Tag Archives: Kristyn Wong-Tam

Will developer pursue plan to shoehorn 42-storey condo tower into tight Bloor/Sherbourne site?

395 - 403 Bloor Street East proposed condo tower rendering

From the ward development update in the Spring/Summer 2011 edition of Ward 27 News from City Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre-Rosedale)

 

Tight squeeze:Residents of northeast downtown are waiting to see what step a developer will take next with its proposal to develop a condo tower without any residential parking on a narrow site near the busy intersection of Bloor and Sherbourne Streets. The 40-storey tower would rise above a two-storey podium to be built on 395, 401 and 403 Bloor Street East, sites presently occupied by two-storey structures with retail and restaurant space. (The commercial property at 403 Bloor is attached to a three-storey brick house which is included on the city’s list of heritage properties.) The proposed glass and steel residential tower would be bookended by two considerably shorter condo buildings — one six storeys, the other 16 — standing smack against its east and west property lines. It would contain 386 units in bachelor, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom configurations, but no on-site parking for residents — just three car-share parking spaces along with 200 bicycle parking spots.

The developer’s rezoning application was filed with the city in May 2010. During the previous two years, the developer and its consulting team held “pre-application” meetings with city planners to discuss three separate conceptual plans. The first proposed an 18-storey tower atop a six-floor podium; the second a 40-storey tower atop a two-storey podium, with 77 parking spots in a five-level underground garage; and the third a 40-storey tower on a two-storey podium, but with 80 parking spaces. City staff raised numerous planning concerns about each proposal, including height, density, parking, neighbourhood transportation issues, site access, impact on the adjacent condo buildings, and possible shadow effects on the nearby Rosedale Ravine. The plan eventually submitted to the city raised just as many issues. Consequently, in a July 13 2010 preliminary report, city planners said they could not support the application “in its current form” because of “serious project deficiencies and a general lack of fit with the existing and planned context.”They recommended that a community consultation meeting be held “to determine the nature and extent of changes to be required.”

That meeting took place at the end of January. More than 50 area residents attended, along with Ward 27 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, staff from City Planning, Transportation and Heritage Preservation Services, and representatives of the developer. According to Councillor Wong-Tam’s March 2011 newsletter, the developer and its architect (listed as Page and Steele Architects in rezoning application documents) were “invited to join a Working Group process in order for residents and the applicant to negotiate an agreement on aspects of the building design.” However, the developer has not yet advised the city if it will participate, Councillor Wong-Tam told a meeting of the Upper Jarvis Neighbourhood Association last week.

People living in the immediate vicinity are concerned, among other things, about the impact the tower could have on neighbourhood traffic congestion and parking availability. They say it’s already challenging for residents of the houses and low-rise apartments on nearby Selby, Huntley and Linden Streets to find on-street parking for themselves and their visitors; they’re concerned that it will become even more difficult to find parking on the pleasant, tree-shaded streets once the new James Cooper Mansion condo tower at 28 Linden Street — which concluded construction this winter — is fully occupied. Yet another condo tower bringing hundreds more residents — plus visitors, delivery and service vehicles — into the residential area would only compound that problem. Increased traffic volume and congestion is another worry, since Selby and Linden are one-way streets, as are two blocks of Huntley from Selby to Isabella Street, so it’s inevitable that more vehicles driving to and from the condo towers will wind up circulating through the neighbourhood. Traffic flow on Bloor Street also could be impacted adversely by the 395 Bloor tower, since the developer has proposed incorporating a service and delivery laneway into the building’s west side, accessed off Bloor. Vehicles turning into and out of the laneway undoubtedly would hinder the heavy traffic flow at this point on Bloor, which is only a few dozen meters from the intersection at Sherbourne Street.

I’m sure the tower also would have a huge negative impact on the property values and quality of life for residents in the adjacent condo buildings whose windows would directly face the new tower mere meters away; their units would sit practically within spitting distance of the condos at 395 Bloor. I recall viewing several units in the neighbouring 16-storey condo building at 419-421 Bloor East, including at least one that had west-facing windows. Although the suites were bright, and one had an enormous northview outdoor terrace, I didn’t like the close proximity of the 20-storey Greenwin Square office building to the west, or the two condo towers on the north side of the street (17 and 18 stories, respectively).  The highrise “canyon” on this block of Bloor felt uncomfortably confining at the time; I can only imagine how claustrophic and dark it would become with the 395 Bloor tower right next door (both for residents in many units in the new building as well as for those living in the existing condos on either side).  To me, a 42-storey building would just be too awkward and inappropriate here; however, I love space and light and enjoy having privacy in my condo. On the other hand, I do realize there are many downtown condo dwellers who don’t mind keeping their blinds closed all hours of the day, and wouldn’t be bothered by a tower looming close to their windows. It will be interesting to follow this project not only to see if the developer does go ahead, but also to watch how quickly the units sell if the condo does get to market. Below are recent photos showing the proposed tower location from Bloor Street as well as from Selby Street to the south.

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

November 11 1010: South view from Bloor Street of the low-rise commercial retail properties where a developer would like to build a 42-storey condo tower. The James Cooper Mansion condo tower is seen while under construction just one block to the south, on Linden Street.

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

Condo development proposal sign on Bloor Street

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

November 11 1010: The proposed condo tower site is bookended by a 16-floor condo building on the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne (left), a 6-storey condo to its immediate west, and the 20-storey Greenwin Square office building (right)

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: A view of the east-facing windows on the 6-storey condo building beside the site proposed for a new highrise. The tower would have a service vehicle laneway where the vacant Saisha store sits at present (right)

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: The three-storey brick house behind the Hakim Optical outlet is a city-listed heritage property that would be demolished

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: Bloor Street view of the proposed development site, showing part of the 16-storey condo building on the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne that would abut the new tower’s east side

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: Another view of the site as seen from the north side of Bloor Street

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: The upper two floors of the heritage property at 403 Bloor East

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: Direct south view of the site from the opposite side of Bloor Street

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: The peaked roof of the heritage house behind Hakim Optical

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: West view along Bloor of the storefronts on the development site

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: East view along Bloor of the storefronts on the development site

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 1 2011: Another view of the commercial establishments on Bloor Street

 

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Selby Street view toward the rear of the 395 – 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site. The building with the orange accent stripes, at right, is the 600 Sherbourne Street medical arts centre with doctors’ offices, pharmacies and medical testing facilities

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

April 2 2011: Selby Street north view of a parking area for the Greenwin Square office building (left), the 6-storey condo at 387 Bloor Street East, an 18-storey condo building at 388 Bloor Street East, and the 16-storey condo building at the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne

395 - 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site

April 2 2011: Selby Street view of the medical arts building parking lot that sits to the rear of the 395 – 403 Bloor Street East development site

395 - 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Selby Street north view toward the 395 – 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

395 - 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Rear view of the low-rise buildings currently on the site

395 - 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Rear view of 395 – 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

395 - 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Back patio area for the Gov’Nor pub at 401 Bloor Street East

387 Bloor Street East condo building

March 19 2011: Rear view of the 387 Bloor Street East condo building next to the condo tower development site

419 - 421 Bloor Street East condo highrise

March 19 2011: Rear view of the 16-storey condo building at 419 – 421 Bloor East

Sherbourne Street looking northwest from Linden Street

March 19 2011: Northwest view from Sherbourne Street toward the 395- 403 Bloor Street East condo development site. The new tower would rise in the center  rear of the photo. The elegant mansion and adjacent tower are part of the James Cooper Mansion condo complex at 28 Linden Street.

site plan illustration for proposed 395-403 Bloor Street East condo tower

From a city planning department preliminary report, a site plan illustration for the proposed 395-403 Bloor Street East condo tower

Illustration showing the proposed condo tower elevation viewed from the south

From the planning department report, an illustration of the tower’s south elevation

Illustration showing the proposed condo tower elevation viewed from the north

From the city report, an illustration of the tower’s north elevation

Menkes proposing 30-storey condo tower for parking lot site at Church & McGill Streets

365 – 375 Church Street development site viewed December 21 2010


Church Street growing taller? Sometimes it really ticks me off to see developers propose new office or condo towers for sites where attractive old or historic buildings are standing — especially since there are so many parking lots and empty parcels of land scattered throughout the downtown core where development would seem more appropriate or even necessary. Why not leave the nice old buildings and their charming streetscapes alone, I often wonder,  and build on the underused empty lots instead? 

So when a developer came along proposing to do just that — construct a condo tower where a parking lot now sits on Church Street — I should have been thrilled. Instead, I felt almost as upset as I get when I hear that a wonderful heritage building is going to be destroyed to make way for a new condo. The reason? The new highrise might block my beloved view of the CN Tower!

Now I admit it probably sounds silly to be fretting about losing views of the CN Tower. But those views are worth a lot of money: real estate agents are constantly pestering us to sell our condo because they have clients eager to buy places with the great skyline views we enjoy every day (and we really do love our view). We don’t plan to move in the foreseeable future but, when we do decide to sell,  will potential buyers still be as keen for our place if the view is blocked? I doubt it, but that’s a problem we probably won’t have to worry about for several more years.

 

Condo would rise on parking lot site near Toronto’s Gay Village

The potential view-blocker would be a 30-storey condo tower the Menkes corporation has proposed for the parking lot that currently occupies the northeast corner of Church and McGill Streets (municipal address: 365 – 375 Church). The site is just a stone’s throw south of Toronto’s Gay Village, where two other condo tower plans have recently encountered some stiff community opposition (I’ll be posting photos and info about those projects soon).

Menkes proposes a three-storey podium with street-level retail space, and a 27-storey condo tower on top. The building would have 322 residential units plus five underground levels accommodating 161 parking spaces. The tower would be taller than zoning restrictions allow, so Menkes would have to obtain an exemption from City Hall before it could build.

City councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam told Xtra!, the newspaper for Toronto’s gay and lesbian community, that city planning staff believe the Church Street parking lot is an “underutilized” site “that can bear development.” However, she personally isn’t certain “if it can bear 30 storeys,” and promises that neighbourhood residents will get to provide input. A story in the January 13 edition of Xtra! offers further information about the project, as well as Ms. Wong-Tam’s plans for community consultation. Below are some of my photos of the proposed development site.

 

View of 365 Church Street, looking southeast from Granby Street, on January 18


Site viewed from the west side of Church Street on January 18


Northeast view of the site from McGill Street on January 18


Development proposal sign at 365 Church Street


Northeasterly view of 365 Church Street on December 21 2010