They city won't approve it unless Diamondcorp buys the 3 brown houses South of the lot. The rendering shows the 3 brown houses, so I guess they haven't been bought yet.
 
How can the city do that? Besides, those are aren't homes, it's a small, old and well maintained (presumably with apartments above) retail strip that gives that side of the street a splash of charactor next to the great looking school to the south. I'm all for this project, but not if it means demolishing that strip.
 
Unless what is meant is that the developer needs to buy the properties to transfer the density rights?
 
I'm not a planner but that doesn't sound fair, the proposal seems fine the way it is and I don't see those ridiculously high projects north of College on Yonge Street having to purchase properties next door to secure the density they want.
 
dt_toronto_geek said:
How can the city do that? Besides, those are aren't homes, it's a small, old and well maintained (presumably with apartments above) retail strip that gives that side of the street a splash of charactor next to the great looking school to the south. I'm all for this project, but not if it means demolishing that strip.
Click to expand...

It would be hard to fit in future development on that small strip. By including it as part of a larger lot, the city won't have to worry about that small plaza being stuck there forever like the parking lot next to 300 Front St. Besides, small tacky strips like that one need to leave the core, in my opinion...
 
GenericUser said:
It would be hard to fit in future development on that small strip. By including it as part of a larger lot, the city won't have to worry about that small plaza being stuck there forever like the parking lot next to 300 Front St. Besides, small tacky strips like that one need to leave the core, in my opinion...
Click to expand...

Now we're comparing parking lots to a decent (albeit not extraordinary) heritage property? Good grief. What's wrong with being "stuck" with decent, old building stock? Further, there's a pizza joint, a variety store and something else in there that I can't remember offhand. Small "tacky" shops like independent restaurants, variety stores, coffee joints, costume shops, hair & nail salons, clothing stores, health food stores, book stores, small galleries, adult novelty shops, used record/CD/DVD shops etc. do well downtown and are much more interesting than many chain stores or 90% of anything that can be found in the base of new condos or worse, "big corporate" shopping malls. If you don't like it just move or stay far, far away.
 
dt_toronto_geek said:
I'm not a planner but that doesn't sound fair, the proposal seems fine the way it is and I don't see those ridiculously high projects north of College on Yonge Street having to purchase properties next door to secure the density they want.
Click to expand...

It's not just about density. Guidelines are pretty clear on what they define as a "small site". Currently, this is a small site.
 
Well, that's a shame IMO. I'm still looking forward to this project moving forward, it's a great location for some density and the design seems good.
 
It looks like it is 39 storeys now and now has 9% 3 bedroom units; also includes 8 Habitat for Humanity units that must average 950 sq ft/unit.

Approved by city staff:

This application proposes to construct a 35-storey (108 metre) condominium tower
inclusive of a 4 storey base building at the property known municipally as 159 Wellesley
Street East. . The plan proposes to increase the height and density of a prominent corner
lot; it replaces a contaminated brown-field property that has sat vacant for several years
with one that increases the usability, efficiency and density of the land, while minimizing
the impact on local residents.

City Planning Staff have reviewed the application against applicable policies and
guidelines and believe that the application conforms to Official Plan Policies and
meets the intent of most applicable urban design guidelines. The applicant has
responded to the comments of City Staff and made a number of changes to the
overall design that minimize the impact on the Wellesley-Magill Park, ensure an
adequate supply of parking and improve the public realm. The applicant has also
proposed to supply 8 units of low cost ownership housing stock in partnership
with Habitat for Humanity.

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2013.TE22.2
 
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