They have to keep that Victorian. Surprised it's not on the heritage registry which will force them to. Otherwise should not get built
 
Good builder/architect would find a way to retain the house or re-position it somewhere on the site.

It should be read as an asset of ground level and a supplement to the public realm, as well as an opportunity to introduce different commercial uses on the property.
 
Despite being pretty bland this proposal having not just retail but also live-work units is nice to see in comparison to just the usual lobby situation.
Yeah, the podium uses are by far the best part of the design. Would have been nice to get a brick tower above it or something instead of the ultra-bland box they designed.
 
Do they not have to replace the office space? (And where is the Catholic Children's Aid Society moving too?)

42
 
Agree this might have been a good opportunity for brick(ish) tower... maybe some "Morgan" yellow rather than Selby redux.

But as bland goes, this is good bland... some nice details compared to other infill beasts which I will not mention. Solid addition.
 
Do they not have to replace the office space? (And where is the Catholic Children's Aid Society moving too?)

42

Based on this article from May 9/2018, they may be transitioning from having four locations across the city towards a single east end location:

Citing increased workload demands, wages that are being eroded by inflation and chronic underfunding to services, workers at Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto have voted overwhelmingly in favour of authorizing their union to take strike action if a fair deal cannot be reached in the current round of contract negotiations.

Catholic Children's Aid Society Toronto (CCAS) is set to transition from having four locations across the city to a single east end location, a move that the union believes will make service, including regular supervised access visits, unmanageable for many families, putting undue stress on the families that rely on CCAS services and the workers who deliver them.

 
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Agree this might have been a good opportunity for brick(ish) tower... maybe some "Morgan" yellow rather than Selby redux.

But as bland goes, this is good bland... some nice details compared to other infill beasts which I will not mention. Solid addition.

Yes exactly. This is a perfect example of a developer trying to get away with the bare minimum, which we so whole-heartedly accept here in Toronto.

The city needs to specifically demand this developer used a brick veneer in place of the spandrel or no approval of any sort. Done. Take a stand here.

Only in Toronto would brick veneer as an exterior finish be considered some kind of luxury.
 
Yes exactly. This is a perfect example of a developer trying to get away with the bare minimum, which we so whole-heartedly accept here in Toronto.

The city needs to specifically demand this developer used a brick veneer in place of the spandrel or no approval of any sort. Done. Take a stand here.

Only in Toronto would brick veneer as an exterior finish be considered some kind of luxury.
Which they have no legal power to do. How many times does this need to be repeated?
 
Well, obviously the house is not staying because it has way more style than the new building. As for the podium? Why retail? This is a side street. Put some townhouse units there.
 
A lot of the side streets in the area have retail near Yonge, although this is a little further down the street than most, I guess. Personally, I'd rather have retail that animates the street than townhouses anyway. Although mostly I'm just glad it's not a giant glass-walled lobby like most of Charles St has become.
 
My vote is for community/arts space or daycare. these are tangible things that help improve a community - aesthetics aside.
If we are expecting people to live and work downtown and to raise families here, then we need to push for the amenities that go along with it. The Daycare waiting list is massive and having more families in the area will only grow that. Covering the capital costs of construction, through s37 benefits and deeper negotiations with the City/Councillor would be a great way to start. Operating costs are another issue to solve after.

Its early stages, so lets see what happens!
 
34 Maitland on the other side is boarded up but is not part of this project. It must not be owned by Plaza, but maybe somebody was thinking to make some money or do some block-busting. My guess is Plaza did not like the asking price.

I do agree that daycare would be a good use.
 
Toronto and East York Community Council consideration on January 8, 2020
TE12.27
ACTION​
Ward: 13​
20-26 Maitland St - Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment Applications - Preliminary Report


Summary
This report provides information and identifies a preliminary set of issues regarding the application for a 45-storey mixed use building located at 20-26 Maitland Street. Staff are currently reviewing the application. It has been circulated to all appropriate agencies and City divisions for comment. Staff will proceed to schedule a community consultation meeting for the application with the Ward Councillor.​
 

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