Toronto Emerald Park Condos | 128.92m | 40s | Bazis | Rosario Varacalli

Looks better in pictures than in person, but that's strictly my opinion.

I'm sure this has been noted before but that 4 block stretch of Yonge Street between Sheppard and the 401 is absolutely hideous, with gas stations, dilapidated strip malls, an auto body shop and massage parlours. Any realistic plans to change it?
 
The gas stations are busy so the companies will probably need a fairly large chunk of coin to give it up. Also the lots arnt deep at all so building anything significant will require the purchase of houses to the west plus rezoning and those will open the developer up to all levels of fun and enjoyment.
 
Looks better in pictures than in person, but that's strictly my opinion.

I'm sure this has been noted before but that 4 block stretch of Yonge Street between Sheppard and the 401 is absolutely hideous, with gas stations, dilapidated strip malls, an auto body shop and massage parlours. Any realistic plans to change it?

Hey, that's my hood! Don't forget the CashForGOLD, PayDayLoan, BoozeCan Bar, ESL School, NailSaloon,... all we're missing is a strip joint!

Remember these type of plazas usually with apartments on top and parking in front are typical along Yonge Street in NYCC from after WorldWar2 when this area started to become populated. Now a days with condos, the "massage parlours" just move into a condo unit.


The gas stations are busy so the companies will probably need a fairly large chunk of coin to give it up. Also the lots arnt deep at all so building anything significant will require the purchase of houses to the west plus rezoning and those will open the developer up to all levels of fun and enjoyment.

Think about it,... those 3 gas stations (Shell southbound Yonge @ Poyntz/Anndale, Esso southbound Yonge at Florence/Avondale and PetroCanada southbound Yonge at Cameron) are all corporate owned (not independent franchises AFAIK). All 3 are southbound Yonge on Toronto's main street just before Highway 401 interchange - the busiest highway in North America. They're a goldmine for the gas companies!

It'll take a huge chunk of change for any of them to sell,... not that it can't happen. In 1980s Sunoco on Northbound Yonge north of Glendora sold for Proctor & Gamble building. At about the same time, Shell southbound Yonge south of Franklin sold for WarnerBrothers building (now Davpart),.. of course, that was a different time period, when real estate was affordable and gas was about a quarter a liter!

It's not just zoning changes required,... In addition, properties on south side of Poyntz between Yonge & Beecroft are included in North York Secondary Plan (as is basically everything between Beecroft & Doris in NYCC),... but everything south is not,... thus, forget about high density. Even if a developer proposed a development say at north-west corner of Yonge & Johnston (Hero Burger & Plaza with Massage-CashForGold) or west side of Yonge between Florence & Cameron (L&G Autobody - BTW, they're really good!, plaza with bar, ESL & Nail, etc and another plaza with Bar, CashForGold, Laundry, spicy Chinese food, Italian Wood oven pizza - really good!!!),... then you'll need to deal with transition of the bungalow and 2 storey houses to the west,.... thus, any development here would be about 5 storey (as per Sheppard west of Beecroft to DonValleyWest) - nowhere near the 30 storey condo that are standard in NYCC or 40 of EmeraldPark, 42 of GibsonSquare or 45 of HullmarkCentre.
 
Somehow, that video has been posted twice on the same account, with only one difference I can see between them: the linked one above is called "Emerald Park Condos", and the other one has "Condo" in the title. Both videos declare the buildings to be "Breaktaking".

Without researching it further myself, I'm wondering if any of the opening photos look familiar to UrbanToronto photographers…

42
 
Somehow, that video has been posted twice on the same account, with only one difference I can see between them: the linked one above is called "Emerald Park Condos", and the other one has "Condo" in the title. Both videos declare the buildings to be "Breaktaking".

Without researching it further myself, I'm wondering if any of the opening photos look familiar to UrbanToronto photographers…

42

I see shots from Jasonzed and Mafaldaboy in there. I hope they asked permission, and if not, someone should request that the video be taken down.
 
That level of complication is unfortunate. I'm not sure it would need to be high rise. I would think something more like Avenue road would improve the neighbourhood. As it is it looks like Edmonton and holds the area back a bit IMO. Maybe some street scape improvements in the short term could help integrate the street into the neighbourhood instead of it being like a highway and giant on and off ramps to the 401.
 
I see shots from Jasonzed and Mafaldaboy in there. I hope they asked permission, and if not, someone should request that the video be taken down.

Unfortunately I haven't given permission to anyone regarding those photos, and I think it is safe to say that Jasonzed was not consulted either; I will be asking the account holder to take down their video.

EDIT: sMT, I've noticed that your photo is also in that video!
 
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