Low-Rise Residential Buildings Proposal

Proposal: The Proposal document should state what you anticipate building on the site (at least in terms of property type – condo, office, etc.), the current zoning, zoning changes required, what is allowed to be built given current or proposed zoning (size of building or number of units or both), number of parking spaces required and a full property description with maps. You should include an extensive bibliography of material you plan to read for the project as well as a list of contacts you expect to interview/contact for information.

2020 Undergraduate Real Estate Case Competition

The subject site for this year's Undergraduate Real Estate Case Competition (URECC) is located at 22 Northcote Avenue in Toronto, Ontario. The site, north of Queen Street, between Gladstone Avenue and Northcote Avenue, is irregular in shape, 75.5 meters (247.7 feet) deep at the south and 32.5 meters (106.6 feet) at the north, with 64 meters (210 feet) of frontage on Gladstone Avenue and 113 meters (370.7 feet) on Northcote avenue. The site has a total area of 6,692 square meters (72,032 square feet)and is currently occupied by a one-story grocery store.
Your team is a development group which must submit a bid to purchase this site. Your task is to create a feasible (legally, physically, and financially) development plan that will result in the highest
Your presentation at URECC will be to prospective investors. You are presenting to these investors to receive their commitment to financially back the project as equity investors. At a minimum you
- The financing plan including any/all investors' expected returns;
Notes
1. Do not contact the owners of the site for information -
2. Do not contact the City of Toronto about zoning for the site. You may ask the city general zoning
4. Government entities in Canada employ the metric system, whereas the commercial real estate industry uses the imperial system. It is therefore recommended to express all size related measures using the imperial system, or use both metric and imperial measures.

Provincial Policy Statement1
The Provincial Policy Statement provides a province-wide document which guides the allocation and protection of Ontario's resources, including infrastructure, the structural form of cities, and natural features and hazards.1 Ontario's Provincial Policy Statement (201 A) can be accessed at https://www.ontario.ca/document/provincial-policv-statement-2014#section-0.

Generally, cities are to have efficient development and land use patterns (incorporating a range and mix of land uses), do not require unnecessary settlement area expansion, and promote cost-effective development standards to minimize land consumption and servicing costs(sections 1.1.1, 1.1.3.2). In addition, "intensification" and "redevelopment" is encouraged in areas where suitable existing and planned infrastructure and public service facilities are available, particularly in existing built-up areas (sections 1.1.3.3,1.1.3.7). Optimizing the use of these resources, will support long-term
Official Plan2
The subject site is located within two separate land-use designation under Map 18 of the Official
The western portion of the property, fronting onto Gladstone Avenue, is currently designated "Mixed Use Area." It is part of a contiguous zone that covers both sides of Gladstone and its length between Queen Street and Peel Avenue. "Mixed Use Areas" allow for a wide range of land uses, including residential, office, retail, institutional, entertainment, recreation and parks, among others. They are also anticipated to "absorb most of the anticipated increase in retail, office and service employment, as well as much of the new housing"(section 4.5 of the preamble). One of the governing factors for built form in "Mixed Use Areas" is locating and massing new building to provide transition between areas of different development intensity and scale. This includes appropriate setbacks and stepping down, particularly towards "Neighborhoods"(section 4.5.2c), and "to adequately limit shadow impacts on adjacent 'Neighborhoods"'(section 4.5.2d). Taking advantage of nearby transit services is encouraged (section 4.5.2.h).
The eastern portion of the property, fronting onto Northcote Avenue, is located within a "Neighborhood Area." The Official Plan considers Neighborhoods as stable areas, and does not anticipate growth, but there may be opportunities for compatible infill development on underutilized sites taking into consideration the following criteria:
- Patterns of streets, blocks and lanes;- The Official Plan of the City of Toronto can be accessed at https://www.t0r0nt0.ca/citv-00vernrnent/plannin0'

As per Map 4 of the Official Plan, the site is also located +/- 300 meters (+/- 985 feet) away from the future King-Liberty Station. The Official Plan encourages the concentration of jobs and people in areas well served by surface transit.
In February 2013, the City of Toronto Council passed Bylaw 412-2013 which amended the Official Plan and created Official Plan Amendment 211.
The amendments are intended to guide development within these former employment lands. Overall, it is intended that heights should gradually step down towards the neighborhoods, with the taller heights closest to Queen Street(section 2(a)). In addition, 22 Northcote Avenue is expected to be no taller than the north end of the Gladstone Hotel, with heights gradually stepping down towards
OPA 211 also states that low-scale built form is expected at 22 Northcote, along Northcote Avenue (section 2(d)) and that all new built form along Northcote should be adequately setback from Northcote, similarto the existing green setback(section 2(e)).
West Queen West and Parkdale Main Street Heritage Conservation District4
In June 2017, the City's Toronto Preservation Board recommended moving forward and authorizing the Plan Phase of the proposed West Queen West and Parkdale Main Street Heritage Conservation District. The staff-initiated study recommended to designate the section of Queen Street West situated between Bathurst and Roncesvalles Avenue under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. Although 22 Northcote Avenue is not within the Heritage Conservation District boundaries, the City will evaluate any development with this specific heritage policy lens because it is directly adjacent to Heritage Conservation District. The Heritage Conservation District plan is currently being
Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines5
In 2018, the City of Toronto released a study intended to help implement policies in the Official Plan for the design of new townhouses and low-rise residential buildings. The guidelines replace the former Infill Townhouse Guidelines (2003). The guidelines are meant to be applied through the evaluation of development applications which contain Townhouses, Stacked Townhouses, Back-to-back Townhouses, and Low-rise Apartment Buildings.

The guidelines prescribe a multitude of standards pertaining to the relationship of the building to the site context, building types, site organization, building design, and the pedestrian realm.
Mid-Rise Guidelines6
In 2010, the City of Toronto released a study intended as an urban design guideline for the assessment of mid-rise buildings along streets designated Avenues in the Official Plan. The Guidelines do have a total of 36 performance standards that the city uses to evaluate development applications. These standards include, height, setbacks, angular planes, and shadow impacts.
The guidelines, prescribe a 1:1 height ratio based on the Right-of-Way width which is 20 meters(65.6 feet). Therefore, a 20 meter(65.6 feet), or 6 story, building is deemed appropriate according to the guidelines. The guidelines prescribe a 45-degree angular plane, 80% of the Right-of-Way width above grade is applied on all lot lines abutting a street (see guidelines in footnote 6 for an
Neighborhood designated areas located along "Avenues" are not targeted for intensification. However, the guidelines recommend re-designating segments along "Avenues"that are designated Neighborhood, particularly those that have higher-order transit, such as the subject site.
Tall Buildings Guidelines7
The Tall Buildings Guidelines were adopted in May 2013. They substantially consolidate and integrate the "performance standards" of the previous Downtown Tall Buildings Vision and Performance Standards Design Guidelines and apply them on a citywide basis. Relevant guidelines are highlighted
Maximum for tall building tower will be 750 square meters (8,073 square feet), excluding balconies. Exceptions made for residential and mixed-use commercial/residential buildings taller than 50° ilid-Rise Guidelines and addendum: https://www.tGrontG.ca/city-Government/planninG-development/official-plan'

Tower, including balconies, will be setback from podium a minimum of 3 meters (9.8 feet) for a minimum of 2/3 of the length of the tower facing the street.

Tall building tower will be located aminimumof12.5 meters (41 feet) from the side and rear lot lines or centerline of abutting lane, measured from external wall of the building. The minimum spacing distance between two tall building towers on the same site will be no less than 25 meters (82 feet), measured from external walls. Creative solutions that substantially achieve the guideline performance of 25 meters (82 feet), such as offset towers and non-parallel walls may also be
Former City of Toronto Zoning By-law 438-86
The site at 22 Northcote avenue is zoned 11 D2. This allows for Industrial and Commercial Uses up to 2 times the lot area. The maximum height is 14.0 meters (49.5 feet). The site is covered by a site-specific provision (438-86 s.12(2)270) which limits the single use retail size to a maximum of 8,000 square meters (86,111 square feet).
The lot area at 22 Northcote currently is 6,692 square meters (72,032 square feet). Theoretically, a 14 meter (49.5 feet, 4 story) tall building with 13,384 square meters (144,064 square feet) could be
Precedents
The following is an overview of the most applicable recent approvals within similar policy context areas such as being located on "Transit Priority Segment." These sites were subject to similar regulations and were all approved, built, or in the process of obtaining approvals.
In November 2011, an application was submitted for multiple buildings, including a 20-story (70.3 meter, or 230.6 feet)tower, 5.02 times the 14 meter(49.5 feet)zoning height limit. In January 2014, the project was approved at the Ontario Municipal Board and is now complete.
2 Gladstone Avenue
In April 2007, an application was submitted for an 8-story (24.5 meter, or 80.4 feet), 1.53 times the

In February 2011, an application was submitted for an 8-story (26.4 meter, or 86.6 feet), 1.89 times 20 Gladstone Avenue

In May of 2013, an application was submitted for a 7-storey (21.6 meter, or 70.9 feet), 1.54 times the
In January 2006, an application was submitted for an 8-storey (27.5 meter, or 90.2 feet), 1.96 times
In November 2013, an application was submitted to construct a 26-story (89.85 meters, or 294.8 feet), building, 5.62 times the 16 meter(52.5 feet)zoning height limit. In March 2014, City staff issued a refusal report in response to the application. In July 2017, the application was approved at the Ontario Municipal Board at 15 stories. The project is currently under construction.
In September 2016, an application was submitted to construct a 14-story building. In December 2017, the project was approved at the Ontario Municipal Board at 8-stories.
In December 2011, an application was submitted to construct (3) Mixed-Use Buildings ranging in height, from 8 to 24 stories. In the Summer of 2014, a re-submission was made for an 11-story (36.5 meter, or 199.8 feet) building, 2.61 times the 14 meter (45.9 feet) zoning height limit. In June 2015, a mixed-use buildings 45.3 meters (148.6 feet) in height was approved at the Ontario Municipal Board, 3.23 times the 14 meter(45.9 feet)zoning height limit. The project is currently under construction.

Additional Resources
center the map in the correct area. The map can be filtered by developer, building status, and
Government of Canada - Economic and Fiscal Projections
Ontario Ministry of Finance - 2019 Ontario Econoomic Outlook and Fiscal Review
5. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation - Residential Data
6. Commercial Property Data:
Various commercial real estate advisors publish market analyses for Toronto. Some examples include: Avison Young; CBRE; Colliers International; Cushman & Wakefield; and, Jones Lang