Toronto Upper East Village | 75.15m | 21s | Camrost-Felcorp | Arcadis

[Automation Gallery]

Wow, impressive.

This will definitely change the character of the area.

Seven buildings proposed for Leaside raise concern
Scale of planned community spanning two hectares on Eglinton Avenue concerns residents

The “planned community” proposed for approximately two hectares of land at 939 Eglinton Ave. E. in Leaside is “too big,” some residents say. A rezoning application was submitted to the city in April and is currently under review.

The development by DiamondCorp calls for seven buildings: two residential towers 19- and 24-storeys, connected by an eight-storey, mixed-use building fronting onto Eglinton Avenue East; two residential towers 31- and 34-storeys with an eight-storey building fronting onto the north side of a newly proposed public road; and lastly, a six-storey commercial building at the northwest corner of Brentcliffe Road and Vanderhoof Avenue.

The proposal includes 1,500 residential units, 2,950 square metres of retail space and 9,690 square metres of office space. A two-storey office and commercial building currently sits on the site.

“People are concerned that the infrastructure can’t handle that level of density,” said Kate Whitehead of the Leaside Property Owners’ Association (LPOA).

A previous proposal for the site had been submitted by DiamondCorp in 2013, but according to councillor Jon Burnside, the developer ran into zoning issues. The site, formerly zoned as employment lands, was redesignated mixed use last year.

“Now they’ve come back with one that’s bigger,” said Whitehead.

The development will be reviewed in the context of the City of Toronto, City Planning’s Eglinton Connects planning study, which allows for added density along Eglinton Avenue.

An Eglinton Crosstown station is set to go in at Eglinton and Laird Drive, two blocks west of the site.

“There are 1,639 parking spaces [proposed],” said Geoff Kettel of the LPOA. “It doesn’t sound like people will be using transit.”

“It is far too much for the site and neighbourhood,” said Burnside. “But it is still early in the game.”

DiamondCorp did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
http://www.postcity.com/Eat-Shop-Do/Do/July-2015/Seven-buildings-proposed-for-Leaside/

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

“People are concerned that the infrastructure can’t handle that level of density,” said Kate Whitehead of the Leaside Property Owners’ Association (LPOA).

What infrastructure? The Crosstown is coming in. I am sure DiamondCorp will take care of hydro and plumbing.

The parking spaces is a concern. I guess most of those are for the office and commercial component. Is there any info on how many parking spots are reserved for residential use?

 

[dowlingm]

I wonder how big a bag of popcorn John Parker is opening now... not him the LPOA are haranguing any more.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

I've met John Parker before, he is a legitimately good person who had an actual understanding of how cities and the office works based on my brief discussion with him. I was upset that he lost tbh.

But yah, I don't envy the guy that is going to have to deal with all the complains and NIMBYism the Crosstown-spurred development will bring to Leaside over the next decade.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

I was going through my unread emails and found Burnside's October newsletter. It had an update on this project:

939 Eglinton Ave. Development Proposal

In August, the City Planning Department issued its Preliminary Report regarding Diamond Corp’s proposal to redevelop a large parcel of land at Brentcliffe Rd. and Eglinton Ave. E. The developer is proposing, among other things, 1500 residential units with four levels of underground parking.

On October 29, a community consultation was held at Leaside Memorial Gardens with over 250 people in attendance. The strong feedback from residents was that the development is overly ambitious in its size. Concerns were raised about increased traffic, insufficient school facilities, inappropriate height of the four towers (for the neighbourhood) and stress on water, sewage and other City services.

Working against our community is that the Eglinton Focus Study which examines all of these issues and provides proper development guidelines should have been initiated in 2013 -- but never was! I have been lobbying our planning department since shortly after my election and I am able to report that the final transportation component of the study has been approved and, subject to the 2016 budget, should begin in the New Year.

I share the community’s concerns so I am happy that the developer agreed to my request to engage in a working group process with residents. There are still a few spots available in the working group so please let my office know if you’d like to be involved.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Seven buildings proposed for Leaside raise concern
Scale of planned community spanning two hectares on Eglinton Avenue concerns residents

The “planned community” proposed for approximately two hectares of land at 939 Eglinton Ave. E. in Leaside is “too big,” some residents say. A rezoning application was submitted to the city in April and is currently under review.

The development by DiamondCorp calls for seven buildings: two residential towers 19- and 24-storeys, connected by an eight-storey, mixed-use building fronting onto Eglinton Avenue East; two residential towers 31- and 34-storeys with an eight-storey building fronting onto the north side of a newly proposed public road; and lastly, a six-storey commercial building at the northwest corner of Brentcliffe Road and Vanderhoof Avenue.

The proposal includes 1,500 residential units, 2,950 square metres of retail space and 9,690 square metres of office space. A two-storey office and commercial building currently sits on the site.

Wow,... this development proposal already chopped by more than a third: 1500 residential units to under 1000 residential units,.... tallest 34-storey condo tower eliminated and 24-storey tower chopped to 14-storey,..... and now locals NIMBY-ers still sharpening their NIMBY-axe and still chopping away,....

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Chopped,....

"The original plans for 1,500 residential units has been reduced to a now proposed 981 residential units. What would have been, four towers, two with heights of 19 and 24 storeys connected by an 8-storey mid-rise building, and two with 31 and 34 storeys, connected by an 8-storey mid-rise building is now proposed as three towers of 14, 19 and 31 storeys connected by a 9-storey podium fronting Eglinton and Brentcliffe, representing 800,000 sq. ft. of density. The south portion of the existing building is retained as commercial with the addition of a new 0.2 acre mini-park."

"What Diamondcorp is permitted to build is not only important in itself, but it represents an important precedent, influencing RioCan’s pending residential development application for the nearby Canadian Tire site, and future redevelopment of the adjacent Hyde Park Plaza."

http://leasidelifenews.com/revisions-make-it-better-but-is-that-enough/

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Personally, I like this revised version much better than the original and the previous version which looks more like a total mess of lego blocks,.... this revised version is much better thought-out and shows more cohesion,.... it's quite poetic! I really hope this revised version gets accepted by CityPlanning and built exactly as is.

 

[am29]

I like this proposal now as well but you can't really compare it to the previous versions. I believe it only looked like Lego blocks because that wasn't really the design just place holders site the placement of buildings and their heights. I like the brick use in this one as well.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Yes, the brick or at least brick colour walls would make a good transition from the old Leaside full of brick house,.. it just meshes better,.... and more greenspace and green roof to transition to the nearby valley.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Well,... get the popcorn ready,... this will be an interesting showdown.

Most on the working group are in favour of this revised proposal and local councillor seems content. A member from LPOA still want the developer to chop more floors, more retail space and more Section37 Community Benefit money. Developer now taking original larger proposal to OMB,... if developer win at OMB then all negotiated community benefits are off.

Capitulate or fight? Which is it to be?
LPOA and 939 Eglinton Ave. East
GEOFF KETTEL AND CAROL BURTON FRIPP CO-PRESIDENTS, LPOA
"Mr. Diamond has shown himself open to compromise and responsiveness to the community by taking the time to cooperate with a working group and reduce his proposal by 30 per cent. But the community meeting also seemed to confirm his willingness to fight. He stated that LPOA board member and former president Brian Athey’s statements about the revised proposal at the final working group meeting prompted him to appeal his original application to the OMB. And when faced at the community meeting with further comments about the revised proposal, he suggested, “Maybe it’s time that this was settled by the (Ontario Municipal) Board.”"
http://leasidelifenews.com/capitulate-or-fight-which-is-it-to-be/#more-5058


939 Eglinton Ave. East decision – where do we go from here?
JON BURNSIDE, COUNCILLOR, TORONTO WARD 26 DON VALLEY WEST
"With 939 Eglinton Ave. East, we have two very different options: We can fight the original four-tower proposal at the OMB, or we can agree to the developer’s scaled down plans. A loss at the OMB potentially means an extra 34-storey tower, 500 additional units (1,000 residents) and the forfeiture of at least $3 million in Section 37 funds. While I still want to negotiate a reduction in the maximum height to under 30 floors and obtain additional Section 37 money, the stakes are too high to risk the fate of the community at the OMB"
http://leasidelifenews.com/939-eglinton-ave-east-decision-where-do-we-go-from-here/#more-5063

 

[interchange42]

The LPOA is dreaming in technicolour, and they will lose this fight at the OMB like they lost the Laird Drive one. Steve Diamond is appealing his original proposal before the OMB because that's what he has to appeal: it's the original proposal which is now past the 120 limit that City Council has to render a verdict before developers can go to the Board. That said, as Jon Burnside says in his story, Diamond says he is still willing to talk, and I believe that. Diamond would not have come back to the City with a scaled down version if they could not live with it, so that fact that they have means that they will likely be wanting a settlement based on it with the City, including Section 37 benefits, before the OMB hearing date. It's more expeditious (and cheaper) for everyone, with a better result for everyone.

The LPOA would be foolish to waste their time and money to oppose the plan if the City and Diamond settle, as it seems eminently winnable at the OMB to me.

42

 

[Therion]

The LPOA would be foolish to waste their time and money to oppose the plan if the City and Diamond settle, as it seems eminently winnable at the OMB to me.
42

They never seem to learn, though. Their lack of ability to withdraw tactically leads to strategic defeats.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Here's a youtube video (recorded on behalf of Councillor Burnside) of last month's Community Consultation of the revised 939 Eglinton Ave East project where developer presented the revised project that most of the working group agreed on,.... It's 2 hours long but presentation is first 40 minutes and the rest is question period. Around 48 minute, councillor talks about plus/minus of going for settlement VS OMB,...

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Here's some of the images from the above presentation,... there's higher quality of material use,.... and the balcony aren't the typical ugly cement slab sticking out,... they're more elegantly enclosed by brick