Tag Archives: Gloucester Street

49-storey condo tower proposed for east block of Yonge Street between Dundonald & Gloucester

August 25 2012: A 49-storey condo tower has been proposed for this block on the east side of Yonge Street, between Dundonald and Gloucester Streets

New proposal: As Torontonians and tourists enjoy the Celebrate Yonge festival on south Yonge Street between Gerrard and Queen Streets, some city residents are beginning to wonder if there will be anything left for them to celebrate along the north downtown section of Yonge, between Bloor and Wellesley Streets, by the end of the decade.

News that a 49-storey condo tower has just been proposed for the bourgeoning east side of Yonge, between Dundonald and Gloucester Streets, has left many area residents fearing that Yonge is on the verge of becoming another dark and drab condo canyon like the one on Bay Street. Residents are also worried about the overall impact that several more highrise condo projects nearby will have on the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood.

The latest skyscraper proposal involves properties from 587-599 Yonge Street, as well as adjacent business properties at 2 and 4 Dundonald Street, as well as 7 and 9 Gloucester Street. A search on the City’s development applications webpage shows that a redevelopment plan for the block-long site proposes a 49-storey tower with 514 condo units, street-level retail shops, and underground parking. 593 Yonge is the street address indicated for the application.

(The city’s website entry does not provide any further information about the proposal, and does not identify either the developer or the date on which the 593 Yonge rezoning application was submitted to city planners. The city overhauled its development webpage this summer, and entries no longer provide proposal submission dates. Prior to the format change, webpage entries provided more detail, as well as contact information for the city planner responsible for the file.)

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Public gets to give feedback at city meeting tonight for 29-storey Gloucester Street condo proposal

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A community consultation meeting notice posted outside the 519 Church Street Community Centre advertises tonight’s public feedback session …

… for a 29-storey condo tower proposed for 2-8 Gloucester Street, seen here in an illustration on a city zoning notice outside the building site

Public feedback: What do the neighbours think? That’s what city planning officials will find out this evening during a community consultation meeting being held to gather feedback on a condo highrise planned for the northeast corner of Yonge and Gloucester Streets.

The two-hour presentation and question-and-answer session, taking place at the 519 Church Street Community Centre, will review plans for a 29-storey glass condo tower that would rise next to a 5-storey red brick heritage building constructed in 1888 as a Masonic Hall.

The heritage building, now known as Gloucester Mews, has street-level restaurant and retail tenants, and condominium suites on its upper levels. It would be kept intact as part of the proposed highrise condo development. A 2.5-storey semidetached building next door, at 8 Gloucester Street, would be “rehabilitated” and incorporated into the base of the proposed highrise , though the rear of the building and an addition behind 6 Gloucester Street would have to be demolished to make way for the condo tower. 6 Gloucester is currently the location of Fire on the East Side restaurant, while 8 Gloucester is home to Olympic 76 Pizza and Fly Nightclub.

Although the 29-storey height of the proposed tower is modest, and though the development would save the historic Masonic Hall, many people in the area believe the condo highrise has serious drawbacks, and are concerned about its potential negative impact on their neighbourhood.

Besides usual concerns about traffic congestion and related issues posed by increased population density on the street, residents are not happy that the development will eliminate two popular outdoor restaurant patios and require the destruction of several mature shade trees on Gloucester Street. They point out that people are attracted to live downtown not only because of its convenience to transit and workplaces, but also because of the proximity of appealing city amenities like restaurants and bars. And though Torontonians clearly love their downtown patios, fewer than 20 remain on or near Yonge Street along the stretch between Bloor and College Streets. The Fire on the East Side and Olympic 76 Pizza patios will be lost in the 2-8 Gloucester development, while several more patios are threatened by condo development proposals for other nearby Yonge Street locations. Residents worry that the continuing loss of restaurant terraces will rob the neighbourhood of charm, vitality and liveliness. (The street-level Brownstone Bistro & Bar in the Masonic Hall will remain, however, as will its outdoor terrace on Gloucester Street.)

Residents also consider the Yonge-Gloucester intersection to be a gateway to the Church-Wellesley residential area to the east of Yonge Street, and feel that the loss of the tree-shaded patios would be detrimental to this important element of their streetscape. (The building owner told me last month that the trees must be destroyed to permit construction; however, he said he intends to plant as many replacement trees as possible afterwards.) Moreover, there is concern that the tower could cast shadows over adjacent Norman Jewison Park, one of the few public green spaces in the neighbourhood. And some believe that a tall glass box simply doesn’t suit the district’s character.

Below are some recent photos of the 2-8 Gloucester site; additional photos appeared in my June 22 2011 post about the condo proposal.

Development proposal sign outside 2-8 Gloucester Street

July 9 2011: Looking east along Irwin Avenue toward the Masonic Hall building at the corner of Yonge & Gloucester Streets. The proposed 29-storey glass condo tower would rise behind the red brick heritage building.

July 7 2011: The tree-shaded terraces outside Fire on the East Side and Olympic 76 Pizza on Gloucester Street would be lost as a result of the condo development.

July 8 2011: These mature shade trees would be destroyed to permit construction of the condo. However, replacements would be planted afterwards.

June 30 2011: Looking west across Norman Jewison Park toward the Gloucester Street site on which the proposed condo tower would rise

July 8 2011: Gloucester Lane extends from Gloucester Street north to Isabella Street. The 2-8 Gloucester condo tower would rise on the left side of the lane.

July 8 2011: Norman Jewison Park, looking north from Gloucester Street. Some neighbours are concerned about the tower’s shadow impact on this park, one of the few public green spaces in the area.

October 11 2011: The Gloucester Mews (Masonic Hall) building at the northeast corner of Yonge & Gloucester Streets. The Brownstone Bistro & Bar and its outdoor patio on the corner would remain, but the two restaurant terraces to its east would be lost when the condo highrise is constructed.

Neighbourhood Watch: Developer asks city for 6-month hold on 25-storey Church St condo plan

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Artistic illustration, from a former website for Church 18 Holdings, of the condo development proposed for the Church Street block between Gloucester and Dundonald Streets, now occupied by apartments, restaurants and a day spa.

A Dec. 21 2010 view of the Church Street block proposed for redevelopment

6-month wait: A developer has asked the City for a six-month hold on its controversial application to redevelop a block of property in the Church Wellesley Village.

Just under one year ago, a developer sought City approval to redevelop properties it owns along the west side of Church Street, between Gloucester and Dundonald Streets. The properties include several low-rise apartment buildings as well as two brick mansions, one built in 1878, which currently are home to two popular Village restaurants and a day spa.

The developer proposed to demolish some of the rental buildings and one of the mansions, constructing in their place a 25-storey condo tower atop a seven-storey podium. 35 replacement apartments would be built in the podium, while an additional 158 residences would be included in the condo complex.

The proposal drew considerable criticism and negative feedback at a community consultation meeting attended by more than 150 people in early December. A city planner drew cheers and applause from the audience when he told the meeting that the city did not support the application because of serious concerns with the project’s proposed height and density, among other issues.

According to the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association (CWNA), the developer recently requested a delay in the development application process. In a message to members of its Facebook page, the CWNA said the developer asked the city, at the end of February, to place a six-month hold on its application.

The CWNA message says the developer “has indicated that in 6 months time they will likely come back to the city with one of the following options: 1) withdrawing the application, 2) reducing the height on their revised option, 3) pursuing a totally different design scheme for the property, or 4) hiring a new team for a different design.” City planning rules specify that files can be put on hold for a maximum of six months. At that time, planners would have to advise the developer to either re-submit the application, or withdraw it. If the developer does nothing at that point, then the city could close the application.”

Below is a screenshot, from the CWNA website, of a building rendering and project details that city planners showed the audience at the December community meeting. There’s also a series of photos I’ve taken at various times of the properties involved in the redevelopment plan.

Condo development proposal sign posted on one of the Church Street properties

Project details and an artistic illustration of the proposed condo complex, from a city planning department presentation to a community meeting held in December to provide neighbourhood feedback on the developer’s plan.

67 Gloucester Street apartment building on December 21 2010. According to the developer, the building would be retained as part of the new condo complex.

71 Gloucester Street apartment building on December 21 2010

71 Gloucester Street at the corner of Church & Gloucester Street. Under the developer’s proposal, this building would be demolished and replaced by a 25-storey condo highrise with a 7-storey podium.

December 21 2010 view of 71 Gloucester Street and 67 Gloucester Street

Another view of the 71 Gloucester Street apartment buildings

November 1 2010 corner view of the Gloucester Mansions apartment building

Church Street view of the 596 Church Street Gloucester Mansions apartment building on December 21 2010

The Gloucester Mansions on November 1 2010

A November 1 2010 view of the 584 Church St. Salon & Spa, left, and one of the Gloucester Mansions apartments. Under the development plan, the spa mansion would be demolished and replaced with the main entrance to the condo, while the facade and part of the Gloucester Mansions building would be saved.

This elegant mansion at 580 – 582 Church Street was built in 1878. Much of the building, including the facade, would be incorporated into the condo development. The building currently is home to two restaurants: Fuzion, left, and Voglie.