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Toronto 277 Victoria St & 38 Dundas St E | ?m | ?s | TMU

androiduk said:
I'm thinking this might make a good tourism office.
Click to expand...

Looks like the City has plans for it... Although I'm not really sure what this proposed use would actually consist of, retention of the existing building with maybe a small parkette where the parking lot currently is would be nice.

4. Direct City staff to examine funding sources for a "Toronto Music City" sign that would anchor the Sam Signage to the building and provide a visual link to a possible music related facility at 38 Dundas Street East.

5. Authorize the City Solicitor to prepare any necessary Bills for introduction in Council to implement the above recommendations, subject to such stylistic and technical changes as may be required.

6. Direct Real Estate Services and Economic Development & Culture Division staff to explore the temporary use of 38 Dundas Street East (formerly occupied by Hakim Optical), in conjunction with The Downtown Yonge BIA or other related organizations including Music Advisory Council, the Canadian Independent Music Association, or Ryerson University, as a possible "Toronto Music City" or other related facility for music development, promotion, tourism and export development and report back in 2015.

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2014.PG34.5
 
Tewder said:
Could a glass addition crown work here, as with the Dineen Building?
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Oops - just re-read the Council Decision:

"277 Victoria Street in combination with 38 Dundas Street East represent a significant redevelopment site for City of Toronto as both sites are needed to create the critical land mass for any significant redevelopment opportunity for the City. Based on preliminary analysis, there are financial implications with installing the SAM the Record Man Sign (the "Sign") on the City Property."

Looks like they want to package this with the Toronto Public Health site and JV with a private developer. Interesting play. Will be interesting to see if Heritage staff stand up to Real Estate and demand some preservation of the 'Hakim' building, or even <gasp> facade-retention.
 
https://nowtoronto.com/news/yonge-dundas-square-heritage-preservation/

Future of Yonge-Dundas fixture remains in a state of disarray

After discussions about turning 38-40 Dundas into a music incubator in 2015, the city has yet to realize the potential of lands expropriated at iconic corner in the late 1990s to make way for Yonge-Dundas Square redevelopment
by LORYSSA QUATTROCIOCCHI

December 17, 2018

11:07 AM

On Saturday, November 3, a group of students and emerging professionals of Architectural Conservancy Ontario’s NextGen committee met at Ryerson’s School of Urban and Regional Planning for its 7th annual design charrette to discuss ways of bringing the building (and corner) back to life.

The day began with a walking tour of the surrounding area and nearby laneways led by Michelle Senayah, co-founder of The Laneway Project. Senayah provided historical context for the site and urged participants to re-consider how we think about laneways and how they could be better used as public space.

The tour was followed by a talk by Luc Bouliane of the architectural firm Lebel & Bouliane, on adaptive reuse. Five teams were then asked to work with their peers on plans for the redevelopment of 38-40 Dundas East.

The submissions were judged by a panel, which included Kim Storey, founding principal at Brown & Storey, the firm responsible for the redesign of Yonge-Dundas Square.

While the plans varied, all five recognized the potential of the empty triangular parcel next to the building, which was created during the realignment of what was once Wilton Avenue to form Dundas when several properties were demolished, including two owned by Egerton Ryerson, namesake of the nearby university.

Several groups suggested a glass extension to incorporate the vacant space into the interior of the building and allow a direct view from the street. All of the groups stressed the importance of incorporating the adjacent laneway, whether by installing rotating art installations or adding food stalls in the summertime.

Another recurring theme was the importance of restoring the original facade and creating a space for community engagement. The groups tabled numerous proposals on the latter front: a restaurant and café; an Indigenous museum; communal workspaces; and a community garden on the rooftop.

The groups also expressed a keen interest in implementing programs that would offer employment opportunities for low-income people, including those who use the safe injection site in the Toronto Public Health Building next door.

The winning entry proposed transforming the building into a welcoming space for both locals and tourists, and included a multicultural food market and seating area at ground level, a café and lounge on the second floor, and an upscale bar and restaurant on the third floor.
Click to expand...

38-40%20Dundas%20West%20circa%201923%20%28Powell%20Chemical%20Building%29.jpg
 
Last edited:
AlbertC said:
https://nowtoronto.com/news/yonge-dundas-square-heritage-preservation/

Future of Yonge-Dundas fixture remains in a state of disarray

After discussions about turning 38-40 Dundas into a music incubator in 2015, the city has yet to realize the potential of lands expropriated at iconic corner in the late 1990s to make way for Yonge-Dundas Square redevelopment
by LORYSSA QUATTROCIOCCHI

December 17, 2018

11:07 AM



38-40%20Dundas%20West%20circa%201923%20%28Powell%20Chemical%20Building%29.jpg
Click to expand...
It's disappointing that nothing has come of this yet; that the building hasn't been restored yet.

But it's genuinely enraging that there are questions around structural integrity due the absence of essential maintenance.

There is no excuse for that really.

None!
 
Two things come to mind. "City funded Health Centre" hell next door and the fact that the city that can't do anything right does not bode well for its future.
 
Having walked by this site on a considerable amount of days over the past 6 years, I have mixed feelings.

The immediate vicinity surrounding the site has gotten significantly grittier over the past two years, and not in a good way. In an unpleasant, unsafe way. I'm not going to connect the dots as to why, but there are implications on future uses of this site.

A Toronto tourism agency would be a perfect fit here, if not for the fact that I foresee unfortunate interactions between confused tourists and their kids, and local regulars to the area. A restaurant/bar could work, though the site is often shaded and very cold for a patio.

It could maybe be retrofitted to some sort of studio or collaborative work space in conjunction with Ryerson's DMZ, but that doesn't answer how to use the ground level and open space to the highest potential.
 
Looks like this building may be part of a tear down?

Downtown supervised injection site may move due to potential building sale
A supervised injection site near Yonge/Dundas square may need to be relocated, as CityNews has learned the building could be going up for sale. Adrian Ghobrial with the pros and cons of having the site in the area, and where it could move to.

CityNews

toronto.citynews.ca toronto.citynews.ca
 
While they're waiting to develop this site they could probably get some decent income from digital advertising on the second and third floors of this building. Or is that not allowed on a city owned property.
 
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