Huge Toronto condo tower planned for major corner just got even taller

A large-scale condo development planned for a busy downtown Toronto intersection could rise even taller following an application from the project's developer to add several storeys to the plan.

Plans have been in the works to redevelop 101 Spadina Avenue and surrounding properties since as early as 2017, with Devron Developments' proposal finally evolving into an impressive submission for a 39-storey condo tower tabled in late 2021.

The current site includes a surface parking lot and a handful of businesses, including the former home of Strange Love Coffee which was shuttered in 2024. All storefronts on site would be demolished to make way for this evolving plan.

The tower made an immediate splash when first proposed almost four years ago, boasting a design from Audax that eschews the modern glass-and-steel look that dominates the condo scene in favour of a brick-clad tower with dramatic arches that draws on the surrounding architecture.

The initial 2021 version of the plan called for 39 storeys.

But it seems the 39 storeys approved by Toronto City Council back in 2023  just wasn't tall enough, as Devron is now seeking even more height for this project.

Sales for 101 Spadina launched back in April, 2024, and the development is now reportedly 28 per cent sold. 

Despite these sales figures in a dwindling market — a far cry from the days when condo towers would sell out on launch — Devron seems bullish about future demand for the tower, so much so that the developer is seeking to plop another 11 floors on top of its proposal.

What was previously a 39-storey plan has now been upped to 50 storeys, outlined in an application seeking a zoning bylaw amendment tabled in early 2025.

The new floors include one added podium level and 10 additional tower levels. These new floors add up to a height increase of 33.4 metres, which would bring the tower's overall height to 167.35 metres.

The building's exterior expression has been retained from previous plans, with a planning document explaining that the updated plan "continues to reference the scale and detailing of nearby heritage buildings, in the form of a contemporary, contextually-appropriate tall building."

This height increase has provided space for an additional 77 condominium units, bringing the tower's new total up to 452 residences.

Other changes introduced courtesy of the proposed height increase include an amenity space on level 50 that would house an almost 266 square-metre rooftop terrace surrounded by a vaulted colonnade. This space would give residents of all floors commanding views of the city skyline in all directions.

In addition to giving residents impressive city views, the project will also offer up public benefits, including a new public park fronting the intersection of Adelaide and Spadina, a north-south mid-block connection, and a publicly-accessible underground parking lot that would replace the surface lot that exists on site today.