A look at how developers want to transform the intersection of King and Dufferin
What it is: A complete reinvention of the intersection of King Street West and Dufferin Street. The proposal is for two condo buildings with retail at ground level. One, on the northeast corner of the intersection, would have 21 floors and 448 residential units. The other building, on the southwest corner, would have 19 floors and 301 units. The existing BMO branch on the southwest corner would stay where it is.
Pedigree: Lifetime Developments had a hand in another neighbourhood-defining project: the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences in Yorkville. The designer, Core Architects, is responsible for glass boxes all over town, including one on the former site of Frank Gehry’s grandmother’s house.
Most promising feature: Unless you want an Egg McMuffin or a haircut, there’s not much for you to do or eat at King and Dufferin. This development would bring almost 58,000 square feet of spanking new retail space to the intersection, giving Liberty Villagers a much-needed respite from all the dog poop and mac and cheese debris.
Risk factor: This would be a dramatic, attention-grabbing change to an important intersection. The extra scrutiny could force the developers to make more compromises than usual.
Likely opposition: Roti fans? The development would force out Island Foods, a Caribbean restaurant with four stars on Yelp. Residents of neighbouring Parkdale may object to the everything-all-at-once nature of the proposal, which totals 40 storeys between the two buildings.
The odds: Clearly, something needs to happen on this corner. Some version of this will probably end up being built.
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- A view of the intersection, looking south. The near building would be 21 storeys and the far building would be 19.
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- A view of the building proposed for the northeast corner, as it would look from King Street.
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- A view of the building proposed for the southwest corner, as it would look from King Street.
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- This drawing shows how the proposed buildings would relate to the rest of the neighbourhood.
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What it is: A complete reinvention of the intersection of King Street West and Dufferin Street. The proposal is for two condo buildings with retail at ground level. One, on the northeast corner of the intersection, would have 21 floors and 448 residential units. The other building, on the southwest corner, would have 19 floors and 301 units. The existing BMO branch on the southwest corner would stay where it is.
Pedigree: Lifetime Developments had a hand in another neighbourhood-defining project: the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences in Yorkville. The designer, Core Architects, is responsible for glass boxes all over town, including one on the former site of Frank Gehry's grandmother's house.
Most promising feature: Unless you want an Egg McMuffin or a haircut, there's not much for you to do or eat at King and Dufferin. This development would bring almost 58,000 square feet of spanking new retail space to the intersection, giving Liberty Villagers a much-needed respite from all the dog poop and mac and cheese debris.
Risk factor: This would be a dramatic, attention-grabbing change to an important intersection. The extra scrutiny could force the developers to make more compromises than usual.
Likely opposition: Roti fans? The development would force out Island Foods, a Caribbean restaurant with four stars on Yelp. Residents of neighbouring Parkdale may object to the everything-all-at-once nature of the proposal, which totals 40 storeys between the two buildings.
The odds: Clearly, something needs to happen on this corner. Some version of this will probably end up being built.
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I will admit that what is currently there isn’t very pretty but these building arent much of an improvement
Likely opposition? How about people with real concerns about tiny, overpriced condos that barely last 10 years taking over another great neighbourhood that’s actually affordable. Keep your condos out of Parkdale; those of us who live here prefer it the way it is. If ind the tongue-in-cheek tone of this article just offensive because it ignores real issues our city is facing about the lack of affordable housing, and the people who get displaced thanks to these “glass boxes all over town.”
I own the hair salon at Dufferin and King (Boyana Hairworks). Don’t listen to ol’ Steve, everyone. Boyana Hairworks has been where it is since Thatcher, Reagan and Mulroney were fucking things up so you can bet the farm that we’re not leaving because of a condo. We’re Boyana Hairworks for Christ’s sake.
Check us out for unpretentious service at unpretentious prices. I bet there’ll be a cool song playing when you walk in.
boyanahairworks.com
I live and own in Parkdale and this is very welcome. That corner needs to be developed. Nobody will be displaced; there isn’t any residential at this spot. The city needs density at key intersections and this is a step in the right direction.
Not if I have to listen to that language, I won’t.
I seriously doubt this will happen as who would want tolive next to some of places around this especially the people who hang around the street in front of McD’s. Akelius took over all the gov’t owned apartment buildings and now charge extortionate rents. This will push out any low income persons out of the area. Starbucks moved in after I left and I don’t regret going as it’s sketchy after 4pm around there. You know Perks won’t allow it or make trouble anyhow as he skuppered the Giraffe over at Dundas West so I say good luck to them as I seriously doubt any of this will happen. So why not just take over that building as this old eyesore next to the Dundas West subway has been dead for years about time someone took it over and did something with it. The poor have to live somewhere bad enough the gov’t is kissing butts and shoving others out on them and even private landlords making it hard for even for the apartments left over making us put up with a lot just to have somewhere to live. What happened to affordable housing? Connect Housing is a joke and Habitat for humanity has been given condos for families etc.. not for people like me and they also get to be on CH list too. 10 yrs is the wait for most on the list as much as TCHC. I pay mkt rent myself for a squalid bsmt flat for more than it’s worth forcing me to ration my food to have a roof over my head. Discrimination of the disabled doesn’t help either as gov’t can’t be bothered to regulate landlords so they can’t do this. Landlord and tenant don’t make me laugh are a joke. I moved away from this area because it was unsafe for me and this little pretencious glass buildings will not change a thing.
WHY does something need to happen on this corner? Because of the influx of hipsters? People in that n’hood can’t afford $300K+ condos. That is one of the few n’hoods where there is affordable, decent housing.
I’m residential at that spot, they are forcing me and all my neighbors to move out. I live in 295 dufferin. I get offered a unit. Half the size when completion is done… In what 3 years? Let me kick you out of your house, but you can have it back in 2-3 years at the same cost.. But less then half the size.
Dog poop, and Mac and cheese. Liberty village isn’t so great. But I guess if the dog poop is in a dog bag it is acceptable left on the sidewalk… You want over priced condos. (Ugly at that) to take away communnity. You want diversity, but you really don’t. I find it amusing that you want people to run your metros your stores your coffee shops. But you don’t want them to live in the area. Your pretty much destroying a chunk of Toronto. If you don’t like this side of Toronto, don’t come near it. Because plenty of us do.
Is this racist?
Who said anything about racism?