The first new student residence to be built in a decade at University of Toronto’s St. George campus has reached a development milestone. U of T has struck an agreement with the city and local community groups for the 23-storey building, which will be located at the corner of Spadina and Sussex Avenues.

The residence, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, addresses an urgent need for more student housing while also providing community amenities as part of the design. The project includes public green space and a three-storey heritage building which will be incorporated into the façade.

The tower will house 511 students in a bright and airy structure that combines modern residence spaces with lively retail storefronts. Student common areas include study space, a music practice room, fitness studio and project room on the mezzanine level. The project also includes two dining halls and a multipurpose event space on the second floor. The adjacent Robert Street Field, used by U of T’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, will be rejuvenated for both community and school use.

“We wanted to find the place where U of T’s obligation to students overlaps with the broader community’s interests so it’s a successful project in both the university and public realms,” said Scott Maybury, U of T’s vice president of university operations, in a press release.

The Spadina-Sussex Residence is a partnership between U of T and developer The Daniels Corp. The university plans to create housing on its main downtown campus for 2,300 additional students by 2020.