Toronto 36Hazelton | ?m | 7s | Alterra | BDP Quadrangle

riley

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I was just walking my dog this evening and we strolled down Hazelton Ave, and I noticed a zoning application notice that said they are going to be building an 8 storey residence with gallery space on the first floor, and retaining the existing facade of the brick building that exists there now. I think this is a phenomenal location, Hazelton is one of my favourite streets in the city. This will be a great project if the other residents on the street don't try to argue against it, which they may given all the buildings on that part of the street are houses. However the Hazelton Hotel is at the foot of the street, so maybe they won't care about another low rise condo. Does anyone know anything about this project?
 
St. Basils.

StBasilsSchool.jpg
 
from towncrieronline.ca, looks like there will be some NIMBY resistance to this one...isn't Richard Wookey the guy who built Hazelton Lanes? ironic for him to be a NIMBY...

Community meeting split over mid-rise condo
(Posted Date: Thursday, October 16, 2008)

By Kris Scheuer

A project to redevelop a Yorkville property into a mid-rise condo tower is either the best thing that could happen or wreck the community forever.

At a standing room only meeting Oct. 2, people who work and live in the neighbourhood expressed strong, but opposing views about the development proposal at 34 to 38 Hazelton Ave.

The plan is to keep the facade of the two-storey former St. Basil’s School and add an eight-storey glass and steel extension in the rear to accommodate 39 condos.

Asko Marjanovic went to St. Basil’s and told the Town Crier he wants the project scaled down.

“I’d like to see less height – five storeys,” said Marjanovic, who owns a Hazelton Ave. property. “I don’t get how stone and brick will mix with steel and glass.”

One of his neighbours at 55 Hazelton Ave. told the audience of about 80 people to hold onto what they have now.

“It’s one of the jewels recognized around the world. Do not give it up,” said the man, who’s lived in the area for 25 years. “You are getting dangerously close to losing the neighbourhood.

“You put eight floors behind a school and it becomes like any other street in urban Cincinnati.”

But not everyone saw it that way.

A woman, who works in the area, said the project would be a welcome addition.

“I am surrounded by the most atrocious architecture,” she said. “I think this is great.”

A half-dozen residents stood up to praise the architectural design by award winning firm Peter Marino.

Another area resident, Richard Wookey, disagreed.
He bought his first property in Yorkville back in 1967. He now owns about 30 residential and commercial properties along Hazleton and Yorkville.

“This is an area where we try to preserve a way of life,” he said. “This is totally out of context with what’s there.”

City planner Louis Tinker explained the official plan designates the site as a neighbourhood, which aims to keep any new development around three or four storeys.

The existing property has further heritage protections.

“This site is located in the Yorkville Village precinct with urban design guidelines and is in a heritage conservation district,” he said.

According to the 34-page Yorkville-Hazelton Heritage Conservation District plan, additions must be compatible with the character, scale, and form of the existing building.

Peter Smith, a planner with Bousfields who working for the developer, said he’s worked in heritage conservation districts before.

“They are not intended to be a freeze on development or a shrink wrap on the area,” he added.

As far as local resident John Caliendo is concerned the development is a “striking building in the wrong place.”

“We are going to demand it be refused,” said Caliendo, co-president of the Avenue Bloor Cottingham Residents’ Association.

The project is early in the process, as a planning report has yet to be written.

Toronto Centre-Rosedale councillor Kyle Rae told the audience, “The architecture is fantastic, but the height violates the heritage conservation district that we put in. That’s a problem.

“People can see the merits of this project, but there are issues to be resolved.”
 
They're calling it a 2 storey building but it looks to have the height of maybe 3 to 4 storeys. I don't have a problem with the 8 storey addition especially since the additional storeys are at the back of the building. It wouldn't be too imposing. I think they'll probably settle on 5 or 6 storeys, this is a tough neighbourhood to build in.
 
“This site is located in the Yorkville Village precinct with urban design guidelines and is in a heritage conservation district,†he said.

This is what they are "complaining" about.
 
Has anybody heard if there was any resolution to the zoning issues for this project? Does anyone know if this project will still go ahead given the current economic climate?
 
Just saw you posted this report, thanks Solaris. I agree that after looking at the illustrations in that report, an 8 storey condo on that cute bucolic little street would look really out of place. It should be half the height.
 
I just spoke to the planner about this project and he said the developer had submitted a revised proposal that removed one of the floors, so it is now a 7 storey building. This is hardly a concession. The planner also told me that the developer already had approval on a previous application for the site, which is to build 3 storey townhouses there. That would be perfect, but I guess he's going for a condo for now. Also, the developer is apparently shopping the site to long-term leasers, so it doesn't look like he plans to do anything thing for quite a while.
 
The plan maintains the school’s front façade but will eliminate 3 exterior walls to construct the residential building. The proposal includes a ground-level art gallery, rooftop penthouse, condominium units set back about seven metres from the existing façade and 3 levels of underground parking for 67 cars.

I'm not sure the height as the original proposal was for eight floors and riley noted that a revised proposal is 7 floors. I've heard two floors were removed with a further setback on the penthouse floor.
 
The plan maintains the school’s front façade but will eliminate 3 exterior walls to construct the residential building. The proposal includes a ground-level art gallery, rooftop penthouse, condominium units set back about seven metres from the existing façade and 3 levels of underground parking for 67 cars.

I'm not sure the height as the original proposal was for eight floors and riley noted that a revised proposal is 7 floors. I've heard two floors were removed with a further setback on the penthouse floor.

Mike, do you have any idea if this proposal is going to be marketed anytime soon or if it will wait for the market to improve. I'm really interested in this one. I've lived in 18 Yorkville since the beginning and it's turning into a rich kid rental building. A nice lowrise on hazelton would be great.
 
It's recommended that city council should kill this project because it would destroy the heritage aspect of the building and it doesn't fit in with the rest of the street.
 

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