Development News

Two developers met with significant resistance at a recent public meeting called to discuss a major new development proposed for Front and Bathurst.

The meeting, which attracted about 200 people to discuss this and a new Loblaw store at Lakeshore and Bathurst, was told about the 900,000 square foot condo proposal intended for the 100,000 square foot site currently occupied by the Lambourghini and Harley Davidson dealerships on Front just west of the Globe and Mail building.

"It's the biggest crowd we've had in four years," says councillor Adam Vaughan, who represents the ward.

The developers, Freed Developments and Minto, proposed a linear park among four towers and a private courtyard, a project Vaughan calls "CityPlace north of Front Street."

"I haven't seen a project dealt with that harshly ever by a neighbourhood," he says. "It was just, 'No. Too tall. Too ugly.'"

I would hope they'd revisit it," Vaughan says of the proposal, designed by Rudy Wallman, "but you never can tell with Peter [Freed]." Freed, he says, was the first and still only developer to have taken Vaughan to the Ontario Municipal Board.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Adam Vaughan

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Environmentally speaking, Toronto is doing well, but it could do better.

That's the ambivalent conclusion of the "report card" released on Jan. 31 by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Greening Greater Toronto, in conjunction with the Boston Consulting Group.

Apparently, we're doing better with air, water usage and recycling, but not so well on storm water management, sprawl, traffic, forests and wetlands and the diversity of our fauna and flora.

"From a development perspective, we have to do things differently and better," says Deborah Martin-Downs, director of the TRCA's ecology division, "particularly on the transportation and energy-efficiency side."

"Two-thirds of the landfill comes from commercial companies," says Kilian Berz, managing director of Boston Consulting Group Canada and co-chair of Greening Greater Toronto. "We don't have enough diversion." Berz points to certain success stories, though, such as the Simpson Tower, which he says achieved 96 per cent diversion as early as 2008, and the TD Towers, which he says diverted 76 per cent of its waste in 2009. Berz says the average for Toronto office towers hovers between 20 and 40 per cent.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Deborah Martin-Downs, Kilian Berz

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It's official: LCBO spending is up; the recession is over. And the Board is building.

Over the course of the last couple of years, the LCBO noticed that the people who were buying, were buying lower-end brands, "stretching their dollar," according to LCBO spokesman and official recession-ender Chris Layton.

But this past December, spending was up 8 per cent over the previous December. But more significantly, spending in the Vintages sections -- where the primo stuff is kept -- was up 22 per cent.

"We've seen a return, post-recession, to what we call trading up," Layton says. "People are now spending more and looking for higher quality products."

One of the next new stores will be a 10,000 square foot location at Weston Road and Major Mackenzie Drive in Vaughan, currently scheduled to open in March. With a total of 6,600 square feet of selling area, the new store is a reflection of what Layton sees as especially significant growth in the area.

"We've seen a lot of growth, dramatic growth in Vaughan," he says. "We've actually done a lot in the way of new store development there."

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Chris Layton

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The attack of the indie cafe continues, as Crema is set to open its third location on March 1.

As with the company's second location at Yonge and Bloor, the third cafe will be part of a Freshii, this one at the corner of Richmond and Spadina, and might qualify as the smallest cafe in Toronto at about 80 square feet (though Sam James on Harbord may be close).

The space, which is slightly smaller than the Yonge/Bloor spot, will house a Synesso espresso machine, a Clover vacuum coffee maker, as well as grinders and at least one barista.

As a result of the opening, this Freshii will start opening at 7am as well as on weekends.

"We've got to run a bit of plumbing, electrical, and then all the millwork has to be done through all the counters," says Crema Coffee Company owner Geoff Polci of the surprisingly involved renovation necessary for the minuscule space, which he says will also include lighting and a display case for baked goods. He estimates the cost at between $70,000 and $80,000: roughly $1,000 a square foot.

Crema is one of several indie cafes that are spreading their foamy cups across the city. Dark Horse opened its third shop on Queen West in early January, Ezra's Pound has a second location on Dundas West, Teo Aro has two locations, and there's a a third Lit on Queen West in the Burroughes Building.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Geoff Polci

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The one-tower, two-loft condo development on Sherbourne Street just north of Wellesley is nearing completion.

Located at 500 Sherbourne, the tower, developed by Times Group Corp., is finished, 85 per cent sold and taking occupants, according to marketing director Elmar Busch, who describes his company, which has been active in Toronto for about 25 years, as "the biggest developer between Bayview and 400 on Highway 7."

One of the two loft buildings is completed, which shares the podium with the tower, and the other, on an adjacent lot, is within weeks of being done. Both of these, according to Busch, are about 70 per cent sold.

Excavation on the site, which is just south of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic church and west of the towers of St. Jamestown, began in August of 2007.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Elmar Busch

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Toronto is the most affordable of the world's most severely unaffordable cities.

According to the seventh annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, which takes into account not just housing prices but annual incomes and was released on Jan. 23, the median home in Toronto costs 5.1 times the median income.

In addition to Canada, the survey reports results for Australia, China, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the US.

Demographia is an organization run by Wendell Cox, a conservative commentator and transit expert in the US who has enjoyed appointments from LA mayor Tom Bradley and former speaker of the US House of Representatives Newt Gingrich.

Though some have criticized the basic calculations Demographia runs, which do not take such things as insurance, tax and utility costs into account, the rankings provide a decent snapshot of the ratio that matters most to those who own homes and those who would like to.

Demographia calculates that home prices three times the median income are affordable, 3.1-4.0 are moderately unaffordable, 4.1-5.0 are seriously unaffordable and anything greater than 5.1 is severely unaffordable.

Canada's national median rating is 4.6. The highest is China's, at 11.4, and the lowest is the US at 3.3.

The most affordable major metropolitan area on the list this year was Atlanta. The least was Hong Kong, followed by Sydney, Vancouver and Melbourne.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Demographia

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The newest Waterfront Toronto park is moving closer to completion this week as granite curbstones are installed by city crews and the last few benches are put in place.

Work on the Sherbourne Common, which crept 20 metres into Lower Sherbourne last year, has closed northbound traffic on the street. The lanes will remain closed until the street is aligned with the new Dockside Drive being built to serve George Brown College's East Bayfront campus

Toronto Star architecture columnist Christopher Hume has called the $30-million park "one of a new breed of hybrid urban projects that have the potential to lead us into the future."

Sherbourne Common opened to the public on Sept. 24 last year, and will have its official opening when the final maples are planted this spring. The Sherbourne Common skating rink opened on Jan. 31.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Samantha Giileno

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The cold weather hasn't stopped work on the fireplace and pavillion in Don River Park, two of the standout features of the 18-acre, $26-million park.

"Some of it they can tent and tarp," says Waterfront Toronto spokeswoman Tari Stork, "some of it they can't." Other work, that involves excavation, is on hold until the ground thaws.

The fireplace is reportedly 75 per cent finished, and work on the pavilion is halfway done.

There is no set date for the completion of the two amenities, but the park is expected to be completed in the spring of 2012.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source; Tari Stork

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Construction is to begin in the next couple of weeks on the underground parking lot between York and Queens quays.

The much-delayed schedule was confirmed at the first meeting of the Construction Liaison Committee for what's being called the York Quay "revitalization" at the beginning of January. The committee was struck to deal with community questions regarding the project, scheduled to be finished by the summer of 2012.

The first step in construction, according to builder Ellis Don's project manager Anthony Bisanti, will be the concrete caissons being dug in to provide a structural framework for the lot. The work will go on weekdays from 7am to 7pm until Victoria Day, and will stop an hour earlier from Victoria Day to next Thanksgiving. When Saturday work is necessary, it will run between 9am and 6pm.

The especially noisy caisson phase of the work is expected to be finished before the spring.

The project is replacing 212 surface parking spots on a 1.4-hectare site with 302 underground spots.

The next meeting of the liaison committee has been scheduled for two weeks after construction commences.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Samantha Gileno

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The redevelopment of Dupont Street continues.

A notice of application sign went up recently on the fence surrounding 555 Dupont, reflecting an application by Sorenson Gravely Lowes Planning Associates Inc. last year to rezone the site between Manning and Palmerston. The site is the current home of Leal Rentals. The application is to allow the existing building to be transformed into a general retail building, something that in the plan bears some resemblance to a strip mall.

The site's current zoning is R2 Z1 which, according to the city, "permits a variety of residential and community services, but not the list of retail and restaurant uses proposed by the applicant."

There was a previous application, in 2006, reportedly by IDA, to rezone the site to allow a drugstore to go in, according to a city staff report. It was withdrawn after the city postponed its decision.

"We'll be scheduling a community meeting soon," says Barry Brooks, the senior planner in charge of the file. He figures it will probably be held in March.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Barry Brooks

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Work replacing and repairing the water main on The West Mall between Bloor and Burnhamthorpe has finally wrapped up.

Begun June 17, the 1.1km stretch of construction, which also included some maintenance work on the sewer, will cost the city $1.5 million, once the road resurfacing, scheduled for the spring, is done.

According to a spokeswoman from acting manager of structures and expressways Mike Laidlaw's office, who by City Hall rules is not allowed to be identified, the work was the result of a regular maintenance schedule.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Mike Laidlaw

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The urbanization of Markham continues with the imminent development of an 88-acre site near Unionville.

Though the towers will be high and tightly packed, totaling about 5,000 units, the $2.5-billion plan, developed with Kirkor, includes 50 acres of greenspace.

The site is currently undeveloped greenfield.

The first phase, two towers with 560 condos between them, is scheduled to begin construction later this year, with an end of 2013 or beginning of 2014 completion.

Elmar Busch, marketing director for the developer, Times Group Corp., says the project, named Uptown Markham, is "probably one of the three or five largest new developments in North America."

Despite its suburban location, greenfield construction and Markham's transit shortcomings, Uptown Markham is gunning for LEED Gold certification.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Elmar Busch

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Work started earlier this week on Eastern Avenue and Front Street.

The water main is being replaced on Eastern between Trinity and Sumach, as well as Front Street around Lower Jarvis.

In addition to the water main replacement, there will also be some resurfacing, and a combined sewer is being replaced on Eastern between Sherbourne and Sumach, as well as bits of sidewalk on Front Street, also around the Lower Jarvis area.

According to a source in the office of the manager of structures and expressways who cannot be named according to City Hall communication rules, the cost is expected to be $3 million. The work will be completed in the spring.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Mike Laidlaw

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As we move into high season for dog-shocking, Toronto Hydro says it's about a third of the way through replacing the equipment that's responsible for what they call contact voltage.

The random currents, which are created when wires shift and come into contact with metal handwells, visible in sidewalks as small round plates, tend to occur most during periods of freezing and thawing. Dogs are most affected, and can be jolted or killed when they step on the handwells with unprotected paws. Though there are thousands of handwells and seemingly hundreds of thousands of dogs, the incidence of dog-shocking has been extremely low.

According to Toronto Hydro spokeswoman Denise Atallah, there are more than 10,000 handwells in the city, and each takes about half a day for a crew to replace with new equipment, made of non-conducting polymer.

Toronto Hydro launched their second annual public safety campaign in mid-December, reminding people to be aware of the danger. It will run until the end of February.

In addition to replacing the handwells, a project that began in 2009, Toronto Hydro performs regular scans to detect wayward voltage.
"Although scanning and handwell replacement play a large part in reducing the incidents, it is a persistent problem," Atallah says, "which is why we remain in touch with the population to remain aware and stay away from equipment."

If you detect any stray voltage yourself, Atallah suggests you call the hotline at 416-222-3773.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Denise Atallah

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The centre of the development universe is swinging back downtown.

According to numbers just released by RealNet, 45% of all residential sales in the GTA 2010 took place in the 416 area code, almost double the 23 per cent it accounted for 10 years ago.

This is a result, according to RealNet president George Carras, of the city's almost decade-old plan to intensify. He pointed to King West, where 23 per cent of all sales occurred, as being a prime example of municipal-led development.

"The increases were uniform throughout [downtown]," Carras says, "but the market is still concentrated in various nodes."  And these nodes, he says, often exist as the result of various city initiatives involving rezoning or other development go-aheads or incentives.

The total new home market in the GTA increased in 2010 by about 8 per cent over the previous, radically underperforming year, according to RealNet numbers.

Writer: Bert Archer
Source: George Carras

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a new house being built in the neighbourhood? Please send your development news tips to [email protected].