Here’s what developers want to build on a patch of Toronto Community Housing land in the Annex
What it is: A 28-storey, 315-unit condo tower with townhouses around its base, shown to the right in the rendering above. All of it would be built at 250 Davenport Road, near Avenue Road, on land owned by the Toronto Community Housing Corporation.
Pedigree: Diamondcorp, a relatively new developer with a few projects under construction in different parts of the city, partnered with Metropia to win the right to build on this parcel of land back in 2013. The designer is Tact.
Most promising feature: Because it owns the land, TCHC expects to earn a minimum of $31 million on this deal. Admittedly, that’s nothing compared to the amount of money the housing corporation actually needs (it’s currently short about $1.728 billion for repairs over the next decade), but the cash would make a difference—particularly to residents of the neighbouring TCHC rental building, a high rise built in 1968. That building would get much-needed repairs and improvements as a direct result of the transaction.
Risk factor: The developers have only just applied for rezoning, and city council hasn’t even formally given TCHC permission to sell the land, so this project still has a whole gauntlet of bureaucratic and political approvals ahead of it.
Likely opposition: The proposed construction site is currently a wide-open green space and parking garage for residents of the TCHC building. It also has 11 townhouse-style TCHC rental units on it, all of which would have to be demolished. Some tenants—particularly the ones living in those townhouses—won’t be happy about the change. The developers have pledged to build 11 new affordable-rental townhouses to compensate for the loss, though.
The odds: The developer’s pre-application meetings with city staff and TCHC residents have resulted in a relatively diplomatic proposal: the building doesn’t appear to be that much taller or bulkier than its older neighbour, and it preserves some parking and green space. That, combined with the promise of money for TCHC, should bring politicians onside.
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- A view of the proposed development looking south, across Pears Avenue. The 28-storey condo building would have townhouses around its base. The tall building on the left is an existing TCHC rental tower, built in 1968.
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- The development would take away some existing green space, but the new site layout includes this strip of grass, where a farmers' market like the one shown in this idyllic rendering could theoretically be held.
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- Here's how the development would look from Davenport.
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- And here's the view from Pears Avenue.
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, but the cash would make a difference—particularly to residents of the neighbouring TCHC rental building, a high rise built in 1968. That building would get much-needed repairs and improvements as a direct result of the transaction.
Risk factor: The developers have only just applied for rezoning, and city council hasn't even formally given TCHC permission to sell the land, so this project still has a whole gauntlet of bureaucratic and political approvals ahead of it.
Likely opposition: The proposed construction site is currently a wide-open green space and parking garage for residents of the TCHC building. It also has 11 townhouse-style TCHC rental units on it, all of which would have to be demolished. Some tenants—particularly the ones living in those townhouses—won't be happy about the change. The developers have pledged to build 11 new affordable-rental townhouses to compensate for the loss, though.
The odds: The developer's pre-application meetings with city staff and TCHC residents have resulted in a relatively diplomatic proposal: the building doesn't appear to be that much taller or bulkier than its older neighbour, and it preserves some parking and green space. That, combined with the promise of money for TCHC, should bring politicians onside.
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The town houses are close to being condemned, due to various structural issues. The green area is actually sitting on top of the original parking lot built almost 60 year, which could no longer hold the weight of all the vehicles it was designed for. The SSB level of the underground parking lot is constantly flooded, due to an underground creek/river that was built over years ago.
Don’t speculate on how people feel or will react if you can’t be bothered to actually talk to some of them
Why do these poor people even get a say in the matter? We subsidize their rent with OUR money as it is. Disgusting attitude. Be grateful you even have something to live in on pennies on the dollar of the actual cost.
1) The other concern is that it’s the third new condo construction on the block – or ~6th construction project within ~2 blocks – residents, offices, retail & restaurant businesses in the area, have already been through enough.
2) There are 2 *expensive* new condos going up on that block already, making this the third project (4 *new*, expensive condo towers), where is the demand for expensive housing coming from? Or is it the push for density, & resulting in foreign condo unit investment?
3) What’s happening to the many tall trees theyre planning to take down (or moving?)?
4) What are the eco sustainability features of the building?
5) Yes TCHC bldgs need upgrades, so money for that is positive.
6) What is being done to plan #CompleteStreetsTO in the area, in light of all the increased traffic from residents of the several new construction projects, incl once finished?
There was a cyclist killed a block away @ Ave/Dav a few weeks ago. There are multiple existing residences in area that includes seniors, and people who use scooters & other assistive devices, people who cycle, who walk, etc.
There’s a lack of space for dog owners to take their pets, unless they improve accessibility to cross Avenue Rd to reach the nearest park, Ramsden Park, just east of Avenue Rd & Pears Ave.
7) Are they putting a No Frills in the main/underground retail level? The area is already a food desert; it’s a “mixed demographic” area, yet:
Yorkville Whole Foods, The Food Depot (@Davenport/Dupont), “Bloor Street Market” (Loblaws) (@ Manulife Centre), Shoppers Drug Mart (@Spadina/Dupont), & the Metro (@ Spadina/Bloor), are expensive (plus, Metro quality lacks).
Local residents already travel to Parliament or Dufferin for No Frills or Food Basics,
or Christie, for Loblaws (read reviews of the latter @ Yelp.ca, it’s a crappy, expensive option), etc.
8) Not to mention, the question of how TCHC will spend the money: I’ve heard there have been issues abt resident engagement, & planning things that look pretty vs whats useful & needed, to the point the local Councillor, Joe Cressy, has been requested to be involved.
Planning could be handled a whole lot more efficiently, & responsive to residents’ & community’s needs.
PS please learn more about site: you’d see there is a paid public underground parking garage there, with its access from North side of site via Pears Ave, that’s used by the local construction crews, businesses, restaurants & patrons, etc.