvlp.

Figure 34

Figure 35

7. CASE STUDIES & BEST PRACTISES Multiple projects from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, as well as the Netherlands have been selected a they display a variety of transit-oriented designs and perspectives. Although certain projects are implemented at many different scales, we mainly looked at the variety of elements and layers applied to each project and then used the principles behind those elements as precedents for the mixed-use, transit oriented development of not only Coxwell Station, but of the southern site as well.

7.1 Canada 45 Bay Project, CIBC Square, City of Toronto

The 45 Bay Project is situated in a prime location just east of Toronto’s Union Station, and it involves, “a relocated bus terminal which is integrated into the podium of the office tower and an open space area which bridges over a portion of the rail corridor” (City of Toronto, 2014). The project aims to secure public space at the front of the building as well, in the form of a plaza and is also a great example of how connectivity can achieved on many levels. The proposed office tower situated on 45 Bay is connected to The Path, making for swift pedestrian connection between north and south of the railway corridor. The bus transit terminal underneath the office tower adds yet another layer of connectivity to the project. The project’s main goal is to move people south and north of the rail corridor in an effort to bring economic success to surrounding businesses (see Figure 36). It is an idea that can be applied to the future of Coxwell Station, albeit at a much smaller scale than this project due to it being situated in an area that captures a significantly lesser amount of the population. Nevertheless, the ideas of mixed-use retail and transitoriented design can significantly transform Coxwell Station.

Figure 36

7.2 United States Hollywood/ Western Development, Canada

The Hollywood/Western Development project aims to add an abundance of affordable housing and retail space to the neighbourhood. With a massive plot of land being located nearby the station itself, the opportunity for a project similar to the Hollywood/Western Development is very possible. The project is broken down into two phases, both aimed at achieving a certain milestone. The project was recently completed adding a total of 40 one, two and three bedroom apartments above the commercial space. The main feature of this project is the connection to the Hollywood/Western Metro Station. With the added benefit of a direct connection to the metro station, this development is being optimized to the fullest extent. The main takeaway from this project is that the due to the project being along the Metro Red Line, the added density is perfect for the location. Adding a mixture of commercial and housing in the area will benefit the neighbourhood and this method can be applied to the Coxwell Subway Station.

7.3 Netherlands

7.4 United Kingdom

Arnhem Central Master Plan, Arnhem

Queen St Railway Station, Glasgow

The Arnhem Central Masterplan is an ambitious 20-year plan designed and lead by UNStudio that aims to be the central transit hub of Arnhem. It seeks to connect the Netherlands as a node between Germany and Belgium invoking the desire of travel. The adjacent shops will cater to office work, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Despites the project large scale, it design elements and principles can still be applied to Coxwell Station. The principles behind itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creation and expansion is what is essential. Rather than designing the station around the activities and people flows that already took place there, the new Transfer Terminal directs and determines how people use and move around the building (Figure 37). Its approach to the movement of people and goods can be applied in any situation that demands transitoriented development.

The Glasgow Queen Street Railway Station is the third busiest railway station in Scotland, and it is being expanded to form a larger facility with superior services for its growing number of passengers (Railway Technology, 2017). The redevelopment aims to replace the current main entrance in an effort to modernize the look and feel of the station. Its key priority is to improve the current services located within the station, and implement new types waiting areas with retail spaces giving the station a multi-use status. Included in the redevelopment is a complete overhaul aesthetically speaking, completely altering the main entrance to better fit the modernist approach of the surrounding area. Overall, the project details are all aimed at creating a more diverse use of the area, while also increasing capacity and efficiency of travel. This is a large-scale development that has found the highest and best use of the site, and that is exactly what we have planned for Coxwell Station and surrounding area.

Figure 37

Figure 38

8. IMPLEMENTATION The process of implementation for the recommendations of this report has been divided between three phases and two tiers of categories. The three phases are divided into the length of the implementation that can be achieved in 5, 10 or 20 plus years. The two tiers of categories include cost of implementation and parties involved. The recommended interventions will aid the process of a cohesive and integrated vision plan along Danforth Ave and Coxwell Station.

1. Cost of Implementation

2. Parties Involved with Implementation

The expenditure to pursue each intervention based upon background analysis.

The stakeholders involved with the implementation process are the City of Toronto, Toronto Transit Commission and Danforth Business Improvement Area

Low:

Able to acquire action at significantly little cost

Medium:

When weighed against the other options, such recommendations are considered to be mid-ranged

High:

Compared to other actionable results, it is considered a costly variable

City of Toronto

The municipal government of Toronto, officially known as the City of Toronto, is a public corporation providing services to Toronto, Ontario. Within the City of Toronto, the site area is located in Wardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 29, 30, 31 and 32. The City of Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stakeholder goals include improving the relationship between the City and its residents through a clearer, more accessible and transparent planning process.

Toronto Transit Commission

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is a public transportation agency that operates bus, subway, streetcar, and paratransit services in Toronto. The TTC is the oldest urban transit service provider and the most heavily used urban mass transportation that offers numerous connections to surrounding municipalities. The TTC owns and operates Coxwell Station (opened in 1966) and is located on the Bloor-Danforth line of the TTC subway service. The TTC also owns and operates the parcel along the south side of Danforth Avenue.

Danforth Business Improvement Area

The Danforth Business Improvement Area (BIA) contributes to most of the social life and streetscape within the surrounding community. The Danforth BIA aims to provide and promote an urban destination for delicious food, entertaining theatre, lively pubs and cafes, and distinctive local shops and services. The BIA represents the interests of the merchants of the street and primarily focuses on improvements related to beautification of the area.

Public-Private Partnerships

The private development company whom will be undertaking the development will be a key stakeholder in determining many major decisions regarding the new built forms on the site. Developers will be the sole builder of the new structures added onto the site, and therefore are important part of any discussion.

8.1 Phase One Achieved within the first 5 years.

Built Form

Streetscape & Public Realm

Mobility and Connectivity

Intervention (Recommendations)

Cost (Low, Medium, High)

Construction of mid-rise buildings along southern side of Danforth Ave

High

City of Toronto, Developers

Construction of townhouse developments along southern side of Danforth Ave

Medium

City of Toronto, Developers

Renovation (expansion) of library integrated with mid rise development

Hi gh

City of Toronto, Developers

Medium

City of Toronto, BIA

Animate underpasses (Coxwell Station pathway) and pedestrian walkways with street art

Low

City of Toronto, BIA

Public art installation along Library and Atrium

Low

BIA, Developers

Addition of sidewalk art

Low

BIA

Construction of pedestrian walkways within new development area and parkland that is easily accessible through walkways and community focal points

Low

City of Toronto, Developers

Extend and connect new streets, lanes, pedestrian mews and walkways to local street/pedestrian network and provide links to transit, community facilities and retail area

Low

City of Toronto

Enhance and expand the existing walkway from Danforth Ave to Coxwell Station

Low

City of Toronto

Construct new pathway from Hillingdon Ave into the park and open space area

Low

City of Toronto, Developers

Construct consistent paving on the sidewalks and walkways

Low

City of Toronto

Introduce green features to laneways on Danforth Ave

Parties Involved

8.1 Phase One CONTINUED

Parks & Open Space

Development Opportunities

Intervention (Recommendations)

Cost (Low, Medium, High)

Improve and develop more green spaces within development such as green roofing for all mid-rise buildings

Medium

City of Toronto, Developers

Additional improvement of green infrastructure, landscaping and terraforming along the streetscape

Medium

City of Toronto

Promote permeable paving along the site to maximize the usability of outdoor amenity space

Low

City of Toronto

Finding tenants for new building development to integrate a mix of uses within the spaces, ranging from retail, commercial, office and community uses

Low

Developers

Encouraging small anchor tenants onto the developments

Low

Developers

Establishment of an affordable housing program for the residential development

Medium

City of Toronto, Developers

Parties Involved

8.2 Phase Two Achieved within the next 10 years.

Streetscape & Public Realm Mobility and Connectivity

Parks & Open Space

Development Opportunities

Cost (Low, Medium, High)

Parties Involved

Construction of mid-rise buildings along southern side of Danforth Avenu

High

Developers

Construction of townhouse developments along southern side of Danforth Ave

High

Developers

Renovation (expansion) of library integrated with mid rise development

Medium

City of Toronto, Developers

Renovation of Coxwell Station with mid rise development above

High

Developers, TTC

Green surface parking lots within new proposed parking lot

Medium

City of Toronto, Developers

Enhance and expand dedicated bike lanes along Danforth Avenue and Coxwell Avenue

Medium

City of Toronto

Extend and connect new streets, lanes, pedestrian mews and walkways to local street/pedestrian network and provide links to transit, community facilities and retail areas

Medium

City of Toronto, BIA

Create a new access point on the south side of Danforth Avenue designed as an atrium to provide a cover connection to the new park and open space

Medium

City of Toronto, BIA

Construct new pathway from Hillingdon Ave into the park and open space area Enhance lighting appearance of the atrium and along the streets for pedestrian comfortability

Medium

City of Toronto, Developers

Construct consistent paving on the sidewalks and walkways

Medium

City of Toronto, Developers

Enhance and expand parkland for new residential development

High

City of Toronto, Developers

Improve and develop more green spaces within development such as green roofing for all mid-rise buildings

Medium

City of Toronto, Developers

Establishment of an affordable housing program for the residential development

Medium

City of Toronto

Recommendation-Based Interventions Built Form

8.3 Phase Three Achieved within the next 20+ years.

Recommendation-Based Interventions

Cost (Low, Medium, High)

Parties Involved

Establish laneway housing program within Danforth Ave

Low

City of Toronto

Provide public park amenities at existing parkettes and newly developed parkland

High

City of Toronto, BIA, Developers

Mobility and Connectivity

Renovation of Coxwell Station to integrate underground pathway towards the Southern side of Danforth Ave to build connectivity with the residential neighbourhood and mixed use development

High

TTC, Developers

Development Opportunities

Transitioning townhouses into a laneway housing project when legislation is passed

Medium

City of Toronto, Developers

Built Form Streetscape & Public Realm

9. CONCLUSION In this report, we have summarized the results from the Coxwell Subway Station Design Study and have put forth a design recommendation for the future of the area. This urban design study aims to tap into the current optimism and future potential of the area and present a set of progressive design ideas that with the right support and implementation could make a real difference to the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s urban environment. With the proposed ideas within this report, it is essential to note that all parties involved will have to be patient through the implementation process. The proposed design elements in this report are attempting to utilize the unique qualities of the community to avoid generic responses and ensure that all designs are well received within the community. All stakeholders will have commit both time and resources to ensure that future of the Coxwell Subway Station with the proposed developments will ultimately improve the urban condition of the site and set in place a solid foundation for future generations.

10. INDEX OF FIGURES Page # Title 8 1 Spraypainted art leading up to Coxwell Station 9 2 Walkway art leading up to Coxwell Station 9 3 The local BIA attempts to greenify the tree planters along Danforth Ave 14 4 The TTC maintenance facility is currently sitting on prime land that could be utilized bring life to the public realm 16 6 This bldg is an outlier as it features commercial services on the and private senior residences in the remaining six storeys 16 5 Some homes are setting precedent to add an additional storey on top of the existing 2 17 7 Homes have been renovated on the exterior 17 8 Housing Stock within the Wards of the study area 19 9 A mural that acts as a wayfinding tool is blocked from view because of the parked cars 19 10 Trees along Danforth Ave usually did not have healthy canopies. 19 11 Trees within the residential areas flourished and had very large canopies 21 12 Charrette Vision 1 21 13 Charrette Vision 2 22 14 Charrette Vision 3 22 15 Charrette Vision 4 23 16 A birds-eye-view of the recommended design 25 17 Proposed Coxwell Station building 25 18 Cross-section of Danforth Ave 26 19 Cross section depicting measurements of pedestrian experience 26 20 Commercial building and park connection from Hillingdon Ave 27 21 Cross Section of Strathmore Blvd showing proposed biking infrastructure 27 22 Cross Section of Coxwell Ave showing proposed biking infrastructure 27 23 Patio space at the proposed Coxwell Station building 28 24 North side of proposed Coxwell Station 29 25 Townhomes on the south parcel 30 26 Proposeed stacked townhouses 31 27 Overview of proposed mid-rise development 32 28 A bird-eye view of where green infrastructure such as solar panels and park is located 32 29 Permeable paving within the existing residential community 32 30 Bio-swale within the existing residential community 33 31 West side of DanCo Court 34 32 Laneway view of the proposed townhouses 34 33 DanCo Court from Hillingdon Ave 35 34 Summer ccene of DanCo Park 35 35 Winter scene of DanCo Park 36 36 Rendering of 49 Bay Project 37 37 Arnhem rendering #1 37 38 Glasgow rendering

11. INDEX OF MAPS Page # 12 1 15 2 16 3 18 4 24 5 24 6 24 7 24 8 29 9 29 10

Title Proposed land uses of the development Existing layout of public-private space Existing heights of the buildings within the study area circulation of buses,bikes, and subway within the study area Pedestrian network Cycling network Road network Transit network Proposed buildings hieghts Proposed figure ground map

12. REFERENCES Avenue and Mid-Rise Buildings Study (pp. 1-74, Rep.). (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2017, From https://web.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/960c-Performance-Standards-for-Mid-Rise-Buildings.pdf. City of Toronto. (2010). Avenue and Mid Rise Building Study. Toronto: City of Toronto. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from https://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Planning/Urban%20Design/Mid-rise/midrise-FinalReport2.pdf City of Toronto. (2016). Toronto Complete Streets Guidelines: Making Street for People, Placemaking and Prosperity. Toronto: City of Toronto. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from https://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/Policy,%20Planning,%20Finance%20&%20Administration/Pub lic%20Consultation%20Unit/Studies/Transportation/Complete%20Streets/Toronto%20Complete%20Streets%20Guidelines%2016Dec2016.pdf CIty of Toronto. (2016). Cycling Network Ten Years Plan. Reports, Studies and Plans. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=981f88b7b32e9410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD IBI Group. (April 2013). King-Victoria Transit Hub Preliminary Site Design, Region of Waterloo. Retrieved October 11 from http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/gettingAround/resources/2_App-B_2013_Hub_Preliminary_Design_Access_Plan_StudyPart1.pdf Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs. (2017). Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 2017. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from http://placestogrow.ca/images/pdfs/ggh2017/en/growth%20plan%20%282017%29.pdf Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Ontario Ministry of Housing. (2014). Provincial Policy Statement 2014. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=10463 Railway Technology. (n.d.) Glasgow Queen Street Railway Station. Retrieved October 13, 2017 from: http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/glasgow-queen-street-railway-station-redevelopment-glasgow/ Sharp, Steven. (April 2016). 5400 Hollywood Family Apartments. Meta Housing Corporation. Retrieved on October 13, 2017 from https://urbanize.la/post/mixed-use-affordable-housing-completed-hollywood Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines (pp. 1-78, Rep.). (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2017, from https://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Planning/Urban%20Design/Files/pdf/UD%20Guidelines/City-wide/FINAL%20VERSION_ TOWNHOUSE%20LOW%20RISE%20GUIDELINES_AUGUST%202016.pdf Urban Design Analysis and Planning Rationale. (September 16, 2014). Wilkinson Eyre, Urban Strategies Inc. Retrieved October 11 from https://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Planning/Community%20Planning/Files/pdf/4/45%20Bay%20Street%20-%2003-04%20 Urban%20Design%20Analysis%20and%20Planning%20Rationale.pdf