Entire block of Toronto buildings to be demolished for new subway station

Major demolition work is about to begin in one Toronto community as part of the ongoing Ontario Line subway construction.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 20, crews will begin demolishing several buildings along Pape Avenue to make way for the forthcoming transit line’s below-grade section near the future Gerrard Station. The affected block includes Metrolinx-owned properties at 388-402 Pape Avenue as well as 257 Langley Avenue.

The demolition work is expected to take 10 weeks and will be carried out during weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Crews will begin by removing potentially sensitive materials from the buildings — a process known as abatement — which will be followed by utility disconnections and eventually, structural demolition.

To accommodate the work, the southern portion of Pape Avenue will be closed between the 449 Carlaw Plaza entrance and Langley Avenue. Vehicles travelling south on Pape Avenue will be detoured onto Langley Avenue, while eastbound traffic on Langley Avenue will be rerouted onto Pape Avenue.

If you’re walking in the area, you’ll still have access to the east sidewalk and the pedestrian bridge.

Metrolinx says residents and businesses in the area can expect increased noise levels over the next few weeks, although they will “take measures to minimize noise impacts wherever possible.”

The upcoming demolition of the buildings is part of Metrolinx’s larger Ontario Line project, which will eventually connect the city’s growing transit system through 15 new stops from Exhibition Place to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Road.

Nearby, it was announced last year that the Gerrard and Carlaw shopping plaza would be demolished to make way for the new Gerrard Station. The 2.7-hectare lot at the Gerrard and Carlaw intersection will eventually be redeveloped into a transit-oriented community, which will include new retail spaces, housing units, and enhanced parkland.

The new Gerrard Station is projected to serve around 3,300 people during the busiest travel hour and aims to make it easier for the 1,100 households in the area who currently don’t own a car.