Toronto is home to many neighbourhoods with distinct architectural character, but few are as layered as The Annex. The sought-after central neighbourhood is defined by tree-lined streets of Victorian and Edwardian houses, alongside pockets of mid-century Modern apartment buildings.
The proposed 11-storey development at 171–175 Lowther Avenue, near Spadina station, seeks to reinterpret The Annex’s Modernist legacy while responding to its historic residential context. The site comprises three contiguous properties currently occupied by three-storey brick house-form buildings at 171, 173, and 175 Lowther Avenue.
The proposed building would rise to a height of 44.85m and contain approximately 6,203m² of residential gross floor area. A total of 64 residential units are planned. At grade, the building includes three two-storey, three-bedroom units with individual street-level entrances, providing larger homes suitable for families. The podium would also incorporate the existing heritage house at 171 Lowther Avenue, which would be restored and repurposed as a substantial residential unit under the heritage direction of GBCA Architects.
Architecturally, the building responds to The Annex’s dual character. Along the public frontages, the podium is conceived as a three-storey, brick-clad, house-form streetwall that reflects the scale and materiality of the surrounding residential fabric. Above, eight additional storeys draw inspiration from the mid-rise apartment buildings that have shaped the neighbourhood over the past half-century. The design makes particular reference to the work of architect Uno Prii, whose expressive balconies introduced playful, sculptural forms into the otherwise restrained geometries of postwar Modernism.
Located approximately 400m from the intersection of Bloor Street West and Spadina Avenue, the site is well served by public transit. It is within a 250m walk of the Walmer Road entrance to Spadina station, where TTC Lines 1 and 2 connect with the 510 Spadina streetcar and several local bus routes. Its proximity to Bathurst and Dupont stations also places the property within three overlapping Major Transit Station Areas.
The project received both ZBA and SPA approval and construction is due to begin in 2027. It is among several developments seeking to add new housing in The Annex. Across Lowther Avenue, applications at 38 and 40 Walmer Road propose buildings of 20 and 35 storeys. To the south, proposals include a 35-storey development at 350 Bloor Street West, near Spadina Avenue, and a 30-storey building at 425 Bloor Street West, near Robert Street. Together, these projects reflect a broader shift toward accommodating greater residential density near higher-order transit, consistent with provincial and municipal objectives to increase the supply of housing in well-connected urban areas.
