Avenue Pilot

Located on Toronto’s Queen Street East, the Avenue Pilot is the first six-story, mixed-use, multi-unit residential building in Ontario that fully employs mass timber as the main structural system. The aim of this project was to create a repeatable building type that could be developed in small-sized and infill lots, and help the city pursue growth at sustainable densities by creating more housing in the “missing middle” (i.e., buildings with multiple units that are compatible in scale and form with detached single-family homes).

This 26,000-sq.ft. development was constructed in two phases. There are four units of commercial space at street level and 18 residential units in the five stories above, all of which have direct elevator access. The entire building is exclusively powered by electricity, with no natural gas hook-up, and the main plumbing chase for the building is in a central “wet core” so that future developments have the flexibility to adjust to a variety of site configurations.

From the outset, wood was the intended construction material. Mass timber offered important advantages in terms of expedited construction schedule and construction method. Offsite manufacturing enabled production to begin while demolition, site work, and foundations were completed. Prefabricated assemblies delivered just in time by the material supplier used the public laneway to the rear of the building, a small area that acted as the main staging area for the mobile crane to lift the CLT panel systems into place.

Inside, the project’s exposed wood ceilings and added sound insulation provide noise attenuation and humidity control for occupant comfort. The design features passive access to natural light and enhanced fresh air circulation with outdoor terraces for each suite. The exposed wood, natural light, fresh air, and other biophilic design elements incorporated into the residences will have a positive impact on occupant health and well-being. To pursue a mid-rise wood building, many key decisions must occur early in the planning phase to ensure an optimized design and successful project delivery. These early decisions are crucial when using prefabricated components.