Trio of Soaring High-Rises Proposed by Oakville GO Station

Oakville is known as one of the most prosperous municipalities in all of Ontario. Sited midway between Toronto and Hamilton, it has long been both a dormitory suburb while also having its own strong industrial base. While its traditional, mostly low-rise Downtown is nestled close to the Lake Ontario shoreline at the base of Trafalgar Road, the bulk of recent development in Oakville has been going north to its new Uptown area surrounding the intersection of Trafalgar Road and Dundas Street, which also embraces the high-rise, as Toronto development pressures now affect the entirety of the GTA and beyond.

Between Oakville's Downtown and Uptown cores, is its Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Centre — more a planning term than a recognizable neighbourhood name — and in fact has been given that name as a response to Provincial government mandated density increases. Like in Toronto where lands surrounding subway stations are now designated as Major Transit Station Areas, or MTSAs, the area around Oakville GO station is similarly designated, and the Town of Oakville must now consider development proposals that are much, much more dense and taller than other developments that have traditionally been allowed here. 

On the south side of Queen Elizabeth Way across from Oakville Place, the town's major indoor mall, are a number of streets with low-wise commercial and industrial buildings, all within a few minutes walk of Oakville GO station, and all now squarely in the sights of developers. In the Town’s Official Plan Review, change here is aimed for the area to become a people-oriented, mixed-use community, and within it recently, developer Distrikt Group submitted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications for 590 Argus Road.

Located west of Trafalgar Road, south of the Queen Elizabeth Way, and north of Oakville GO, the site is bound to the north and east by South Service Road East, and Argus Road to the south. It is irregularly shaped and is about 16,995m² in area. It is currently home to a 6-storey Holiday Inn and paved surface parking. Four parcels, including one to the immediate west, and three to the south (one of which is also proposed by the Distrikt Group) all of which are seeking rezoning for similarly tall buildings.

The proposed 590 Argus development, designed by Teeple Architects, comprises three residential towers, standing at heights of 196.5 metres (58 storeys), 171.3 metres (50 storeys), and 152.3 metres (44 storeys). The design aims to bring a unique architectural style to this soon to form Midtown Oakville skyline. The towers would house a total of 1,730 residential units; with 5 elevators per tower, the development does not reach the 1 elevator per 100 unit threshold, with around 115 units per elevator.

The development would include an E-shaped podium connecting the three towers, integrating residential and commercial spaces. The podium would house 1,744m² of retail space, aiming to contribute to a vibrant street-level activity along Argus Road to the south.

The design calls for a 6-storey podium street-wall along South Service Road East on its north side that faces the Queen Elizabeth Way, whereas the towers step down on the south side towards Argus Road. The three towers utilize setbacks for visual interest, with about 26m separation distance between them.

Amenities would be found at grade and on the third floor, with 2,621m² of indoor space and 386m² outdoors. Below grade, the design includes a 6-level underground garage with two ramps, one located at the southwest portion and the other on the northeast end. There would be 1,255 total vehicular parking spaces, including 357 for visitors and 18 for retail and daycare use. For bicycle parking, the proposal calls for 1,750 parking spots, of which 438 would be for short-term use.

The proposal includes additions to the public realm with two large courtyards designated Privately-Owned Publicly Accessible Spaces. They would be located between the buildings, with frontage on Argus Road. The east courtyard would be approximately 1,319m² in area, with the west courtyard about 1,787m².

The site is located about 200m north of the Oakville GO Station, providing commuters with convenient access to regional transit. The site is also well-connected to the local road network, including Trafalgar Road and the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW). Looking ahead, the transportation options in the area would be further enhanced by the planned Trafalgar Road Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). The BRT service would connect residential and commercial sites along the Trafalgar Corridor.

An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image retrieved from Google Maps

The proposed development at 590 Argus Road would a significant component of the future Midtown Oakville neighbourhood. Its proponents intend that it provide high-quality residential and commercial spaces while contributing to the urban intensification and revitalization of the area.

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