Category Archives: Jarvis-Carlton area

City planners urge rejection of proposal to build 50-floor condo tower on Jarvis near Allan Gardens

308 - 314 Jarvis Street proposed condo tower site

May 9 2012: City planners have recommended that Toronto City Council refuse zoning bylaw changes requested by a developer that wants to build a 50-storey condo tower on this Jarvis Street site

 

Refusal report: Citing concerns over two specific heritage properties as well as vehicle and service access issues, city planners have recommended that a 50-storey condo tower proposed for Jarvis & Carlton Street area be refused by City Council.

In a January 23 2012 rezoning application, Duration Investments Ltd. proposed to build a build a 590-unit condo complex on a property that extends from Jarvis to Mutual Street, just south of Carlton Street. The building would include: a 41-storey wedge-shaped tower rising near the northwest corner of the site; a masonry-clad 9-storey podium that would step back from Jarvis Street at the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th floors; retail shops along the podium’s Jarvis Street frontage; five 3-storey townhouses fronting on Mutual Street; and five levels of underground parking.

 

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Neighbours get to sound off at Monday meeting on 50-storey condo proposal for 308 Jarvis Street

308 Jarvis Street proposed condo site

February 22 2012: The City posted this sign on a proposed Jarvis Street condo tower site across from Allan Gardens only one week before a meeting scheduled to gather public feedback about the redevelopment plan

 

308 Jarvis Street proposed condo tower site plan

Site plan shows stepbacks for the proposed condo complex

 

Late notice: It took long enough, but earlier this week the City finally posted a development proposal notice on the 308 Jarvis Street site where a developer wants to incorporate part of a heritage building into a condo complex featuring a 50-floor tower, a 9-storey podium and townhouses with three levels.

Duration Investments Ltd. proposed the condo tower plan in a development application filed with the City on January 23, and a city planner told me that a community consultation meeting has been scheduled for the evening of February 27 to give the public an opportunity to comment on the project. He added that notices were going to be sent out to advise nearby residents about the feedback session. That was two weeks ago. However, a sign advising of the development plan was not posted on the property until last Monday — just one week before the community meeting — and people living nearby have told me they have not received any notices from the City about the upcoming public meeting. Some were not even aware that a condo tower is in the works for the site, currently being operated as a pay parking lot.

 

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50-storey condo tower proposed for Jarvis/Carlton parking lot site across from historic Allan Gardens

308 Jarvis Street Toronto

February 5 2012: Looking west from Allan Gardens toward the 308 Jarvis Street site, currently occupied by a pay parking lot, where a developer has proposed building a 50-storey condo tower with a 9-storey podium

 

Ramada Plaza Hotel 308 Jarvis & 314 Jarvis Toronto

February 5 2012: A view of the proposed tower site, looking southwest from Jarvis Street just below Carlton Street. At left is the 10-storey Ramada Plaza Hotel at 300 Jarvis Street, while at right is a heritage mansion at 314 Jarvis

 

308-314 Jarvis Street Toronto and Best Western Primrose Hotel

February 5 2012: Northwesterly view from Allan Gardens toward the proposed condo site. At left is the Ramada Plaza Hotel, at center is the parking lot and the mansion at 314 Jarvis, and at right rear is the 25-storey Best Western Primrose Hotel at the southwest corner of Jarvis & Carlton Streets

 

314 Jarvis Street Toronto

February 5 2012: The developer proposes to incorporate into its condo tower only the “front portion” of this designated heritage house at 314 Jarvis Street

 

Palm House built in 1910 at Allan Gardens Toronto

February 5 2012: The tower would rise behind the rear right side of the Allan Gardens Palm House, built in 1910, and would dominate the backdrop in this view

 

Allan Gardens Toronto west park area

February 5 2012: Looking toward the proposed condo site from the northwest side of Allan Gardens. City parks and planning staff are worried about the potential shadow impact a 50-storey tower would have on this part of the park …

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Allan Gardens Toronto

… as well as on these greenhouses connected to the Palm House conservatory

 

Tower above the trees?: With its 154- year-old park and century-old Palm House conservatory boasting rare tropical plants from around the world, Allen Gardens is one of downtown Toronto’s oldest and most important botanical parks. But plans for a 50-storey skyscraper that would soar high above the historic park from the west side of Jarvis Street aren’t flying well with city parks and planning staff.

The application for a “50- storey with 9-storey podium mixed-use building” was filed with the City on January 23 2012. The proposal would redevelop property situated at the municipal addresses of 308, 310, 312 and 314 Jarvis Street, as well as 225 Mutual Street. The complex would contain 590 units, of which 5 would be townhouses fronting on Mutual Street at the west side of the property. The podium would include commercial space. The building would have five levels of below-ground parking.

 

 

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