Carttera has broken ground on a 358-unit purpose-built rental development at 1266 Queen St. W. in Toronto, moving ahead with a project that was originally planned as a condo tower.

Architect BDP Quadrangle said this week that construction is officially underway at the Parkdale site and that demolition of the existing two-storey commercial building has begun.

The project marks a significant change from the plan previously advanced by Republic Developments. City documents show Republic’s approved proposal called for a 24-storey mixed-use building containing 331 condominium units.

After Carttera acquired the site in 2025, the development was redesigned as purpose-built rental and increased to 27 storeys and 358 units. The revised unit mix also substantially increased the number of two-bedroom homes, from 73 in the condo plan to 124, while adding three four-bedroom units.

The half-acre site is at Queen Street West and Dufferin Street in Parkdale, just north of Liberty Village and about four kilometres west of Toronto’s downtown core.

The revised project includes 184 square metres of commercial space and 1,164 square metres of indoor and outdoor amenity space. BDP Quadrangle said the development is targeting LEED Gold, Toronto Green Standard Version 4 Tier 2 and Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard certification.

Carttera’s current portfolio lists anticipated occupancy in early 2029.