AlbertC

AlbertC

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Large development for the NW corner of Bloor & Madison (one block east of Spadina station). Currently a low-rise building for the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association and some space in the back.

http://app.toronto.ca/DevelopmentAp...icationsList.do?action=init&folderRsn=3690577

316 BLOOR ST W
Ward 20 - Tor & E.York District

Rezoning application for a 42 storey mixed use building including at grade commercial space and condominium units.
 
This is just a block away from my apartment up at Spadina/Lowther.

Personally I think this could be great, but I expect some of my neighbours to differ in their opinion. One of the positives is that it would replace one of the dead spaces that separates the Spadina-Bathurst retail strip from the Yorkville strip. While there's some retail between Avenue and Spadina, the more the gaps get filled, the happier I will be.

I've also been wondering why more condos have not been proposed in the area. There is a shortage of supply of condos nearby. The one on the southwest corner of Spadina attracts ridiculous prices for poor layouts. B. Streets is nice, but the only new building to the area in a while.

ETA: Looking at the site on Google Earth, I'm wondering how they're going to build the foundation. I know workarounds were used at Exhibit a bit further east because of the subway, but I think this would be even more complicated given the proximity of the streetcar loop.
 
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Ottawan said:
This is just a block away from my apartment up at Spadina/Lowther.

Personally I think this could be great, but I expect some of my neighbours to differ in their opinion. One of the positives is that it would replace one of the dead spaces that separates the Spadina-Bathurst retail strip from the Yorkville strip. While there's some retail between Avenue and Spadina, the more the gaps get filled, the happier I will be.

I've also been wondering why more condos have not been proposed in the area. There is a shortage of supply of condos nearby. The one on the southwest corner of Spadina attracts ridiculous prices for poor layouts. B. Streets is nice, but the only new building to the area in a while.
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I used to live roughly at this intersection. It's a relatively busy, but unexciting and unattractive part of Bloor. Could definitely use some life. I wonder if this has anything to do with U of T - lots of buildings owned by them in this area.
 
Ottawan said:
ETA: Looking at the site on Google Earth, I'm wondering how they're going to build the foundation. I know workarounds were used at Exhibit a bit further east because of the subway, but I think this would be even more complicated given the proximity of the streetcar loop.
Click to expand...

The site is pretty much ringed on three sides by the subway and underground streetcar loop, but is not on top of any tunnels. This would, therefore, be more like building One Bloor than Exhibit.

42
 
The Annex Residents Asscn. will, without a doubt, fight this proposal tooth-and-nail. I think this is an appropriate site for density, but I think 42 stories is too tall here. Bloor West of Walmer is predominantly low to mid rise and there should be some transition between high rise Yorkville and the scale of the Annex west of Spadina. Furthermore, I think this would be a prime candidate for a parking-free development as it lies near the intersection of the two subway lines and will probably be full of students in the end, anyway.
 
UrbanFervour said:
The Annex Residents Asscn. will, without a doubt, fight this proposal tooth-and-nail. I think this is an appropriate site for density, but I think 42 stories is too tall here. Bloor West of Walmer is predominantly low to mid rise and there should be some transition between high rise Yorkville and the scale of the Annex west of Spadina. Furthermore, I think this would be a prime candidate for a parking-free development as it lies near the intersection of the two subway lines and will probably be full of students in the end, anyway.
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Agreed. I could see well-executed midrise working well here. 42 storey glass tower would be par for the course a few blocks east, but would be monolithic here. It would dwarf UTS across the street, which I love.
 
I think this too tall for the area. 20 stories is the max for this part of Bloor and neighbourhood. A 42 story building is not appropriate for that community and would overwhelm the street.

It's when you get proposals like this that you remember that not all NIMBYism is bad.
 
Gotzvon said:
Agreed. I could see well-executed midrise working well here. 42 storey glass tower would be par for the course a few blocks east, but would be monolithic here. It would dwarf UTS across the street, which I love.
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Huh:confused:, look next door, 42s may be too tall for here, but they will at least get 25s-28s.....remember, The city of Toronto defines a mid-rise as a building between 4s and 12s stories.

 
As a UofT student living quite near to the area, bit north of brunswick and harbord, I think this would be a great addition to the lack of housing to accommodate UofT students. I believe a lot of the opposition to developments in many of the areas bordering UofT are just landlords who already gutted they're houses and divided it up into multiple miniscule rooms pushing as much rent income as they can out of students. The less competition they have in the student housing market the more they can charge students in rent.

Also the north side of Bloor from St.George st to Spadina seems really bland and concrete. Hopefully the tower that gets built is architecturally sound and has a warm street level feel.
 
I wish the Bahai'i would do something with their property as well. It's the other squat, brick building on that stretch that could be opened up to new retail and more city-friendly architecture.
 
Why on earth is 42 storeys too tall here? Being so close to multiple subway stations and streetcar lines, it should be as tall as possible.

Yes, things west of here are weirdly short. Why should that determine the future of this area? Buildings here need to get taller, saliently the Scotiabank/7-11 corners and west.

This part of Bloor is one of the ugliest, most barren, and least vibrant. It needs all the development (and retail) it can get.
 
According to RealNet, this site was purchased back in April 2012 by Forest Hill Homes (316 Bloor West Toronto Developments Ltd) for $12.5M.....0.264 AC. Developer looking to build one high-density residential building consisting of approx. 120,000 SF.
 
At 42 storeys, that would make it approximately 2860 square feet per floor. That's about 2/5ths the size of the average point tower floor plate, and maybe 4 or 5 suites per floor, 6 if they are microsuites. It's a small lot, so it's not a surprise that something skinny is being proposed here.

42
 
arvelomcquaig said:
Why on earth is 42 storeys too tall here? Being so close to multiple subway stations and streetcar lines, it should be as tall as possible.

Yes, things west of here are weirdly short. Why should that determine the future of this area? Buildings here need to get taller, saliently the Scotiabank/7-11 corners and west.

This part of Bloor is one of the ugliest, most barren, and least vibrant. It needs all the development (and retail) it can get.
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Agreed. Let the Nimby's have Walmer to Bathurst. This stretch of Bloor (and Spadina to Sussex while we're at it) should be fair game.
 
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