The City of Toronto is transforming a former hotel into permanent affordable and supportive housing through a pilot project that will help shape future rapid housing initiatives across the city.
Challenge
Delivering permanent housing on an accelerated timeline required transforming an existing hotel into a supportive residential community while maintaining partial occupancy during construction. The design also needed to maximize accessibility, functionality, and long-term value for residents.
Solution
As Architect of Record, we provided full services for the phased conversion of the 19-story building. Existing hotel suites were redesigned as 283 apartments, with 15% meeting Ontario Building Code accessibility targets. The project includes energy-efficiency upgrades to the building envelope, windows, and mechanical and electrical systems, as well as enhanced amenity spaces, meeting rooms, bike storage, laundry facilities, a rooftop patio, and future mental health and counselling services.
Outcome
The project establishes a model for Toronto’s Rapid Housing Initiative, demonstrating how existing buildings can be adapted to deliver affordable and supportive housing quickly and effectively. Working in collaboration with the City of Toronto, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, and our partners, the development maximizes the use of available space while creating measurable social impact for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
The interior balances private living spaces with shared amenities that support community, wellbeing, and a sense of home
The pilot project serves as a blueprint for Toronto’s Rapid Housing Initiative, establishing a model for future affordable and supportive housing developments.
Bright, flexible gathering spaces encourage social interaction and provide residents with places to connect, meet, and access support services
The City of Toronto purchased a former hotel with plans to convert the existing building to a range of permanent affordable and supportive housing. The pilot project serves as a blueprint to address the urgent need for shelter and sets the standard for Toronto’s Rapid Housing Initiative that will be rolled out over several years.
As the Architect of Record (AOR) providing full services, the project team worked on an expedited schedule and in a phased approach to accommodate the partially occupied building that continued to provide temporary shelter for the unhoused during construction.
The existing hotel suites will be converted to 283 apartments, with 15% meeting accessible standards under the Ontario Building Code targets. The 19-story building required a retrofit for energy efficiency including upgrades to the envelope, windows, and mechanical and electrical systems. Minimalist materials were used to support longevity and durability. Enhanced amenity spaces will add value for residential uses, while basement levels were revamped to feature meeting rooms, bike storage and a central laundry area. A rooftop patio will be added and serve as a holistic outdoor amenity. Longer term, facilities will be developed to offer mental health and counseling services.
From the outset, collaboration with the City of Toronto, Toronto Community Housing Corporation and our partners allowed for quick solutions and decision-making to support the most vulnerable residents. It was important to align design with purpose to manage the greatest use of space and functionality to maximize value and create measurable social impact.
