Toronto The Brixton | 45.41m | 12s | CentreCourt | Graziani + Corazza

Summary of May 28 2012, 440 Dufferin Street planning meeting.


The developer is Site Line Group, a company with experiencing in managing employment spaces mainly in the 905. The site is currently designated as an employment area but is being reviewed by the city regarding future usage. This new study will review if a residential usage conversion may be appropriate in terms of growth. The proposal across the street, The Carnaby (11 Peel Street) has a similar zoning amendment. It is also going through a study to decide whether such redevelopment is appropriate. There will be a public consultation later on this autumn, with a final review at the end of the year. Final report will be ready early next year. Traffic studies will be an important component of this project's decision, considering the large amount of development in the area.

The entire development will have 399 residential units in total, consisting of 3 buildings of 24, 12, and 8 storeys in height. Each building will have a 4 storey podium presence on Dufferin Street. The first two levels of the podium have 15 ft ceilings and will feature non-residential usage. This includes retail, artist studio space, and craft/employment space. The developer wants this new project to contribute to the area by creating retail and recreating work space. Their aim is creation of 66,000 sq/ft of employment space in the first two floors of the new buildings. There will be an initiative to control tenant prices to keep it affordable. They will also provide existing tenants an opportunity to return in the future. Some examples of employment are craft, wood work, metal, artisan work, etc. Fifty percent of the non-residential space will be dedicated to work space. The other half will be for retail and office space.

Each building will be separated, and the entire stretch of Dufferin will be broken up into sections. This will replicate smaller blocks and create smaller side streets. In turn this will provide for better pedestrian circulation. This will also facilitate properties to the west for future development. The current green space at the south end of the property will be improved and potential to turn in into a plaza. The podium will be setback 1.5-5 m from the current street line to allow greater pedestrian walk space. The podiums will also feature a gentle curved profile, with it curving outward with the widest point in the middle. Access to the rail path will also be available from the south end of the property for biking and other recreational usage. Store fronts windows will be lining Dufferin Street and feature retail as long as work studios for greater tenant exposure.

The is 2 levels of below grade parking, a total of 340 spaces planned. The number of parking spots is still in the works as traffic studies are ongoing. The towers are arranged in order of tallest to shortest, with the heights sloping downward (24, 12, 8) as you move further away from the rail line. The two tallest towers feature an angled profile. This was done to open up view corridors, ease on the massing presence, and decrease shadows on the area. The architect has presented thoughts of brick on the podium (red or black). The towers will be glass, pre-cast, and potential metal cladding. On top of each podium will be a green roof terrace for tenant recreation usage. The current numbers for unit sizes are: 170 bachelor, 111 one bedroom, 118 two bedroom. Concern was raised among the audience of the large amount of bachelor sized units and the type of people who will be living there and entering the area. The applicant responded by considerations will be made towards creating more family sized three bedroom units.

Although highly attractive and promising, this project presents a large set of challenges. The redevelopment of existing employment usage into residential usage will have to be approved and considered by the city planners. A challenge also exists by mixing employment space noise and residents in the buildings. A project of this size along with the similar sized one across the street, will be a huge strain on traffic congestion and public transit. Many residents expressed concern towards transit options as the 501 Queen streetcar and 29 Dufferin bus are already heavily used. Ward 18 councillor, Ana Bailao was in the audience and said that she is in talks with the TTC to improve transit service of those two busy lines.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/roxxstarr/7291400000/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/roxxstarr/7291401028/
 
I wouldn't mind if they used at a bit of the existing warehouse space, some of it looks pretty salvageable. Could be some interesting live/work loft type space. Hopefully they are pressured into doing so, but for all I know they could be in terrible condition on the inside.
I was hoping RAW would use the existing warehouse space where Art Condos was being built. I was informed that they were unable to save it due to structural problems and deterioration, so they basically rebuilt a copy of it into the new structure...almost as good i suppose.
 
I wouldn't mind if they used at a bit of the existing warehouse space, some of it looks pretty salvageable. Could be some interesting live/work loft type space. Hopefully they are pressured into doing so, but for all I know they could be in terrible condition on the inside.
I was hoping RAW would use the existing warehouse space where Art Condos was being built. I was informed that they were unable to save it due to structural problems and deterioration, so they basically rebuilt a copy of it into the new structure...almost as good i suppose.

I dont know where you are getting this info....whats there now is a derelict tin shack and pretty well not salvageable......regarding ART, no copy of any previous buildings has been built:confused:
 
Great write-up from the meeting Travis - thank you!

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Looking Forward To This!

I live 5 minutes from there and I would LOVE for this to happen. Walking home at night by these warehouses proves scary sometimes and having them be converted into housing and businesses that are well lit would be great.
I notice that the developers are still providing studio space for artists which is admirable. This is something that they have no obligation to do yet they are going above and beyond to help maintain the artist presence in the community. Artist's that, I might add, don't seem to contribute very much to the community around the building. Other than seeing their signs on their doors I have yet to actually see them do anything to help liven up their space - much less any actual ART. It just looks like ill maintained, creepy warehouses by train tracks. Try walking there at midnight after work when the Dufferin bus is delayed YET AGAIN and not feel uneasy.
I don't mind that one of the buildings will be 24 stories, especially since that particular building looks like it'll be right by the train tracks and furthest away from most of the houses in the area.
I also LOVE that they are incorporating green roofs.
 
Artist's that, I might add, don't seem to contribute very much to the community around the building. Other than seeing their signs on their doors I have yet to actually see them do anything to help liven up their space - much less any actual ART.


Hahaha, come-on... dont you know that Parkdale is the home to starving artists:D
,Im sure glad the developers are accommodating new space for artists, they are good people and finally deserve a break
 
This reminds me of another incredible project for a run down area, which died due to crippling NIMBYism... Giraffe Condos.

I totally agree with you! I can't believe the NIMBY's got rid of the Giraffe condo which seemed very promising for the Dundas West Area. That condo would have infused so much modern character into that area.
 
I'm really lovin' this proposal but I hope there are some provisions set aside for the area near rail corridor for a future GO Parkdale station. I think there needs to long term thinking before putting up these condos and reducing the possibility for a future rapid transit station on this rail corridor (whatever that may be). Hopefully Metrolinx has a say before this gets approved.
 
I'm really lovin' this proposal but I hope there are some provisions set aside for the area near rail corridor for a future GO Parkdale station. I think there needs to long term thinking before putting up these condos and reducing the possibility for a future rapid transit station on this rail corridor (whatever that may be). Hopefully Metrolinx has a say before this gets approved.

The city or province would have to buy the land. The property is zoned as employment, I doubt they'd just eliminate it altogether to put a station of some kind in.
 
If anywhere, a new station would probably go where the former one existed (Queen/Sudbury)

The station would have to be on Sudbury as that is the only place there is land south of Queen St. It can have a platform only on the east side of track 1 as there is not enough room for a 2nd platform between the other tracks.

Also, not enough room south of the Queen bridges to bow the tracks for a centre platform without pushing it further south and interfering with the King bridges to support a 12 car train. If smaller length EMU's were use in place of the current fleet, you would still be pushing it.

Going north of Queen is the only place for more room for a station and centre platform, but Brock Ave, Lansdowne bridges are an issue as well crossing over to the other track since track 1 & 2 are for the Barrie line on the east side of the corridor.

Unless Metrolinx removes tracks, no way you can put in a station there to service all 3 lines.
 
The plan for this site has changed substantially, now to a single site-long 11-storey terraced building with commercial & live-work on the lower floors and condominiums above.

The City does not want to take the lands out of employment only zoning, and is opposing this at the OMB.

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-71952.pdf

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The plan for this site has changed substantially, now to a single site-long 11-storey terraced building with commercial & live-work on the lower floors and condominiums above.

The City does not want to take the lands out of employment only zoning, and is opposing this at the OMB.

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-71952.pdf

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This is very odd (and rather late). That is no longer the design and RAW are no longer the architects.
 

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