Everyone loves live-work units, but are they affordable to artists? Most of those people don't earn well at all because it's notoriously difficult to monetize creativity.
I used to have old uni friends who lived in that building in the early 90s and it was chock full of artists... it was quite the community and the point was, it was very affordable. Lots of cool old space, off the beaten track - kind of a lovely secret. Alas, the city has drastically changed in terms of affordability. All the artists who used to live in places like this and what's now called Liberty Village - well, they wouldn't be able to afford such spaces anymore in contemporary times. But that's a whole other topic.

Anyway, I love this building. Like many here, I find what they propose to do neither terrible nor marvelous. I would love to see some further refinement in terms of the podium. The overall massing at the bottom feels stodgy and graceless.
 
Sorry, I don't think this proposal even deserves a "meh". The architecture is just bad, cheap, generic, soulless, with no connection to anything around it. The Junction Triangle has become a dumping ground for bottom-of-the-barrel architecture. We've got the unholy trinity of TF, G+C, and IBI all within a few blocks here, and it's a real shame. Never mind the displacement of artists and the destruction of the old industrial buildings that have defined the neighbourhood. Normally I'm the furthest thing from a NIMBY, but I don't want this crap in my back yard.
 
It's too bad they couldn't preserve that rustic organic feel at ground level as pictured on the Street View shots on the previous page while building up the new stuff "on top" of that. Despite the slanted/canted roofs of this, the renders seems to make the end result sterile, soulless and overly gentrified, IMO.
 
To me, as I've already mentioned to a couple friends, this plan looks like three guys in a 1970s Sears catalogue, each wearing a different, bizarrely coordinated yet clashing plaid suit from an in-house collection. It's cheap raid-the-clearance-rack architecture, where this site should be getting something tailor-made for it… and yes, there should be provision at ground level for studio space that could suit artists. There should be some rent protection for such units.

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To me, as I've already mentioned to a couple friends, this plan looks like three guys in a 1970s Sears catalogue, each wearing a different, bizarrely coordinated yet clashing plaid suit from an in-house collection.
So...polyester or corduroy?
 
On Toronto’s Sterling Road, an Artist Haven Faces Demolition

As development continues to re-shape the city, vibrant, densely populated buildings increasingly face the wrecking ball.

Stefan Novakovic
July 6, 2021

 
The prospect of losing this space to what is proposed is a travesty. The current buildings are so charming, this really is going to sterilize the area.
I wonder if some sort of “save the foundry” type movement could be replicated here. I know it’s a different situation with land ownership etc but I’m having a hard time thinking about letting this one go quietly…
 
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Event Information: 221-227 Sterling Rd Virtual Community Consultation Meeting

Date and time:Tuesday, October 5, 2021 6:30 pm
Eastern Daylight Time (Toronto, GMT-04:00)
Change time zone
Duration:2 hours
Description:
Join us for a Virtual Community Consultation Meeting to learn more about the proposed development application at 221-227 Sterling Road, which will include presentations and a Question and Answer period providing local residents and stakeholders the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.
 

221 Sterling Road - Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act
Origin
(November 10, 2021) Report from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning​
Recommendations
The Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 221 Sterling Road (including active entrances at 225 and 227 Sterling Road) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 221 Sterling Road (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (November 10, 2021) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.​
 
A letter from a group called, South Junction Triangle Grows, attached to the communications section:




sterl.JPG
sterl2.JPG
 
The "Blind Tiger" hair salon located in one of the units here have announced they're closing. Curious if this is the beginning of the exodus.

 

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