The majority of a block of Toronto businesses has closed, and will soon be demolished to make way for a new condominium development in the works at 3180 Yonge Street.

The boarded-up stretch of Yonge Street, just north of Lawrence subway station, spans ten storefronts that include former restos Joy Thai Restaurant, Parmigiano Trattoria, and NOON Pizza, which have all vacated the block in recent months.

The closure of these businesses has left a void in the busy shopping and dining corridor through the Yonge and Lawrence neighbourhood, and it will likely be a few years before new businesses can re-populate this stretch within the base of the upcoming development planned for the site.

Demolition permits were applied for back in April, and the businesses from 3180 through 3202 Yonge have since been shuttered and covered up in black-painted boarding as they await their fate.

First proposed in late 2020, the upcoming project from developer NYX Capital Corp will bring a mixed-use mid-rise building to the site of the current shuttered businesses, featuring a traditionalist-inspired design from Richard Wengle Architect.

A resubmitted proposal emerged early in 2023 following a settlement offer between the developer and City negotiated in mid-2022.

The current plan calls for an 11-storey building — reduced from the previous 12-storey plan — containing condominium units and new ground-floor retail space.

Despite a reduction in building size, the overall unit count of 115 has actually increased from the 109 proposed two years earlier.

Redevelopment plans initially raised concerns among local neighbourhood groups, including the Lytton Park Residents' Organization and the South Armour Heights Residents' Association, though the former has since accepted the revised settlement plan now being moved forward.

Demolition permits for the shuttered businesses are still pending as of early October 2023, though it is expected these buildings will come down in the near future.