205 Yonge St. (future development, ?)

[Automation Gallery]

Looks like something might be in the works here

One of Toronto's architectural 'gems' could get a new lease on life
Irish businessman in talks to reopen 205 Yonge St. as museum, boutique hotel

CBC Toronto has learned of negotiations underway this week that could see the building reopen as a combined museum and boutique hotel. The building's current owner, Irish businessman Thomas Farrell, has confirmed he is in the middle of negotiations with a prospective client to open and operate the building.

Ava Janikowski, an architect who drew up plans for the site several years ago, says her design included a separate building rising on stilts above the domed roof of the old bank to house the hotel rooms; the grand banking hall with its double-height ceiling and soaring windows would become an exhibit space open to the public.
More.....................http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...-gems-could-get-a-new-lease-on-life-1.3964705

 

[P23]

Ava Janikowski, an architect who drew up plans for the site several years ago, says her design included a separate building rising on stilts above the domed roof of the old bank to house the hotel rooms;

Good God, please no. A separate structure behind the building (if there's even room) is fine but building on top would be absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Skeezix]

This would be a challenge from a heritage perspective.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Good God, please no. but building on top would be absolutely ridiculous.

I agree, it would be better to incorporate the building next door (207-209) to any new development here
It got sold a while ago for 8 million, so who knows?......http://www.johnmorrisoncommercial.com/executive-suite-apartment-building/

 

[interchange42]

This guy missed the boat when he didn't take calls from MOD. A new building on stilts would likely be allowed to the height of the Massey Tower podium, but no higher, and yes, there would be serious heritage issues to deal with. I think the owner has pretty much kneecapped himself here.

42

 

[Skeezix]

The problem is that 205 Yonge is pretty restricted in terms of heritage - unlike the Massey Hall site next door, where the heritage resources of the bank building at 197 Yonge were all located within a few metres of Yonge Street, the heritage resources at 205 Yonge start at the facade and extend all the way to the back. Plus the Ontario Heritage Trust has a heritage easement agreement on the site. So even if the owner of 205 Yonge won a rezoning at the OMB, the Ontario Heritage Trust (which would undoubtedly consult with the City) could still simply say no.

It's not impossible, but the owners would need to satisfy both City and Provincial heritage staff, which is a tall order. At a minimum, any new development would almost certainly need to be substantially set back from the street, so as to not interfere with views of the dome or to loom over it (and the parcel is not that deep). And I'm guessing that building over the rear of the banking building, in a manner which does not impact the banking pavilion at the rear of the building, would be costly, and in return they would not be getting a lot of GFA. And if the owner of 205 Yonge wants to go any higher than the Massey Tower podium, separation distances would be an issue - when Massey Hall was approved next door, City staff did not require any meaningful separation distances because they effectively stated in the final report that 205 Yonge had no redevelopment potential.

I think 207-209 Yonge would have more luck working with the properties to the north than with 205 Yonge.

 

[Skeezix]

This guy missed the boat when he didn't take calls from MOD. A new building on stilts would likely be allowed to the height of the Massey Tower podium, but no higher, and yes, there would be serious heritage issues to deal with. I think the owner has pretty much kneecapped himself here.

42

I suspect that there was no deal with MOD because 205 Yonge didn't have much to offer MOD.

 

[interchange42]

Having 205 as part of the Massey Tower site would have reduced complications for MOD: they did make inquiries.

42

 

[Skeezix]

Having 205 as part of the Massey Tower site would have reduced complications for MOD: they did make inquiries.

42

Sure. But my understanding is that it didn't have that much value to MOD - certainly only a fraction of what the Irish guy wanted.

 

[maestro]

Yep. He wants way too much. Good for him if he finds a sucker. Little worried about that too. Stilts!?!

 

[Skeezix]

Given that the windows to the banking pavilion are on the south side, and these cannot be covered up or completely blocked, I imagine it is a difficult site to have made work with a development on the MOD site. I'm not an architect, so never say never, but the portion of the parcel at the back that is arguably unconstrained by heritage is quite small.

More news on "talks" which seem to consist mostly of the speculation of the owner's architect (I'm probably being too cynical, and should lay off since it would be very nice to see something happen here):

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...evelop-landmark-bank-of-toronto-landmark.html

 

[Automation Gallery]

Here is a view from up above before the start of the Massey tower...i guess they would be able to squeeze 8-13 storeys at the back end?

 

[Downtown Toronto]

This masterpiece is for sale for $1.00 through a bidding process as of February 20th 2017.
was purchased in 2007 for $3.65 million. For those interested offer date is March 23rd 2017.

 

[Skeezix]

[...] i guess they would be able to squeeze 8-13 storeys at the back end? [...]

Maybe. With the heritage easement agreement, they might not be permitted any significant addition. Assuming they can get around that, though, they have separation distance issues. In particular, IIRC there are north-facing units in Massey Tower above the 8th storey of that building, virtually right on the property line.

 

[3Dementia]

FYI I worked with Ava (architect) and though not particularly well-known, she is "hands on" brilliant. Every texture, cladding (lol), light and space... a true artist who never landed a big commission. Could she stand up against budget/dumb-down forces? Of course not. But I'd love to be in the meeting.

Just realized my avatar has to be switched to genuine "blue whine".