Toronto The Gloucester on Yonge | 147.82m | 44s | Concord Adex | a—A

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A couple more mediocre structures to bite the dust on Yonge street.
This is a huge block, and probably a fraction of what will be proposed

593 YONGE ST
OPA / Rezoning 12 235622 STE 27 OZ Ward 27
- Tor & E.York Aug 24, 2012 --- --- --- ---
Proposal to construct a 49 sty condo with 514 residential units, commercial at grade, maintain portion of Heritage building, and below grade parking. 587-599 YONGE ST, 2 & 4 DUNDONALD ST, 7 & 9 GLOUCESTER ST

http://goo.gl/maps/VFJPV / http://goo.gl/maps/WcLyn
 
Mediocre? My heart can't take much more of this Yonge Street madness. The TTC must be having a fit with yet another project being built alongside the subway.
 
dt_toronto_geek said:
Mediocre? My heart can't take much more of this Yonge Street madness. The TTC must be having a fit with yet another project being built alongside the subway.
Click to expand...

I get the anxiety over another huge Yonge St project, but why would the TTC care? Everyone gets paid to evaluate another project and make sure that construction is safely built along the line. And if that does ruffle someone's feathers at the TTC, good, tough for them.

I would miss Bar Volo. Nothing else here though.
 
The problem is that the subway can't handle all these new residents. Densification is a good thing *WHEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING UPGRADED TO HANDLE IT*. Toronto City Hall doesn't understand that as they cater to every single new development.

(*Waits to be called a NIMBY just because he doesn't think that EVERY single last project should be approved*).
 
SP!RE said:
The problem is that the subway can't handle all these new residents. Densification is a good thing *WHEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING UPGRADED TO HANDLE IT*. Toronto City Hall doesn't understand that as they cater to every single new development.

(*Waits to be called a NIMBY just because he doesn't think that EVERY single last project should be approved*).
Click to expand...

I live at downtown and I can count on 1 hand the number of times I take the subway in a given month. Its faster to walk everywhere.
 
Yeah SP!RE, I wouldn't call you a Nimby over that comment. My understanding is similar to themarc's; people living downtown are more likely to walk to work anyway. You'll also get some people currently riding in on the subway from the suburbs to move into these buildings and actually taking a small number of rides off the subway. All that said, yes, we have to improve our transit infrastructure. Bring on the DRL, please! The CityRail concept being discussed on UT lately sounds interesting too…
 
SP!RE said:
The problem is that the subway can't handle all these new residents. Densification is a good thing *WHEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING UPGRADED TO HANDLE IT*. Toronto City Hall doesn't understand that as they cater to every single new development.

(*Waits to be called a NIMBY just because he doesn't think that EVERY single last project should be approved*).
Click to expand...

I am not arguing against this point and certainly not denying improved infrastructure is necessary. I just wonder if the process actually works the othe way round, ie, the new development and increased density funds the infrastructure improvements.

I am not totally making this up off the top of my head. The institution I am involved with in Vancouver has been part of a neighborhood development for ten years and we have been paying significant "Infrastructure Impact Charges."
 
No reasonable amount of development and s37 community benefits charges levied against development along the corridor can get you an increase in subway capacity in itself.

AoD
 
I've often thought perhaps the Yonge line could be twinned--with a local line and an express line. Express stopping at say Bloor, Queen, Union, etc. Or Yonge Street could also have an express bus route added in addition to the subway. (Or more logical, given the width of the street, Bay Street could get a real surface bus route that isn't a premium service. As in running every 8 minutes, including up Avenue Road to at least St Clair.)

That being said, most people in these condos either bike, walk or drive 90% of the time. Yonge Street will see dozens of highrise towers rise over the next few decades. Even in a down market investors are attracted to prime sites like this one.

Although I doubt we'll see this building completed before 2020.
 
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AlvinofDiaspar said:
No reasonable amount of development and s37 community benefits charges levied against development along the corridor can get you an increase in subway capacity in itself.

AoD
Click to expand...
In itself, agreed. But increased tax base helps, since we are not talking about one off payments but rather repeated ones. And, of course, the subway benefits the entire metropolitan area, which should contribute as a whole.

By the way, the "IIC" did pay, not for a subway, but for sewer, water and utility upgrades.
 
I don't think development should ever be discouraged right next to a subway line, especially when it's a few blocks from Yonge and Bloor. As mentioned above, the lack of a DRL to take pressure off Yonge is the real issue. If anything, developments along already-crammed streetcar lines are probably causing more congestion than this project. I do agree that the city and metrolinx should prioritize the DRL at all costs though.
 
I take the Yonge line from Finch to Queen every day for work. The amount of people that get on south of Bloor is incredibly miniscule, and is almost always less then the amount of people getting off. Condos in North York and the other suburbs do far more to increase the burden on the Yonge line that any condo going up downtown, because those who live in condos downtown are probably going to walk or bike to work.

On a cynical note, it's become clear that we live in a politically reactionary city. If we sit around and wait for upgraded transit before increasing density, it will never happen. Sadly, the only way to spur change is to bring on a transit crisis by building to the point where council has no choice but to upgrade transit.
 
i dont live in dt now but when i did, i rarely used the ttc ..... walked almost everywhere. it's so easy, quick and convenient.
 
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