743 Richmond Street - 35s mixed use (Approved)

[CanadianTalk]

A 35-storey mixed-use apartment building with 512 residential units and 215 square metres of commercial space is proposed at the southwest corner of Richmond Street and Oxford Street.

There is currently a small building with several retail units, with the corner unit most recently occupied by Urban Outfitters, which closed last year.

The developer is Fitzrovia — I’m assuming it's the same company that's built several rental properties throughout the GTA: https://fitzrovia.ca/


Planning application page: https://london.ca/business-development/p...lanning-applications/743-richmond-street

Planning application notice: https://london.ca/sites/default/files/20...0App%20%20PPM%20Template%20-OPAZBA_0.pdf








Here are various studies that were provided by the applicant:

• Planning Justification Report - https://london.ca/sites/default/files/2025-04/Planning%20Justification%20Report_0.pdf
• Urban Design Brief - https://london.ca/sites/default/files/2025-04/Urban%20Design%20Brief_743%20Richmond%20St.pdf
• Traffic Impact Assessment - https://london.ca/sites/default/files/2025-04/Traffic%20Impact%20Assessment.pdf

[ssiguy]

Nice looking building at a great location!

[GreatTallNorth2]

Looks fantastic and good height. Just what the downtown needs.

[jammer139]

Terrific proposal. Hopefully gets approved and this developer actually builds it.

[jammer139]

This area is prime for more high rise developments. The soon to be closed Beer Store on Piccadilly would be a terrific site for another 35-45s tower. York Developments proposal for Ann St may eventually happen once all the OLT appeals finally are concluded. Hopefully we see the NE corner of Oxford and Richmond get developed into a pair of high rise towers by demolishing the bank and grocery store. That corner is prime for a showpiece pair of high towers with a mixed use podium base. Also why we still have a cement plant at Oxford and the Thames river is strange. It's much more valuable being redeveloped into high rise residential together with the former Fabulous Forum property. The fact we still see large gravel trucks and cement trucks going in and out of this cement plant in this location is weird.

[GreatTallNorth2]

This project is great for London not just because of the added residential and height of the tower but because it is being proposed by a serious Toronto developer, Fitzrovia and was designed by HPA Architects who designed the Ivey campus at Western and designed the One Bloor project in Toronto.

https://hariripontarini.com/project-category/multi-unit-residential/

All of Londons projects that have been built in the last decade have been by local developers that mostly use the cheapest possible materials and give little thought to design. I will say Centro stands out as above the standard but most of Tricar, York and Drewlos projects have been pretty much crap. Hopefully we get a new standard of design in this city. Structures that look good in the skyline and at street level.

* The design brief shows a Toronto based cafe called 10 Dean Cafe as a retail tenant in this project.

[Spoofy]

Interesting proposal.

What caught my eye was the unit count. 512 units sounds great, but fitting that many units onto this small of a property and only 35 storeys is questionable. Based on their floor plans from the Urban Design Brief linked earlier, it looks like about 50% of the units will be studios that are only around 350ft2, and even the 2beds are only 750ft2. These units are smaller across the board than even Centro, which has their 2beds all at generally 900ft2 based on their website, and Centro's units already are even smaller than the same type at Drewlo's Talbot Terrace or York's 131 King St.

Would be interesting to see what kind of setup they use to maximize that very limited space, I've never been a fan of these Toronto-style shoeboxes myself personally.

[GreatTallNorth2]

Originally Posted by Spoofy

Interesting proposal.

What caught my eye was the unit count. 512 units sounds great, but fitting that many units onto this small of a property and only 35 storeys is questionable. Based on their floor plans from the Urban Design Brief linked earlier, it looks like about 50% of the units will be studios that are only around 350ft2, and even the 2beds are only 750ft2. These units are smaller across the board than even Centro, which has their 2beds all at generally 900ft2 based on their website, and Centro's units already are even smaller than the same type at Drewlo's Talbot Terrace or York's 131 King St.

Would be interesting to see what kind of setup they use to maximize that very limited space, I've never been a fan of these Toronto-style shoeboxes myself personally.

Potentially it's proximity to Western means students might consider those studio spaces?

[jammer139]

LFP article on zoning proposal that comes to PEC Jun 10th.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/35-storey-residential-tower-planned-for-oxford-richmond

[haljackey]

We're getting transit-oriented development without the transit. See everyone, BRT really was a hoax!

#downshift

[GreatTallNorth2]

Originally Posted by haljackey

We're getting transit-oriented development without the transit. See everyone, BRT really was a hoax!

#downshift

A light rail line from Oxford/Wonderland to Oxford/Richmond would be a great addition.

[CanadianTalk]

Some of you that are well-versed into city hall happenings may remember last year when city planning staff brought forward a proposal to City Council to designate the Richmond/Oxford area and the 100 Kellogg area as "transit villages" in The London Plan.

Transit village designations would allow for a maximum height 35 stories under the new London Plan heights review, which was passed by Council last year (not sure if the province has approved it yet).

City Council voted to reject the Oxford/Richmond designation, but approved the 100 Kellogg one, and they even went one step further as the Mayor brought forward a motion voted to remove the "Rapid Transit Corridor" designation off Richmond and change it to "Urban Corridor"... this means that the maximum height would be just 15 stories (or 25 if it was still under the Rapid Transit corridor).

https://london.ca/newsroom/city-council-...rting-creation-new-housing-opportunities

It will be very interesting to see what city planning staff will recommend to Council, as well as whether Council will vote to pass this.

[GreatTallNorth2]

Originally Posted by CanadianTalk

Some of you that are well-versed into city hall happenings may remember last year when city planning staff brought forward a proposal to City Council to designate the Richmond/Oxford area and the 100 Kellogg area as "transit villages" in The London Plan.

Transit village designations would allow for a maximum height 35 stories under the new London Plan heights review, which was passed by Council last year (not sure if the province has approved it yet).

City Council voted to reject the Oxford/Richmond designation, but approved the 100 Kellogg one, and they even went one step further as the Mayor brought forward a motion voted to remove the "Rapid Transit Corridor" designation off Richmond and change it to "Urban Corridor"... this means that the maximum height would be just 15 stories (or 25 if it was still under the Rapid Transit corridor).

https://london.ca/newsroom/city-council-...rting-creation-new-housing-opportunities

It will be very interesting to see what city planning staff will recommend to Council, as well as whether Council will vote to pass this.

It would be strange to reject this as I feel this corner (the southwest corner of Oxford/Richmond) is in the limits of downtown.

[CanadianTalk]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

It would be strange to reject this as I feel this corner (the southwest corner of Oxford/Richmond) is in the limits of downtown.

The area that makes up the Downtown is actually a lot smaller than I thought it would have been (as per The London Plan), the north limit is only between Dufferin and Central

https://london.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/Map1_PlaceTypes_CONSOLIDATED_June2024_esize.pdf


Edit: I hope this does get approved because it is a nice looking building, and I personally feel that it's a good fit in the area as well.... but I think city staff will be in an interesting position because had their own professional recommendations got approved last year, then this building would fit within the height restrictions, but because Council altered it, they would most likely have to use the new amended policies when making their recommendations.

But of course, the final decision is up to City Council, so even if staff recommend refusal (because of Council's own policies), they can still vote to approve this.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

It would be strange to reject this as I feel this corner (the southwest corner of Oxford/Richmond) is in the limits of downtown.

I agree, although the NIMBYs in adjacent Old North will likely disagree.

I define downtown London in a rough square as bounded by Oxford in the North, the railway tracks below York in the South, the Thames in the West, and Colborne Street in the East.

[haljackey]

Richmond & Oxford could be London's version of Yonge & Bloor in Toronto. Not downtown, but a major nexus. Could see RT or even that envisioned underground station one day if we could get lines on both streets. This development would kick start it if approved.

[MolsonExport]

It should be, and it once was. Now it is hobo-central, with the failed market tower and the failed Rexall kitty-cornered (across from the failed Starbucks).

[K85]

wrong area

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

It should be, and it once was. Now it is hobo-central, with the failed market tower and the failed Rexall kitty-cornered (across from the failed Starbucks).

[jammer139]

Just this morning I saw homeless guy sleeping in front of Mucho Buritto with shopping carts and makeshift mini tent. So yes homeless are definitely camping out around the businesses at Oxford and Richmond.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by K85

wrong area

yes, whoops, I was thinking about Dundas and Richmond.

I am left of centre on social issues, but I think something concrete needs to be done to clear the majority of the homeless/junkies out of the core. A city is primarily defined by its urban core, and ours is in bad shape, largely due to the overwhelming number of homeless/junkies congregating in the area. They've ruined Citi Plaza, for example. Covent Garden Market seems to keep their presence to a minimum, however.