The YSM Opportunity Centre is all about creating connections. Through community connections, programming connections, neighbourhood connections, visual connections, and new public spaces. In the centre of the YSM Opportunity Centre is a new publicly accessible courtyard. The courtyard opens up the middle of the site as a privately owned public space that can be used by everyone in the community. The YSM Opportunity Centre will also link existing laneways, Rolston Avenue and Gerrard Place, and provide a new connection between Cabbagetown South and Gerrard Street East.

The YSM Opportunity Centre’s components are arranged around the central, landscaped courtyard. Surrounding and accessible from the courtyard are the program spaces of the YSM Opportunity Centre. The ground floor contains the YSM office and program spaces that have views and access from Gerrard St. E. and the courtyard. The ground floor will also contain gathering spaces for various community outreach programs and will also have a separate residential lobby. Both YSM spaces and the residential spaces will have views onto new green roofs and the courtyard.

The proposed building height at 10 storeys includes significant terraces to emphasize access to outdoor space and to ensure a pleasing architectural massing in relation to the lower-rise neighbourhood to the north and up towards anticipated heights for other housing developments, directly south and southeast of the YSM Opportunity Centre. The transition, setbacks and buffers to the adjacent neighbourhoods and streetscapes help ensure privacy, noise protection and reduced shadows on adjacent sites and buildings.

The YSM Opportunity Centre creates much needed affordable housing in Toronto. The development will provide Studios, 1 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom, and 3 Bedroom residential units to meet a variety of housing needs.

The YSM Opportunity Centre will have a prominent façade on Gerrard St. E. with welcoming signage. The design will balance transparency of glass with privacy using solid elements like brick and wood. The development will be setback considerably on Gerrard St. E. to allow for a generous streetscape that will include planting and street furniture around sidewalks. Pedestrian paths, lighting, and full visibility into the courtyard will be constant to provide safety and comfort.