Ryerson finalizes application for new student residence

Ryerson University's new student residence will be 27 storeys if approved — five storeys taller than suggested back in February. That is to say, if some first-year manages to sneak onto the roof and operate a sort of epic beer funnel, the rewards will be that much sweeter. Or horribly dangerous. Whatever.

The university formally submitted its rezoning and site plan applications to the City of Toronto last month. The updated plans reflect a new 27-storey tower to be situated at 186 and 188 Jarvis Street, with room for 197 student units (with varying numbers of beds). The plan also includes space for two at-grade parking spots, 16 parking spaces underground, and 165 bicycle parking spots.

Ryerson previously announced that it would be partnering with private developer MPI Group, as well as IBI Group Architects, to realize the project. If all goes to plan, the new residence will open by September 2016, giving nearby Grand Hotel and Suites just under four years to prepare for the onslaught of ambulances appearing outside the building every Friday evening.

In all seriousness, this new project does seem a great one for Ryerson, especially since it has been inundated with more and more applications over the past couple of years. The plan also fits nicely with Ryerson's steady engulfment of central downtown Toronto, which has grown to include the relatively new Ted Rogers School of Management building on Dundas, Maple Leaf Gardens, the corner of Yonge and Gould, and now here at Jarvis and Dundas.

While not right on campus, the new residence will be less than a five-minute walk away, which is pretty good considering the distances some students have to go to get from class to class. Am I right, U of T? The structure, too, comes of as sophisticated and modern; but balconies for students?! Might want to go back to the drawing board on that one, Ryerson.