The house on this Scarborough lot burned down and was cleared before we came on. That left an empty site and a client with a tight schedule. The client is a builder and owner’s representative who had been building custom homes and wanted to move into multiplexes. They needed at least five units to qualify for CMHC’s MLI Select financing, and they needed approvals that were fast and predictable so they could start building and prove the model.

We designed a new three storey fourplex with a basement, plus a garden suite at the rear, for five units in total. After the zoning review we presented two massing options, each with variations, at a design review in late October 2025. That let the client choose a direction quickly. The coordinated architectural and structural permit set was ready by mid December. The design stayed as of right, so no variances were needed.

We were retained in October 2025, and permits were issued in January 2026. Approvals took about four months, the City requested no revisions, and the project never went to the Committee of Adjustment. For a builder new to multiplexes, it showed that a five unit project that is eligible for MLI Select can go from empty lot to shovel ready in a single season.