The City of Toronto has received an application to build three residential buildings just west of Robarts Library on 366, 368, and 370 Huron St. The applicant would like to build one three-storey residential building facing Huron Street and two residential buildings on the laneway off Huron Street near Glen Morris Road.

The plan is significant to the downtown neighbourhoods because of the laneway housing, which was identified as a way to meet the community’s housing needs in the 2014 Huron-Sussex Neighbourhood Planning Study in 2014. The University of Toronto (U of T) announced a pilot project last March to build two laneway houses on Huron Street.

“The laneway houses are a pilot project that will provide good rental housing and valuable information on what can work or not work for laneway housing in our neighbourhood,” said Julie Mathien, co-president of the Huron-Sussex Residents’ Association, which supports of the development. “With sensitivity to location and flexibility regarding size, laneway housing has the potential of providing more stable and affordable rental and owned housing.”

The Toronto and East York Community Council meeting will consider the application at its meeting on May 2.

—Ahmed Hagar/Gleaner News

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