Toronto 6 Lloyd | 56.8m | 17s | Carlyle Communities | RAW Design

Mike in TO

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The OMB issued a decision denying this week on the conversion of industrial lands in the St. Clair West and Keele area for a condo proposal, supporting city council’s position but not that of the local councillor (Frances
Nunziata). Terrasan Corporation had proposed to redevelop the site of the former Benjamin Moore paint facility with two condos (18s & 21s), while retaining a two-storey building for office uses. City council rejected the proposal at its Sept 26 and 27, 2007 meeting and staff appeared before the OMB to oppose the proposed official plan and zoning by-law amendments on
the grounds that the site should be retained for industrial uses.

The site, at 6 Lloyd Avenue, southeast of Keele Street and St. Clair Avenue West, is close to other active industrial sites, in an area largely occupied by low-rise housing.
 
Thanks for posting this Mike. Too often the OMB is seen as simply a rubber stamp for the development industry.

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Yes, here they made a good decision. Building high density residential neighbouring a large and busy rubber factory is bound to lead to many problems. The quality of life for residents of the building would be lower with the noise and pollution, and it would be harder for the company to operate.

I cynically assumed that the OMB would approve this too, though.
 
I tend to agree with Urbandreamer on this one. The area is in transition away from industrial uses. If the city wanted to maintain industrial or "employment" uses, they have had a number of occasions to do that. A prime opportunity will present itself when the application comes forward for the NW corner of St. Clair and Keele, a much more appropriate location for employment uses in any case.

The SE quadrant of St. Clair and Keele is predominantly residential, not industrial, even though it features several car repair places. The Benjamin Moore site is an excellent location for residential, being immediately adjacent to existing residential, although 18 and 21 storeys is perhaps out of scale to the mainly lowrise neighbourhood. Maintaining obsolete industrial uses on this minor, residential street is wrong.
 
I tend to agree with Urbandreamer on this one. The area is in transition away from industrial uses. If the city wanted to maintain industrial or "employment" uses, they have had a number of occasions to do that. A prime opportunity will present itself when the application comes forward for the NW corner of St. Clair and Keele, a much more appropriate location for employment uses in any case.

The SE quadrant of St. Clair and Keele is predominantly residential, not industrial, even though it features several car repair places. The Benjamin Moore site is an excellent location for residential, being immediately adjacent to existing residential, although 18 and 21 storeys is perhaps out of scale to the mainly lowrise neighbourhood. Maintaining obsolete industrial uses on this minor, residential street is wrong.

That whole area bounded by St. Clair to the north, Keele to the west, the railway to the east, and Junction road to the south is an unfortunate mix of industrial and residential. The street Benjamin Moore was one transitions into Cawthra, which is ninety nine percent commercial/industrial, with a large commercial bakery. The rest of this zone has dozens of garages, and smaller businesses like a cheese company, a Polish butcher, and a uniform cleaning company literally between houses. Keeping employment in the area is positive, and there are no signs that the rubber plant has any intention of moving. The remaining businesses aren't in a hurry to move out.

Also, regarding the land at the northwest corner of St. Clair and Keele, an application has been submitted for a suburban style plaza with big box retail.
 
Fortress Real Capital lists this as coming soon.

Rendering also found on Terrasan's website:

lloyd8.jpg
 
That explains the renew work on the site the last 2 months.

I agree we are chasing too many business away from the rail line, as well been a sound breaker for residential buildings.

Having a place to live and work in the same area as well a place to play needs to be more than throwing up residential buildings only.

I would no be surprise to see a 30m set back imposed for the buildings from the rail corridor ROW.

If the 30m is imposed, it will eat up almost all the of north end of the land.
 
Hopefully, National Rubber next door will move away. They don't invest anything in pollution control and their plume of toxic pollution means that no higher buildings can be built in the immediate area. It probably discourages investment in the area, depressing it. I don't have anything against the other industrial and commercial users who produce goods and provide services; Mulock Avenue is a fascinating mix of small-scale industrial operations literally next door to generally well maintained houses with a great canopy of mature oak trees. There wouldn't be any serious issues by adding some new residential into the mix with National Rubber gone, provided that planning prevents it from going entirely residential.

I'd also like to point out a troubling fact. The developer seemed to engage in blockbusting at this location, demolishing some Victorian houses on Mulock Avenue neighbouring the paint factory. The firm also bought and shuttered two decent houses across the street, which now look sad and fenced off with temporary fencing. Mulock Avenue north of Lloyd is now looking like a stalled construction zone: dirty, decayed, and sucked of its vitality.
 
btw Mike in TO, the original OMB refusal had nothing to do with the city requiring industrial land be retained, but rather neighbouring Canada Bread issues...

Canada Bread is gone now, and with the Stockyards retail development going on, I'm wondering when this project is going to get underway.

With a future station on an electrified Kitchener line at St Clair, this area is one that's definitely gonna change in the next few years.
 
http://stantonrenaissance.com/portfolio/praesent-commodo-cursus/


Vision / total revitalization
Location / Keele and St Claire
Timeline / 2 years

Located in the Keele and St Claire Junction area, 6 Lloyd will be a total revitalization of what has become a derelict, depressed community. Included in this ambitious residential development is a vibrant farmer’s market and space for the arts.


6lloyd_05.jpg
 
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Located in the Keele and St Claire Junction area, 6 Lloyd will be a total revitalization of what has become a derelict, depressed community.

Wow, this developer really knows how to get the local community on-board.

Someone, call PR, quick!
 

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