888 Yonge (Masonic Temple, potential redevelopment)

[Ramako]

Masonic Temple future up in air as studio closes

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1281526--masonic-temple-future-up-in-air-as-studio-closes

Bellmedia is closing its Masonic Temple production studio, leaving the future of the historic Yonge St. building up in the air.

...

The CTV purchase came after an outcry over plans to tear the building down and use the site for condominiums. During the controversy, the building was designated as a historic property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

That designation makes it harder for any potential buyer to tear it down, but it could still be converted into condos, perhaps by keeping at least part of the existing facade, suggested veteran real estate consultant Barry Lyon. On the plus side is the site’s prime location, Lyon suggested.

...

But it’s got plenty of potential even with its existing structure, mused Lyon.

“It sure would make a nice museum, wouldn’t it?â€

Condos or a Toronto museum... which shall it be?

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

Condos or a Toronto museum... which shall it be?

We know the answer: condos. Good location, two subway stops a few minutes' walk away, and that stretch of Davenport/Church is seeing more and more development: Milan, Florian, and that other building going up next to it (crane is up for that one BTW). My question is if that ratty office building on the SE corner of Yonge and Church is long for this world. With a well-executed, curved frontage facing Church it could be another potential development.

 

[khris]

MTV and MuchMusic are going to be in the same building? Interesting how things end up!

If this ends up a condo, I want them to keep the whole building untouched as much as possible.

 

[gristle]

MTV and MuchMusic are going to be in the same building? Interesting how things end up!

If this ends up a condo, I want them to keep the whole building untouched as much as possible.

But the developer will likely go for the standard facadectomy where the Masonic temple will end up resembling a bad halloween mask.

 

[urbandreamer]

With an address like this--888--the Chinese will buy it out in a Toronto Hour.

Anyone remember those raves they used to throw here? Great parties....

RAVE Condos or 1-888-CONDOS ?

 

[CapitalSeven]

Terrible site to try to wedge in a tower, and it would be barbaric to tear it down. If the location is so prime, it should be possible to redevelop the existing building into something useful.

 

[adma]

Remember that the huge problem with "retainng as much as possible" in the event of condo conversion is that the site is so constricted: hemmed in on two sides. You'd really needs a "miracle purpose" such as the present function--or else, to carefully dismantle and reinstall any critical Masonic interior spaces in the process of conversion...

 

[SP!RE]

Terrible site to try to wedge in a tower, and it would be barbaric to tear it down. If the location is so prime, it should be possible to redevelop the existing building into something useful.

DING DING DING! Agreed. The priority here to anyone in this city other than a developer (who of course would want maximum density and maximum profit) should be to see the building in its current form adaptively re-used.

 

[innsertnamehere]

as this is completely surrounded by other towers, there is no way a facadomy would work here without completely violating the current structures dignity. +1 to adaptive re-use.

 

[adma]

Though one *could* demolish its neighbours, none of which are architectural prizes (and that's an understatement re the Starship "We Built This City"-era cheese to the north). Ah, if only they were plain office buildings rather than residential or mixed-use; then they'd be more readily expendable...

 

[ThomasJ]

this is stupid. take the thread down or move it somewhere else. purely speculative discussions such as this don't belong here.

 

[ptbotrmpfn]

speculation or npt this structure should stay i mean we saved the maple gardens so why not save the place whe so many musicians some no. longer with us have played and many of us enjoyed what its had to offer. i have seen many bands play here it would be a shame to destroy it completely.

 

[AlbertC]

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/art...-property-a-tough-site-for-condos-say-experts

Masonic Temple: Heritage property a tough site for condos, experts say

Published on Tuesday December 04, 2012
Rachel Mendleson
Staff Reporter

The condo question has swirled around the Temple since early November, when Media announced it was closing its production studios there, and moving MTV Canada to 299 Queen St. W. Situated on a prime corner lot, the building is protected under the Ontario Heritage Act. But some have speculated that it could be hollowed out and converted into a residential development nonetheless.

Yet at a time when cranes crowd the Toronto skyline, preservationists may be headed for a rare win. A stringent height limit and tighter-than-average heritage protections are just some of the factors that suggest that even if the site is repurposed, the odds are stacked against a condo tower.

“Any type of development potential would be very limited,” area Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam told the Star.

Bell Media spokesman Scott Henderson declined to speculate on potential future uses, noting that the company is “considering all possibilities.” (The property is not currently listed for sale.) But as Henderson points out, “any potential buyer would need to respect the applicable municipal or zoning bylaws.”

“Ultimately, we anticipate that the Masonic Temple will retain the elements that led to its (heritage) designation in the first place,” he said.

 

[DtTO]

I'm going to echo everyone's sentiment here, a facadectomy would be a really poor choice. Ideally, I would want this building left untouched and possibly used as a museum. However, if plans for a condo tower were to proceed, would it be possible to build the condo entirely on top of the current structure with a setback? The upside is that a portion of the profit could be used to entirely rehabilitate the temple.

 

[bAuHaUs]

I can definately see someone like House of Blues taking over the space. They can repurpose the upper rooms into their signature Foundation Room bar/restaurant. Keep the 1,200 seat venue for booking unique acts, etc.