685 Queen Redevelopment

Riverdale Co-operative Houses’ building at 685 Queen Street East was originally built in 1904 as a 2½ storey house.  Many years later, an addition was constructed at the back.  By the time Riverdale Co-op bought the property in the 1970s, the building had been subdivided into 9 apartments.

The idea of re-developing 685 Queen East had been contemplated for many years but the current project began in earnest in 2015.  Volunteer committee members and the Board of Directors have been instrumental in seeing this project proceed alongside staff and consultants.  The re-development includes an extensive renovation of the existing building, as well as the addition of a new building at the rear for a total of 26 units.

Since the beginning, the vision behind the project has been to provide accessible and affordable accommodation to individuals and families, including the Co-op’s own members.  The new 685 Queen East building will be Riverdale Co-op’s first fully accessible building, not to mention its first building with an elevator!  There will be studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units.

The City of Toronto has contributed close to $11 million towards the re-development of the property, as well as waivers of fees, charges and property taxes.  As part of the funding agreement with the City, Riverdale Co-op has agreed to operate the new building as an affordable housing project in perpetuity.  The construction of the new 685 Queen East building is expected in late December 2023, and ready for occupancy in January 2024.