On the map: New Summerhill condo tower leans into neighbourhood connections

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For nearly three decades, Woodcliffe Landmark Properties has been renovating the Summerhill neighbourhood. The historic North Toronto Station, for instance, was turned into one of
Ontario’s largest LCBO stores, while the Shops of Summerhill, known locally as “the Five Thieves,” were revitalized and expanded Now, Woodcliffe’s latest project, The Summerhill condo tower, is taking a different approach: Rather than restoring a landmark, Woodcliffe is building a new one.

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Set for the corner of Yonge Street and Birch Avenue, directly across from North Toronto Station, The Summerhill will rise 32 storeys but contain just 62 residences. Sales are expected to begin this fall. “For us, The Summerhill is not a standalone project,” says Woodcliffe CEO Eve Lewis. “It is the culmination of decades of investment, stewardship and personal connection to this neighbourhood.”

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That history helped shape the building’s unusual combination of old and new. Historic retail façades along Yonge Street will be preserved and restored, maintaining the familiar pedestrian
scale of the street, while the slender glass tower designed by Peter Clewes of architectsAlliance steps back above them.

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Woodcliffe has long favoured pairing heritage buildings with unapologetically contemporary additions rather than attempting to imitate architecture from another era. “We do complete
contrast because we believe that it really sets off the heritage and makes it very special,” Lewis says. “The modern aspect of it is not competing.”

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The approach also helps address the challenge of introducing significant new density to Summerhill, where much of the surrounding built form remains low- and mid-rise. From street
level, Lewis says, the tower’s narrow profile and setback should reduce its visual presence for pedestrians even as it becomes much more prominent from farther away. Inside, however, its slenderness becomes an advantage. Most floors contain only two residences, allowing many suites to have exposures in three directions. Floor-to-ceiling glazing and column-free corners are intended to maximize daylight and views, while kitchens, primary bathrooms and, in some cases, dressing rooms also sit against the glass. “I’ve never seen it, and I’ve been in the business for 40 years, where so much of your suite is going to be wrapped in glass,” Lewis says.

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The two- or three-bedrooms residences range from approximately 1,100 to more than 6,000 square feet, with the average suite measuring more than 2,500 square feet. Almost every one
offers substantial private outdoor space, with terraces large enough in some cases to accommodate outdoor living or dining areas.

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Another draw is the views. Much of the surrounding area is already developed or protected by heritage designations, while the nearby rail corridor and North Toronto Station further limit what can rise immediately around the building. As a result, most residences are expected to retain broad views over Summerhill, Rosedale and downtown Toronto, with Lake Ontario visible from higher floors.

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That combination of space, outdoor living and permanence is aimed primarily at homeowners who want to downsize without giving up the scale and comfort of a detached house. “There
aren’t many places to go for people who are living in houses in the surrounding area,” Lewis says. “The Summerhill gives them an opportunity to stay in the neighbourhood that they’ve
always lived in.”