urbandreamer
recession proof
27 March 2012: The Beach needs dozens more similar-scaled buildings as this one--many sites could be redeveloped, perhaps with sexier architecture though like Abacus Lofts for example. No site action yet.
27 March 2012: The Beach needs dozens more similar-scaled buildings as this one--many sites could be redeveloped, perhaps with sexier architecture though like Abacus Lofts for example. No site action yet.
As the school gymnasium clocks ticked towards 6:30 p.m. on Monday, public servants from six city departments sat expectantly at their assigned tables. Reserve Properties Ltd. had a table, too.
The company has plans — not yet approved — to build a condominium building in the heart of the Beach, where iconic burger joint Lick’s sits now. Monday evening’s “open house†at a local public school was meant to answer angry residents’ questions about the development.
Five condo buildings are currently proposed or under construction in the Beach, all six storeys or fewer. A vocal, well-organized contingent of residents fears these developments will kill the character of the east-end neighbourhood.
“It has a village atmosphere,†says resident Lamont Daigle, who came on Monday with his daughter. Later, he adds: “All of a sudden, it’s becoming Toronto.â€
But for a smaller, quieter faction of residents, a dose of downtown might help diversify the Beach, where storefront vacancies are rife, and white, well-off families dominate.
“Our retail stores aren’t very good. Our restaurants aren’t very good,†says David Toushek, also a Beach dad. He thinks condos are an “opportunity.â€
“It’s a bit boring here. I mean, I love it, it’s a great place for our family. But I don’t hang out here.â€
The Beach may have Toronto’s angriest condo battle on its hands. But the fight there can be seen as a microcosm for anxiety city-wide, where 145 condo developments are underway. Toronto has far more highrises under construction than any other place in North America.
“We need appropriate development to allow the continuation of the success of the business community,†said Fenton. “Because without change, the community will die.â€
Says Councillor McMahon: “It could, hopefully, add more foot traffic, sustain our local businesses, and add some revitalization to the empty storefronts.†She adds that the Beach has seen very little development in the past decade, so residents may perceive a relatively modest proposal as a huge change.
Barry Watson, of the research group Environics, says the business problem and the homogeneity issue are intertwined.
“Retail space in the Beach is very expensive, so you don’t see young creatives opening galleries, innovative shops or cutting-edge restaurants in the Beach in the same way you do on Ossington or Dundas West,†he argues. For the young urbn types who could bring diversity, he argues, “the Beach is just too expensive.â€
"This is exactly, exactly the kind of development we want on our main streets," said Perks. "Just about anybody else on this community council would die to have this application."
TEYCC approved the final report yesterday.
http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2012.TE16.3
From OpenFile:
Source: http://toronto.openfile.ca/blog/toronto/2012/toronto-east-york-community-council-votes-unanimously-allow-licks-development
Gotta agree with Perks on this one.
What some call "bad" others call growth...
This is a modest 6 storey building with 29 units of negligable impact. On the north side of the street to boot - less shadow impact on Queen
If not on a main street, where should growth occur in the Beach?
I get that you like this stretch of Queen but there are a lot of old, pre-war main streets in Toronto that look like this.
Zoning is meant to be pliable, not restrictive, so I would get use to seeing alot of zoning amendments. Wonder why there is no OP amendment on this site? Because the proposal is consistant with the objectives of the OP - mixed use, avenue.
I dont think every building should be demolished on Queen, its just that Lick's is nothing special so why not redevelop it? Heck, even put a Lick's in underneath.
Problem is that those streets are all going to change by applying the same formula...
I hope these 1 and 2 storey buildings on major streets does change. We are not the small city we used to be and it's such a waste of valuable land. Major streets like Queen or King, outside the downtown core, should have mid-rise buildings from 6 to 12 stories. Not only does that increase the density but it just looks a lot better. Keep the 1 to 5 storey buildings for the small streets but our main streets need to be urban. The Danforth is just begging for some beautiful 8 storey beauties.
^You have a point. I was in Montreal recently and was in an area filled with brand new condo developments. The area overall was sterile and boring (even though Mtl architecture on some levels is superior to Toronto's) so I fled to an older established area--the Plateau. It just feels so much better, homely, well-lived and vibrant.
That being said, a dozen or so 6-8s projects filling in some holes in the fabric--strip plazas, parking lots, ugly buildings--is welcome anywhere. It may not be totally appropriate here--but the developer owns this land today and it will proceed.