The blocks south of Sherbourne subway station have been the site of immense vertical growth over the last dozen years, and even more changes are on the horizon in Toronto's St. James Town and Upper Jarvis neighbourhoods.

A massive new plan proposed earlier this year by the team of Alterra Group of Companies, DBS Developments and Platinum Vista is among the next crop of skyline-altering additions for Sherbourne Street.

The team filed applications with the City in early May seeking an Official Plan amendment and rezoning to permit a 59-storey condo tower on a site at 566-576 Sherbourne Street and 29-37 Linden Street.

The site is currently home to an assembly of ten houses, including a group of heritage properties wrapping around the Sherbourne and Linden intersections.

Plans call for a tower designed by Arcadis IBI Group incorporating the preserved frontages of these heritage buildings, and rising to a height of almost 191 metres. If completed today, the tower would rank 29th among Toronto's tallest buildings.

A major boost in housing is proposed in the form of 670 new condominium units ranging from studios to three-bedroom residences, as well as 18 rentals to replace existing units on site in accordance with City policy.

"The development presents an incredible opportunity for creating new homes," stated Josh Shteiman, VP of Development Operations, at Platinum Vista, in an August press release about the project.

That press release, which promises to deliver "high-quality housing during the city's housing crisis," omits any mention of the unit tenure. However, documents filed this Spring specify that the majority of units will indeed be sold as condominiums.

The developers of 576 Sherbourne have stated that they intend to "breathe new life into this previously overlooked part of the city," saying that their project will "play a significant role in the neighbourhood's ongoing transformation."

Bryan Levy, CEO of DBS Developments, stated that the joint venture's aim "is to bring illumination, vitality, and prosperity to this neighbourhood. We hope to attract new visitors, encourage local business growth, and revitalize this part of town that has long been awaiting a resurgence."

Despite the rosy outlook from developers, the project appears to fall short in one key department; elevators. An elevator-to-unit ratio of approximately 1:115, meaning each elevator bank would serve almost 115 units, has the potential to translate to lengthy wait times for residents.

Similar elevator capacity issues have been noted in other new Toronto condo developments, though the project team claims to have a fix.

According to Alterra CEO Robert Cooper, the project will utilize high-speed elevators that were approved and recommended by their elevator consultants, stating that "the system and speeds are carefully analyzed ensuring minimal wait times for residents."

The proposal is just one of a handful of tall towers planned and under construction in the blocks surrounding the site.

Northwest of the site, a 51-storey rental tower is already under construction at 591 Sherbourne, and a 53-storey condo tower is underway just to the north at 603 Sherbourne.

To the west, a multi-tower complex with heights of up to 59 storeys is proposed at Huntley and Selby, and an even taller 69-storey residential tower is proposed a couple of blocks to the south at 135 Isabella Street.