Cresford Developments made waves back in early 2017 with their proposal for a 98-storey tower at Toronto's Yonge and Gerrard intersection, known as YSL Residences. Proposed at a height of 343.9 metres (1,128 feet), the "supertall" tower is a design by New York-based Kohn Pederson Fox Associates in partnership with Toronto's architectsAlliance. Requiring both an official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendments, in late 2017, the proponent appealed the lack of a decision by City Council within the the required timeframe to the Ontario Municipal Board (now known as LPAT).

The sculptural 343.9m version of the proposal, by Kohn Pederson Fox and architectsAlliance for Cresford

A pre-hearing has been scheduled at LPAT on August 20, 2018, but following decisions made at June City Council, a settlement offer from the City may turn that pre-hearing meeting into a ratification of the settlement instead. The offer would scale back the tower significantly, while adding some important community amenities. Notable revisions include reductions in height and density, and new massing.

Earlier and new massing "roughly" overlaid by UT Forum contributor jje1000

Previously proposed at 98 storeys and 344 metres, the new plan reduces the floor count to a maximum of 85 and a height of 299 metres to the top of the mechanical penthouse level. Rising from a 21-storey podium, the revised tower features a more angular aesthetic than its predecessor, closely matching the form of the Kohn Pederson Fox-designed 10 and 30 Hudson Yards project in Manhattan. Floors would taper away to a point as the tower rises, with tower floor plates averaging 983 square metres.

Revised elevation diagrams for YSL, image via submission to City of Toronto

The previously-proposed 109,234.7 square metres of gross floor area (GFA) has been reduced to 94,500 square metres, with a revised maximum Floor Space Index of 25. This GFA is divided between 75,871 square metres of residential space and 18,629 square metres of retail/office/institutional space. The residential component would contain a maximum of 1,106 residential units, to include between 1,511 square metres and 2,658 square metres of on-site affordable rental housing. 10% of the residential units would be a minimum of 106 square metres in area.

In addition to the affordable housing component, a number of other community benefits have been included in the settlement plan. 375 square metres of community and/or cultural space as well as a 485-square metre daycare facility with an additional 278 square metres of outdoor daycare space. In addition, a 313-square metre portion of 69 Hayden Street would be conveyed to the City as a parkland contribution. If the parkland dedication is accepted by the City, it would only satisfy a portion of the site's parkland dedication requirements, with the remaining balance to be met through a cash-in-lieu contribution.

Revised site plan for YSL, image via submission to City of Toronto

If the LPAT allows the appeal to proceed in whole, City Council is requesting that the final order is withheld until a few matters are resolved, including that existing buildings at 363-365, 367, 381, and 385-391 Yonge Street, plus 3 Gerrard Street East, are to be designated under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, and that a Heritage Easement Agreement be enacted for these properties in accordance with an earlier Heritage Impact Assessment.

Additional information and more images of all of the project's earlier versions can be found in our database file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.