The renders do look interesting, I am a owner in West One so I do have more of a personal investment in how this area develops in the next decade. I for one am open to adding some diversity to our neighbourhood, hopefully this development and the mixed income project for block 32 and 36 will also bring some business diversity and maybe bring down the cost of living expenses in the area, all the venders we currently have in the area right now are high end operators. Plus It will also bring a more of a community feel that is currently missing at City Place, especially with more community facilities (Library, School, Community Center).
I think a lot of the anger are from people who feel that they have worked very hard, saved and sacrificed to be able to purchase units in the City Place developments. A lot of the owners are first generation immigrants who came to this country with nothing and made a life for themselves and their children. They feel rightly or wrongly that the TCHC developments are offering a similar level of accommodation to people who haven't made the same commitments or sacrifices.
It is not entirely classicism (although that certainly plays a part), City Place isn't exactly the ivory towers here in Toronto. In most cases a lot of the owners themselves are lower middle class singles or young couples that doesn't reap any benefits to these developments and feel that their tax dollars are being spent on developments that doesn’t benefit them. These are the people who are most upset in these developments, precisely base they have so much of what they have worked for is invested into their suites.
The City / TCHC need to specifically target their campaign to these people, really sell them on what is in it for them in these developments.