Toronto 383 Sorauren Avenue | 33.83m | 10s | Gairloch | a—A

hawc said:
Yup, but that still doesn't mean it won't suck to have a diesel training flying past your windows at 383 Sorauren every 6 minutes all day every day. One of the reasons I moved.
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I might be mistaken but don't you live in CityPlace? If so, you moved from near the tracks to near other tracks to escape living near tracks in the first place.
 
hawc said:
Yup, but that still doesn't mean it won't suck to have a diesel training flying past your windows at 383 Sorauren every 6 minutes all day every day. One of the reasons I moved.
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I must be missing something here. My understanding is that the railcar sets which are to be used on the Pearson link are comparable to the Budd self propelled railcars, only with much more modern, much less polluting diesel engines and exhaust emission controls. These are not heavy duty locomotives which haul 12,000 foot freight trains. They are not even comparable to the locomotives which move the GO trains. Given the higher efficiency, lower rolling resistance of railway vehicles (wheel on steel) compared to road transport - my guess is that each one of the Pearson link railcar sets would produce as much pollution as a heavy duty 53' highway truck cab, or at the most two. This has to be one of the most over-hyped issues in the GTA over the past while.
 
Ottawa has had comparable vehicles running up and down a track every 15 minutes for 10 years. How much complaining has there been? None or next to none. How much complaining was there when they announced an upcoming doubling of service? None.
 
I am hoping there is a more balanced discussion at this community meeting. The last one seemed to be overrun by the typical nimby crowd and Perks trying to politic the crowd. It looks like the developer lowered the grid/brick frame to 8 floors vs the original design with the higher frame. I liked the higher frame better. Much stronger design. Not sure why everyone wants another RWL. This new building should tip it's hat at the heritage portion of RWL, but not copy it.
 
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/2074945-working-group-formed-to-look-at-383-sorauren/

Residents were far from pleased with the plans for 383 Sorauren Ave., but instead of rejecting the developer’s application they voted to form a working group to help guide the project.

At a community consultation meeting regarding the proposed condominium development, residents from the neighbourhood surrounding the site at Sorauren Avenue and Dundas Street West reviewed the plans for the large brick building and openly expressed their displeasure with the height, size and look of the building.

“You can say ‘no’ outright or we can start a working group that would work with developers to come up with something that fits in with the neighbourhood,” said Parkdale-High Park Councillor Gord Perks.

Given that option, those in attendance voted to form the working group, which will be made up of a handful of people from the neighbourhood as chosen by the councillor’s office, Perks said.

The group will consist of members from the Roncesvalles-Macdonell Residents’ Association, Robert Watson Lofts, and those with “certain expertise” said Perks.

“Development is coming regardless, so let’s help guide it,” one resident said.

Monday’s meeting, held in Roncesvalles Village, was the second public meeting on the proposed development an 11-storey condo building with 165 units with an average size of 700 square feet. There is also one large non-residential unit on the first floor.

The proposed building is 34 metres high, more than double the 14 metres currently permitted on the lot. Residents also heard that is seven and a half times the average density in the neighbourhood.

Facing Sorauren Avenue, the proposal includes two-story townhomes, which Heather Olson of Architects Alliance said match the impression of the townhomes next door at the Robert Watson Lofts.

Olson shared plans for a large number of bike parking spaces and an apple orchard on a berm along the rail line.

Residents expressed concern about increased vehicle and bike traffic on Sorauren.

“I don’t think the street itself can support an increase of that many homes and that many people,” one resident said.

Another resident questioned the impact another condo building would have on water and electrical services as well as city infrastructure.

The city’s preliminary report by planner Thomas Rees identified a number of concerns with the proposal. They include the height and density of the proposed building, the design and conformity to the neighourhood. The report also lists the shadow impact, compatibility with employment uses in the area, proximity to existing industrial uses and proximity to the rail corridor as issues.

The developer will file their final proposal with the city and it will be considered by Toronto and East York Community Council in the next three or four months
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Heather Olson? Nice fact-checking, Inside Toronto.

42
 
Pics 1,2 and 4 are from the original proposal.

They have been changed and #3 is what they are going with
 
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