Shelborne Capital is proposing a 39-story tower on the south side of Eglinton in Oakwood Village, within walking distance of the upcoming Eglinton Crosstown LRT’s Fairbank and Oakwood stations (expected to open this year) and about a 10-minute walk from Eglington West station.

As first reported in Urban Toronto, the mixed-use development, located at 1711–1741 Eglinton Avenue West in Toronto’s Little Jamaica neighbourhood, would be designed by Kirkor Architects Planners and include residential, retail, and community spaces.

The current site spans 2,092 square metres and houses a two-story building with eight commercial units on the ground (including the popular High Life Caribbean restaurant, as well as a nail salon, and spa), eight rental residential units above, plus surface parking — all of which would be demolished with the new development.

Developers are proposing that the building reach a height of 134.35 metres with a gross floor area of about 26,141 square metres and a floor space index of 12.49 across the site. The tower will consist of 423 units — the majority (279 units) will be one-bedrooms, but 27 units will be studios, 63 will be two-bedroom units, and 54 units will be three-bedrooms (eight of which will be rental replacement units).

There will be ample spots for vehicular parking (90 in total — 83 for residents and seven for visitors) and 481 bike parking spots (including 381 for long-term residents and 10 public spots; the remaining spots will be for short-term residents and retail units).

Amenities haven’t been announced, but residents can expect a lot of space for activities — indoor amenity space would total 868 square metres across the first, second, and fifth floors, and outdoor amenity space would total 826 square metres on top of the podium and alongside to the indoor amenities. Residents can only expect four elevators (this equals about one for every 106 units).

The Eglinton West corridor/Little Jamaica has been a cultural hub for Caribbean and African immigrants since the 1970s. The neighbourhood mainly consists of Black-owned businesses, barber shops, Caribbean cuisine, Black hair shops, etc.

Although the new development would offer a lot more in terms of commercial and living space,  affordability for current residents in the area is of concern, with local retailers noting that Crosstown construction and higher rents have taken a significant toll on the fabric of the community in recent years.

In 2021, the city began looking at possibly designating the area as a Heritage Conservation District, and although it hasn’t happened as yet, the city stated has initiated a development plan that they say will protect the Caribbean identity, enhance tourism, and conserve and commemorate places of importance around the area.