[ADRM]

Well, here we go (through not as holistically as I and likely others had hoped for); from Bailao's newsletter:

Dufferin Mall Redevelopment Open House
The owners of the Dufferin Mall (Primaris Management Inc.) are currently exploring opportunities to redevelop the surface parking lots at the north part of the mall, where the Beer Store, Penningtons, and Taco Bell/KFC are currently located. I think that your involvement in this redevelopment is crucial and I am bringing this to your attention as soon as I became aware to ensure you have an opportunity to get involved.

The future redevelopment of this portion of the site is intended by Primaris to:

• Introduce new uses to the site, including purpose-built rental housing;
• Enhance the existing mall;
• Create a better pedestrian experience along Dufferin and Croatia streets through improved streetscaping and new retail;
• Provide new park space to complement Dufferin Grove;
• Replace the existing surface parking with below-grade parking.

Primaris would like to invite you their first public open house to learn about and provide feedback on their early ideas for the site and to share your thoughts on how the site should change.

Open House Details

Date: Monday January 21, 2018 (6:30-8:30pm)

Location: Bloor Collegiate Institute (Cafeteria), 1141 Bloor Street West

 

[Amare]

I can see my future career and business endeavors as a phychic booming:

Dufferin Mall is a very popular mall in Toronto, contrary to wider belief. With the huge amount of foot traffic available to that mall with the subway right next door, as well this pending project I dont see Dufferin Mall going anywhere. The only thing I see happening is significant renovations (on top of what Primaris REIT has just recently done).

I can see that happening as well, not just the northeast parking lot but the entire northern end of the mall where the Taco Bell/Pizza Hut are currently located. Parking can, and should be shifted underground.

Asides from that, I dont see the mall being redeveloped as a whole.

As per the rest of my vision I foresee:

-Park/Green Space being built right across the street from Dufferin Grove Park on the Eastern portion of the site (*if Primaris is really intent on providing new park space to complement Dufferin Grove as they say). If not, a nice condo with odd articulation will be developed on the current parking lot.

-Some kind of pedestian plaza/gateway on the northeast quadrant which will act as an "pathway" to Dufferin Mall

-2-3 condos lining Croatia street with some kind of retail on the podium levels, and one of them acting as an "extention" of sorts to the current Dufferin Mall either on the northen portion or northwestern section of the site.

-Future phases will involve burying the parking garage on Dufferin Street.

 

[AlbertC]

Improving the pedestrian experience on Croatia and transition between Dufferin Mall, the neighbouring major redevelopment and Bloor Street would be great. On weekends, the pedestrian flow between the subway station and mall is already at a fairly high volume along Dufferin and the make shift pathway cutting between the fast food building and church. An enhanced streetscape will definitely go a long way in developing a more integrated urban fabric.

 

[jaco_says]

-Park/Green Space being built right across the street from Dufferin Grove Park on the Eastern portion of the site (*if Primaris is really intent on providing new park space to complement Dufferin Grove as they say). If not, a nice condo with odd articulation will be developed on the current parking lot.

-Some kind of pedestian plaza/gateway on the northeast quadrant which will act as an "pathway" to Dufferin Mall

I would hope they instead put the park on the north-west side opposite of the future park from the Bloor/Dufferin development. They should also merge the road space between the then two parks into the park to make a single large park, but the city lacks the guts to do that.

 

[TrickyRicky]

I noticed that Pizza Hut took up a small storefront lease on Bloor Street somewhat recently. I thought at the time it might telegraph that the property owners were looking to do some redevelopment of the North end of the property and were letting the leases of existing tenants expire.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Bring it on!

What building is that hold-out on Croatia Street? Different owners I take it?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Bring it on!

What building is that hold-out on Croatia Street? Different owners I take it?

That would be Our Lady Queen of Croatia Church on Croatia Street.

Guess there is no empty stores for the church in Dufferin Mall.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

That would be Our Lady Queen of Croatia Church on Croatia Street.

Guess there is no empty stores for the church in Dufferin Mall.

Oh. That is awkward.

Churches are weird from a city-building perspective. Especially ones like this that I am going to take a guess and say probably does not have high heritage value. (It seems more of an immigrant community trying to find a space where they could).

I wonder if they can still be incorporated into the development somehow. Perhaps be given a beautiful space next door at the corner of Dufferin and Croatia street where the Pizza Hut currently resides.

 

[concrete_and_light]

I hope nobody's suggesting that it would be better if this was torn down...

This church being there will make everything else better around it — for the community and for the streetscape — and prevent a monotonous re-developed block.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

There are no pictures of the inside on google maps.

While it is pleasant from the Croatia Street side, the three other walls of this building turn its back to the outside world (for good reason, as it is surrounded by driveways and parking lot entrances).

A tear down should only be considered if it were to be replaced with something of the highest-grade and the current use retained. But I guess we don't do that in Toronto anyway, so it is better for all parties if this building is kept and Dufferin Mall develops around it.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Looks like until around the mid-1950's, the site of today's Dufferin Mall was a Horse Racing Track.

http://jpeg2000.eloquent-systems.com/toronto.html?image=ser12/s0012_fl1953_it0171.jp2

Which by 1957 became Dufferin Mall,... err, I mean PLAZA,.... Note: Dufferin Grove Park had road running through the middle!

http://jpeg2000.eloquent-systems.com/toronto.html?image=ser12/s0012_fl1957_it0136.jp2

1970: blocks of houses torn down for Brockton Stadium - likely Community Benefit payment for Plaza to Dufferin Mall addition/development.

Current church for Our Lady Queen Of Croatia Church built around 1965 - my opinion is Developer should try to do land swap with Church to move Church westward next to Brockton Stadium (where Pennington & Beer Store is now), Developer should also rebuild Church in exchange for their air-rights. If community centre involved, it would become half church & half City as per most Section37 Community Benefit & be open for public usage. BTW, City generally don't like Church expansion since Church don't pay property tax and take away land that would otherwise.

 

[concrete_and_light]

There are no pictures of the inside on google maps.

While it is pleasant from the Croatia Street side, the three other walls of this building turn its back to the outside world (for good reason, as it is surrounded by driveways and parking lot entrances).

A tear down should only be considered if it were to be replaced with something of the highest-grade and the current use retained. But I guess we don't do that in Toronto anyway, so it is better for all parties if this building is kept and Dufferin Mall develops around it.

It is a bunker for sure. Though a charming one, to me. It isn't even super to my taste, but rarely are buildings built with so much personality.

When I looked around it on streetview and saw its grim other three sides I thought, wow, they must have hardly any natural light in there. But from the satellite view it looks like they have skylights, so maybe it's nice in there.

The way it turns its back might end up even being a positive, allowing the new development to build right up to it in a denser way. And the bunker will be hidden on all but its nicest side!

 

[W. K. Lis]

The future redevelopment of this portion of the site is intended by Primaris to:

• Introduce new uses to the site, including purpose-built rental housing;
• Enhance the existing mall;
• Create a better pedestrian experience along Dufferin and Croatia streets through improved streetscaping and new retail;
• Provide new park space to complement Dufferin Grove;
• Replace the existing surface parking with below-grade parking.

Looks like until around the mid-1950's, the site of today's Dufferin Mall was a Horse Racing Track.
View attachment 166555http://jpeg2000.eloquent-systems.com/toronto.html?image=ser12/s0012_fl1953_it0171.jp2

Which by 1957 became Dufferin Mall,... err, I mean PLAZA,.... Note: Dufferin Grove Park had road running through the middle!
View attachment 166556http://jpeg2000.eloquent-systems.com/toronto.html?image=ser12/s0012_fl1957_it0136.jp2

1970: blocks of houses torn down for Brockton Stadium - likely Community Benefit payment for Plaza to Dufferin Mall addition/development.

Current church for Our Lady Queen Of Croatia Church built around 1965 - my opinion is Developer should try to do land swap with Church to move Church westward next to Brockton Stadium (where Pennington & Beer Store is now), Developer should also rebuild Church in exchange for their air-rights. If community centre involved, it would become half church & half City as per most Section37 Community Benefit & be open for public usage. BTW, City generally don't like Church expansion since Church don't pay property tax and take away land that would otherwise.

The original Dufferin Plaza (and later Mall) tore down housing, mainly for the northeast parking lot (and the church). At least the new plan hopefully continues with the rental housing.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

View attachment 166548

I hope nobody's suggesting that it would be better if this was torn down...

This church being there will make everything else better around it — for the community and for the streetscape — and prevent a monotonous re-developed block.

Let's pray to God now ( literally, like we are in mass ), that that church is not demolished because it well, is the only building that is not a restaurant or commercial. Now, open to the Bible Verse...

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Interior shot of Church sanctuary,.... lots of bare bricks - like many institutional structures from mid-1960's built for the Baby Boomers,.....

http://www.torontozupa.com/site/obavijesti/starije-obavijesti-2012

Developer is proposing Rental & park space (extension of Dufferin Grove Park on west side of Dufferin),.... Developer really wants rezoning for much higher height and density so land become much more profitable,.... but this Church is at north end (next to new high density development to north at Bloor) and 2nd from Dufferin,.... thus, given transition, height and density likely higher for this site than other on Developer's property,.... IE Church's high value air-rights give Church lots of leverage,...

Oh, let there be light,.... Church should be able to negotiate for new rebuilt Church with new (joint City) Community Centre