Makeover of Inn finally underway
November 21, 2006)
By Lorianna De Giorgio
Town Crier Online
Link to Article
KEEPING FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The old hotel's distinctive entrance is being kept in the facilities new design.
Inn on the Park’s transformation from a rundown hotel into a multi-use facility is underway. That’s great news for Bryan Rowntree, president of Rowbry Holding Ltd. and owner of the landmark site.
While Rowntree purchased the site about two years ago, a series of delays had halted redevelopment. A positive public consultation meeting in September, in which the community gave its ap-proval of the site, finally gave him the green light.
"We don’t just sit on a property," Rowntree said during a recent tour of the complex on the northeast corner of Eglinton Ave. East and Leslie St. "We should be open by now."
A major delay in the site’s makeover came earlier this year, when the property’s oldest structure was torn down to make way for the first phase of the project: two car dealerships on the southwest corner of the site.
The Toronto Preservation Board objected to the demolition of the 1960s-era building, arguing it should be saved and designated a historical structure. The city ultimately sided with Rowntree and the building, which used to operate as the Four Seasons Hotel, was torn down in the spring.
"The historical group held us up for a long time," said Rowntree. "People who say (the building shouldn’t have been torn down) never really looked at the building.
"One third of the (hotel’s) rooms were uninhabitable."
Rowntree’s plan does, however, retain some original elements from Inn on the Park’s glory days.
The ballroom, restaurant and several boardrooms are being restored, allowing Rowntree’s car dealership company to get into the boardroom and restaurant business.
On top of that, the 22-storey tower will be renovated and turned into a seniors residence, and high-end retail stores will eventually be built on the property.
Although there is some concern from the residents in neighbouring condominiums about the increase in traffic the new development might create, overall the community is supportive of the devel-opment, says Rowntree. He added that traffic won’t increase as much as it would have, had a new hotel been built there.
The plans are all part of an effort to bring life to the landmark site and introduce 300-plus jobs to the area, he explained during the tour.
"This is a site that sat empty for two years," Rowntree said. "Nobody could make it work as a hotel."
He predicts the first phase of the project will be up and running within a year. Once it gets final city approvals for minor plan amendments and rezoning changes, the entire redevelopment should be completed by 2009.
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Does anyone have the new rendering for this site?