Jdot
Active Member
Leon's outlet bound for the roundhouse
Toronto Star On-Line
Councillor, tenant shocked at proposal to sell discount furniture in downtown heritage building
Jun 11, 2007 04:30 AM
Donovan Vincent
city hall bureau
Plans to have a Leon's furniture store operating in Toronto's historic roundhouse train facility come as a complete shock to Adam Vaughan, councillor for the area.
"My first reaction is `a Leon's? That's the best use for a unique part of our rail history in the rail lands?'" he said Friday, after learning of the plans earlier in the week.
"It's big box retail coming into the downtown core through the back door,'' added Vaughan (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina).
No deal has been signed yet, but it appears there won't be much he, or anyone else, will be able to do to stop the discount furniture chain from moving into the heritage-protected facility on Bremner Blvd., across from the Rogers Centre.
That's because the city owns the roughly 90,000-square-foot facility. But in 2002, a consortium that included what was then Olympia & York submitted a successful proposal in answer to a city request.
The developers wanted to have the Headline Sports television network set up shop in the roundhouse, but those plans fell through.
The consortium, which now includes State Developments (Toronto) and Arcturus Realty (formerly O & Y), has since decided to pursue the project with Leon's.
The developers and Leon's weren't commenting last week.
The popular Steam Whistle brewery has been operating in the roundhouse since 2000 and would be a co-tenant.
A new long-term lease would net the city more than $4 million – excluding property taxes – from Leon's and Steam Whistle.
The new tenants would also pay for the restoration and reinstallation of the roundtable, a massive structure outside the building once used to rotate and position locomotives into the roundhouse stalls for servicing and repairs.
Steam Whistle co-owner Cam Heaps, who also learned of the plans to bring in Leon's last week, said he doesn't believe the retailer would make a suitable co-tenant.
"I think the difference is (Steam Whistle) has an art gallery, and event space that supports over 100 charities a year, a tour facility open to the public to highlight the history of the building and history of making beer...
"Walking through and looking at dinettes and leather couches is a very different type of concept.''
Heaps criticized city hall's culture office, which supports the plan. "What's scary is the culture department actually defends Leon's as a culturally sensitive tenant,'' he said.
Department executive director Rita Davies said she's been assured Leon's, whom the city isn't dealing with directly, will maintain the building's "historical ambience.''
"It's a family firm about to celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2009. They are looking for an opportunity to rebrand themselves. The heritage link, which the roundhouse provides, is very important to them,'' Davies said.
"They're looking at a new image, new kinds of signage, looking to appeal to the upscale downtown condo market.
"What we're interested in is making sure the integrity of the heritage building is maintained. We're happy with what we heard about that."
Davies argued this is "not a big box store coming in,'' and noted that an agreement will see a "ton of money'' going into the rehabilitation of the roundhouse.
Toronto Star On-Line
Councillor, tenant shocked at proposal to sell discount furniture in downtown heritage building
Jun 11, 2007 04:30 AM
Donovan Vincent
city hall bureau
Plans to have a Leon's furniture store operating in Toronto's historic roundhouse train facility come as a complete shock to Adam Vaughan, councillor for the area.
"My first reaction is `a Leon's? That's the best use for a unique part of our rail history in the rail lands?'" he said Friday, after learning of the plans earlier in the week.
"It's big box retail coming into the downtown core through the back door,'' added Vaughan (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina).
No deal has been signed yet, but it appears there won't be much he, or anyone else, will be able to do to stop the discount furniture chain from moving into the heritage-protected facility on Bremner Blvd., across from the Rogers Centre.
That's because the city owns the roughly 90,000-square-foot facility. But in 2002, a consortium that included what was then Olympia & York submitted a successful proposal in answer to a city request.
The developers wanted to have the Headline Sports television network set up shop in the roundhouse, but those plans fell through.
The consortium, which now includes State Developments (Toronto) and Arcturus Realty (formerly O & Y), has since decided to pursue the project with Leon's.
The developers and Leon's weren't commenting last week.
The popular Steam Whistle brewery has been operating in the roundhouse since 2000 and would be a co-tenant.
A new long-term lease would net the city more than $4 million – excluding property taxes – from Leon's and Steam Whistle.
The new tenants would also pay for the restoration and reinstallation of the roundtable, a massive structure outside the building once used to rotate and position locomotives into the roundhouse stalls for servicing and repairs.
Steam Whistle co-owner Cam Heaps, who also learned of the plans to bring in Leon's last week, said he doesn't believe the retailer would make a suitable co-tenant.
"I think the difference is (Steam Whistle) has an art gallery, and event space that supports over 100 charities a year, a tour facility open to the public to highlight the history of the building and history of making beer...
"Walking through and looking at dinettes and leather couches is a very different type of concept.''
Heaps criticized city hall's culture office, which supports the plan. "What's scary is the culture department actually defends Leon's as a culturally sensitive tenant,'' he said.
Department executive director Rita Davies said she's been assured Leon's, whom the city isn't dealing with directly, will maintain the building's "historical ambience.''
"It's a family firm about to celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2009. They are looking for an opportunity to rebrand themselves. The heritage link, which the roundhouse provides, is very important to them,'' Davies said.
"They're looking at a new image, new kinds of signage, looking to appeal to the upscale downtown condo market.
"What we're interested in is making sure the integrity of the heritage building is maintained. We're happy with what we heard about that."
Davies argued this is "not a big box store coming in,'' and noted that an agreement will see a "ton of money'' going into the rehabilitation of the roundhouse.
