How High Are We Prepared To Go In Bloor West Village?

April 29, 2026 Michael Leave a comment Feedback, Meeting info

This High?

A sixteen story building is being planned for 2273/2279 Bloor Street West, which falls on the south side of the street between Durie Street and Windemere Avenue. The proposed design and height is rendered in the graphic above. 

Key aspects of proposed development include:

  • 16 storeys plus an additional mechanical and amenity floor on top
  • 60 residential dwelling units (rental)
  • 6,500 square metres (69,965 sq ft) residential gross floor area
  • 159 square metres (1,711 sq ft) at-grade retail space 
  • 6,659  square metres (71,677 sq ft) total gross floor area
  • No vehicle parking
  • 74 spaces bicycle parking

The BWVRA Position

Our position is to not restrict development in Bloor West Village, nor to limit the building of rental housing. Our unique village is not ours alone to enjoy and live in. We support responsible development that’s in keeping with neighbourhood character and that complements surrounding buildings. The proposed development is an over-sized structure that will be harmful to the main street of Bloor West Village.

The proposed development has a floor space index (FSI) of 10.8,  well beyond an FSI of 6 that is now the provincial required minimum density for a mixed-use building at this distance from a subway station (over 200 metres and less than 500 metres). 

We support limiting the development to an FSI of 6. We also support a reduction in building height to 8-10 storeys in total, not the proposed 16+ storeys.  

Our Concerns

Building is out of scale with the village centre 

  • At 16 storeys, the proposed building is out of scale and place with the consistent blocks of 2-3 storey buildings that provide the “Village Main Street” character identified in the 2018 Bloor West Village Avenue Study. 
  • Tall buildings that pop up in the middle of a block are not a compatible built form for this section of Bloor West Village.
  • They are suited to the existing and emerging contexts at the east and west ends of the Village, providing a sense of arrival and transition to the lower scale Village Main Street area.
  • Limit the development to an FSI of 6 instead of the 10.8 proposed in the application. This will address the minimum density requirement for transit station areas while allowing for a better fit with the central section of Bloor West Village.

Over-shadowing of north side sidewalk  

  • One tall and narrow building will have limited immediate shadow impacts on the north side sidewalk, but it may be a precedent for similar or higher buildings adjacent to it and elsewhere along Bloor. 
  • The result over time will likely be an accumulation of tall buildings on the south side that will severely limit sun and light on the north side sidewalk throughout the year.  

Parking

  • A new 60-unit building without parking is unprecedented in Bloor West Village. 
  • The Transportation Impact Study for the application notes “Under Zoning By-law 569-2013, the site requires a minimum of three visitor parking spaces; however, the proposed development provides no on-site parking and therefore does not meet this requirement.”
  • The transportation study also notes 3 nearby Green P parking lots on the north side of Bloor within a 2–5 minute walk that can accommodate visitor demand and offer a practical alternative to on-site parking.
  • Elimination of parking requirements on new development is a recent policy direction for Toronto. It is unclear how demand for parking from future occupants and visitors for this development will impact parking in the neighbourhood, particularly on-street parking and overnight parking.
  • Will the City ensure that NO on-street parking permits will ever be issued to this development? 

Solid waste and recycling  

  • It is unclear how garbage and recyclables from 60 units will occur. 
  • The applicant’s presentation at the March 11th meeting and documents in support of the application contain inconsistencies on how and where materials will be picked up (e.g., some say Bloor, some say Durie) and by whom.
  • Concern is that the quality and space of the sidewalks and surrounding public realm (street trees, bicycle path, benches, outdoor seating and dining, etc.)  are not impacted by solid waste and recycling management and potential associated nuisances.

How Did We Get Here? 

At a standing room only meeting on March 11, 2026 at Swansea Town Hall, residents expressed many concerns about a proposed rezoning application for a 16-storey building on three properties on the south side of Bloor, just west of Durie (2273, 2277 and 2279 Bloor Street West). 

Concerns arising from local meeting

  • Proposed height and built form.
  • Sunlight access on Bloor Street West specifically on the north side of Bloor.
  • precedent for future developments in the area.
  • Servicing the building including garbage pickup.
  • Protection of adjacent buildings and uses during construction
  • Bird migration and potential impacts on chimney swifts.

Overall, many residents were concerned the 16-storey building is a very significant change for the “Village Main Street” at the heart of Bloor West Village. Opportunities remain for residents to learn about this proposed development and provide their input to the City as the application is under review. There will also be an opportunity for community input when the application goes before Toronto and East York Community Council for approval or refusal (expected by early summer).

Contacts for providing comments on this application are provided further below. This post also provides links to additional information about the proposed development.

Where is the application in the planning review process and what is ahead?

City planners and other staff are reviewing the application with respect to planning policies and bylaws, site specific details, municipal services, etc., as well as public input. The next step in the process will be a staff report from City Planning recommending refusal or approval of the application. The staff report is expected at a meeting of Toronto and East York Community Council later this spring (May 28, 2026) or early summer (July 8 and 9, 2026). A statutory public meeting on the application will be held as part of the meeting of Community Council.  The statutory public meeting provides a public forum for debate on the merits of the application.

Your opinions are important!

There is consensus that residential intensification along our main streets and transit lines is important. How it works with communities and neighbourhoods requires good planning and urban design. At this stage in the process, your comments or questions are important and welcomed. Write or contact the following City staff in the Development Review division and copy our elected officials.

Contact List and Links 

  • Pavel Kopec, Community Planning at pavel.kopec@toronto.ca or (416) 394-8016. 
  • Dan Nicholson, Manager, Community Planning at dan.nicholson.ca or (416) 397-4077
  • Councillor Gord Perks at Councillor_Perks@toronto.ca
  • Mayor Olivia Chow at Mayor_Chow@toronto.ca
  • Alexa Gilmour, MPP at agilmour-qp@ndp.on.ca
  • The Application Number is 25 269621 STE 04 OZ and the following is the link to the Application Information Centre page: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/application-details/?id=5759532&pid=717235&title=2279-BLOOR-ST-W
  • The City’s presentation provided background information on planning policies and the application review process.
  • The applicant’s presentation at the March 11 meeting featured graphics and details about the proposed development, including composition of the rental units and the building’s interior and outdoor amenity areas.