Glen
Senior Member
City tries to stop condos in NYCC
Community, builder quarrel over condo
Paul Moloney
city hall bureau
Toronto's ability to shape the North York city centre is on the line as a major developer seeks to build two condominium towers on a key site long slated for two office towers.
This week, the North York community council voted unanimously to preserve the office designation on the site at Yonge St. and Park Home Ave., steps from the heart of North York's downtown.
Councillor John Filion expects city council to uphold the designation, but the developer has taken the issue to the Ontario Municipal Board, which can overrule the city and will hear the issue in March.
"If the OMB rules against the city on this, you might as well take all the planning that's been done over 25 years in North York, and the city's new official plan, and toss it all in the recycling bin," he said.
But there's no market for office development in that location, said consultant George Belza, who appeared before the community council on behalf of the developer, Menkes Gibson Square Inc., which acquired the site in 2006.
In 1992, the site was approved for two office towers of 27 and 31 storeys. Menkes is now looking at building two 45-storey condos.
Filion said the switch has major implications for the area, which has traffic congestion and a crowded subway line.
The Toronto District School Board buses children out of the area because local schools are full, said trustee Mari Rutka.
There are other benefits to office development on the stretch of Yonge St. around Sheppard Ave., which Filion argues has more than its share of condos already.
"You need enough office so people go out to lunch, and that's how you get high quality restaurants. People go shopping after work and that gives you high quality retail. A condo corridor gives you none of that."
Community, builder quarrel over condo
Paul Moloney
city hall bureau
Toronto's ability to shape the North York city centre is on the line as a major developer seeks to build two condominium towers on a key site long slated for two office towers.
This week, the North York community council voted unanimously to preserve the office designation on the site at Yonge St. and Park Home Ave., steps from the heart of North York's downtown.
Councillor John Filion expects city council to uphold the designation, but the developer has taken the issue to the Ontario Municipal Board, which can overrule the city and will hear the issue in March.
"If the OMB rules against the city on this, you might as well take all the planning that's been done over 25 years in North York, and the city's new official plan, and toss it all in the recycling bin," he said.
But there's no market for office development in that location, said consultant George Belza, who appeared before the community council on behalf of the developer, Menkes Gibson Square Inc., which acquired the site in 2006.
In 1992, the site was approved for two office towers of 27 and 31 storeys. Menkes is now looking at building two 45-storey condos.
Filion said the switch has major implications for the area, which has traffic congestion and a crowded subway line.
The Toronto District School Board buses children out of the area because local schools are full, said trustee Mari Rutka.
There are other benefits to office development on the stretch of Yonge St. around Sheppard Ave., which Filion argues has more than its share of condos already.
"You need enough office so people go out to lunch, and that's how you get high quality restaurants. People go shopping after work and that gives you high quality retail. A condo corridor gives you none of that."