Toronto King Portland Centre and Kingly Condos | 57.6m | 15s | Allied | Hariri Pontarini

Not to be overdramatic or anything - but this is a building that is emblematic of king west. Destroy this and you destroy part of what is drawing people to the neighbourhood in the first place. At the very least, the facade should be saved as part of any development.
 
Does anyone know why this building isn't designated? Is it newer than it looks?
 
You guys are making me use all of my connections today! Here is an old concept which may have been updated for today's C of A. I believe their intent was to recreate a King West style at street level as they attempt to do here.
I would love for someone to get a hold of the latest rendering.

620kingvl5.jpg
 
An ironic twist to our pain! With a base like that, they really could have used the facade of the old building instead.
 
Yeah. How ridiculous is it to destroy a historic building that fits the neighbourhood and then build a fake historic building to make it fit the neighbourhood? I understand that they want to better incorporate restaurants, but come on.

Maybe a little public pressure will at least preserve the facade.
 
Eeeek. Looks like developers are getting a bit lazy these days. I sometimes wonder if they have a catelogue with different photos of Toronto buildings and they just go through and ask for this that and the other.

I'll have a bit of CCBR, some RBC, and throw in some brick to shut the preservationists up.

I think a few emails to Mr Vaughn should hopefully do the trick. This could be the papercut to start an infection.
 
My letter to Adam Vaughan:

Dear Mr. Vaughan,

As your constituent and a long term resident of the King West area, I was horrified to walk by 620 King West today and see a notice posted proposing this building's demolition in order to construct a new 11 floor residential building. I am 100% in support of densification, and have been enormously happy with all of the recent mid-rise and high rise construction in the neighbourhood. However, the existing structure at this address is one of the most handsome older buildings in the area, and is a huge contributor to the very character that has made this street such an attractive location for new residents and visitors alike. I understand the existing property has no historic designation, and as such has no preservation requirements. However, I would strongly urge your office to do everything in its power to, at the very least, preserve the facade of this beautiful building as part of any new development proposal.

Thank you for your attention. I look forward to any action you can take to prevent the loss of this irreplaceable part of our neighbourhood.

Sincerely,

xxxx
 
count me in, on the protest to 620.

I had just sent a letter to Adam this afternoon, before hearing about this forum...Here is a copy of some of it's content's below...

I love my area and I have lived in the Trinity-Spadina riding for 15 years.

I am contacting you after just hearing the disturbing news that there has been an application to construct an eleven story building at 620 King St. W.

This is terrible news on many levels. The existing building itself is the most lovely building on the block. Although, I live in a Condominium on this block I was allured by the beauty of the existing heritage style buildings that surround it. This street and block I say are the sort of buildings that are the most true to the heart of Toronto. I am so very afraid that this trend to pack condos in such desirable areas will kill the soul of Toronto's identity. Take a look at what has happened to Rogers Center/Spadina area. People have bought homes on the premise of a view only to have another built in front not long after. Not fair, not fair at all.

Can we stop this right at this point, on King St. W. now, and take a good look at what we are allowing Toronto to look like?

I am happy to see the growth of our area over recent years, but can we heed our Toronto heritage and not fill the entire area with any more Condominiums?

Please please please, let me know what I can do to help as this issue is paramount to our city. I know we are the luckiest people in the world to have such a beautiful neighborhood to live in. We need to take an honest look at it before it disappears. The only few that will inevitably benefit will be those that will reap the financial benefits of tearing this place apart.
 
I wish you guys all the best of luck! I'm completely supportive. That building's height is out of character with the neighbourhood (at least a setback, come on) and the building it's replacing is charming. Worst of all, it's completely bland. That being said, I'm completely supportive of more buildings of that size around the city. Much better to have developments on small lots than the superblocks we're building these days.

Unfortunately, several friends and I (all constituents) have written Adam Vaughan numerous times on various subjects usually to do with new developments. Not once have we ever received a response. Not even a form letter.
 
Am I the only one that finds 620 pretty gosh darn ugly. And, is all that fluff original?

I say, dump the faux facadectomy and bring on the new!
 
I also just wrote to Vaughn about this. Unfortunately, like unimaginative, I have written in the past and have never received acknowledgment.
 
I just sent a letter too. Incidentally there is already a notice posted in my nearby building objecting to the development and announcing a committee to fight it.
 
So, does anyone know what happened at the Committee of Adjustment this afternoon for this property?
 
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