Atria Development has proposed four A& Architects-designed mixed-use residential towers on two neighbouring sites in downtown Oshawa for a multi-phased project it calls Centra.

“It will be an incredible development overall,” Atria president Hans Jain told RENX.

He anticipates a mix of condominium and purpose-built rental residences within the development, with the condos and apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom suites.

Jain said the properties were acquired from Oshawa Clinic Group for $26.5 million.

Atria is a vertically integrated company that buys properties, takes them through entitlement, constructs buildings and acts as property manager upon completion.

Centra’s components

Atria is seeking to construct 31-, 33- and 37-storey buildings with 1,308 residential units at its 111-117 King St. E. property. A three-storey podium would include 5,780 square feet of retail space and 9,000 square feet of medical office space.

There would be parking in the podium and in three underground levels to accommodate 831 vehicles and 1,493 bicycles. There would also be a minimum of 6,500 square feet of rooftop amenities and 4,300 square feet of indoor amenities.

The King Street site already features medical offices, including a 1948 heritage building housing the Oshawa Clinic that will be partially retained as part of the development. It also has surface parking. 

The existing office building is more than 80,000 square feet after additions were made over the years. Jain said all but the facade of the original heritage structure will be demolished to make way for Atria’s development.

A proposed 25-storey building at 29 Charles St., on a site now occupied by two houses and a low-rise commercial building with surface parking, would include 408 residential units. A three-storey podium would include about 1,700 square feet of retail space at grade and 34,200 square feet of office space on the second and third floors.

The building would also feature about 3,500 square feet of outdoor amenities and three underground parking levels to accommodate 103 vehicles and 330 bikes. 

Increased density sought for central location 

“We’re going to have great retail in a great location across from Tribute Communities Centre,” said Jain, referencing Oshawa’s 5,500-seat arena.

The sites are served by two bus routes.

A previous 2023 development proposal for the two sites was for three 22-storey buildings and another one of 16 storeys, but the need for more housing saw Atria opt for more density.

Jain anticipates receiving zoning by-law amendment approval before the end of this year. He expects to construct the buildings one at a time and for the first one to be completed in 2026.

Atria’s other Oshawa multi-family activity

Atria has completed three other projects in Oshawa, four in Toronto and two in Peterborough.

The Toronto-based company has proposed developing three other A& Architects-designed multiresidential buildings in Oshawa.

Geothermal drilling started on Nov. 5 and a site plan agreement is under review for NEO, an upscale 233-unit apartment at 200 Bond St. E. that Jain said is aimed at active seniors and professionals.

Pre-construction work for PostLofts, a mass timber apartment at 51 Simcoe St. S., is expected to begin in February or March. It was originally planned to be 193 units but Jain said Atria went back and requested more, so work on finalizing a site plan agreement and detailed designs are ongoing.

Atria is still waiting for site plan approval for Beyond, featuring 670 rental units in two buildings at 73 Richmond St. E.

Other proposed Oshawa multires developments

Other developers are also proposing multiresidential buildings in the city of almost 200,000 people located 50 kilometres east of Toronto.

Phase 2 of Genosha, a 21-storey, 198-unit rental apartment has been proposed by Summers&Co. and TT7 Inc. for the northwest corner of Mary Street North and King Street East.

Mutual Developments has proposed a 15-storey, 171-unit condominium at the southeast corner of Athol Street West and Centre Street South.

A 22-storey, 220-unit mixed-use apartment and commercial building has been proposed for the northeast corner of King Street West and McMillan Drive by 2702758 Ontario Limited.

Medallion Corporation has proposed 22- and 10-storey buildings for a mixed-use condo and commercial project at 135 Bruce St. that would have 509 units. It’s the first phase of a larger development that would include more apartment buildings, townhomes, office and commercial uses, a park and new roads.

Atria’s non-Oshawa developments

Atria broke ground in January on Town Centre Place — a greenfield site at 1680 Brimley Rd., across from Torontoʼs Scarborough Town Centre. The two-phase project is to offer 1,600 rental residential units.

Town Centre Placeʼs first phase — 905 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units in 38- and 40-storey towers with a shared podium — is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2027. Phase 2 will add two more residential towers, 28,000 square feet of retail space, a daycare facility and public plazas.

Atria has also proposed residential developments in Toronto, Aurora, St. Catharines, Peterborough, Barrie and Hamilton.

• Zoning is in place for Claire, a 12-storey, 388-unit apartment at 3431-3449 St. Clair Ave. E. in Toronto, and Atria is waiting for site plan approval.
• Site plan approval is expected shortly for The Met, featuring 600 rental units in two buildings at 120 Metcalfe St. in Aurora.
• Atria expects to receive approvals for a three-building, 1,456-unit residential complex called Skye in St. Catharines in Q1 of 2025.

Other projects are earlier in the development cycle.

“We’re breaking ground, we’re active and we’re building,” Jain observed. “It’s all positive.

“We have a great relationship with CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation). We’re socially and environmentally committed with affordable housing, geothermal and accessible, barrier-free units.”

Jain said Atria is also part of a joint venture for a low-rise residential development in the GTA city of Brampton.