dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
A Dufferin Mall style, 2-storey Walmart would fit in there nicely 
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Queen W & Portland fire
- Thread starter casaguy
- Start date
fiendishlibrarian
Active Member
Looks like more big changes are afoot in the area:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/queen-street-west-to-lose-another-music-venue/article1389912/
Josh Wingrove
Globe and Mail Update Published on Friday, Dec. 04, 2009 11:15PM EST
Toronto's Queen Street West is set to lose another venue, with management of The Big Bop saying it will close its doors.
Owner Dominic Tassielli said The Big Bop, at the corner of Queen Street West and Bathurst Street, will "shut down completely" shortly, but that an announcement on the site's future will come next week. The three-floor concert hall includes three venues - known as Kathedral, Reverb and Holy Joe's.
"There are a lot of things that are still in the works," Mr. Tassielli said.
The Big Bop's website includes event bookings through New Year's Eve, suggesting it will stay open for the month. Mr. Tassielli declined to say when it will close, or what might take over the building. It opened in the 1990s and describes itself as "one of Toronto's leading venues for live performances, and club events."
The Big Bop's building has sold twice in the past two decades, most recently in 2006 for $3.5-million, property records show.
The announcement comes two weeks after owners of the Cameron House, a short walk east down Queen Street, put the bar and artists' venue up for sale for $2.9-million. The longtime owners said their effort had run its course, and hoped the Cameron remained a bar and venue.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/queen-street-west-to-lose-another-music-venue/article1389912/
Josh Wingrove
Globe and Mail Update Published on Friday, Dec. 04, 2009 11:15PM EST
Toronto's Queen Street West is set to lose another venue, with management of The Big Bop saying it will close its doors.
Owner Dominic Tassielli said The Big Bop, at the corner of Queen Street West and Bathurst Street, will "shut down completely" shortly, but that an announcement on the site's future will come next week. The three-floor concert hall includes three venues - known as Kathedral, Reverb and Holy Joe's.
"There are a lot of things that are still in the works," Mr. Tassielli said.
The Big Bop's website includes event bookings through New Year's Eve, suggesting it will stay open for the month. Mr. Tassielli declined to say when it will close, or what might take over the building. It opened in the 1990s and describes itself as "one of Toronto's leading venues for live performances, and club events."
The Big Bop's building has sold twice in the past two decades, most recently in 2006 for $3.5-million, property records show.
The announcement comes two weeks after owners of the Cameron House, a short walk east down Queen Street, put the bar and artists' venue up for sale for $2.9-million. The longtime owners said their effort had run its course, and hoped the Cameron remained a bar and venue.
Glen
Senior Member
You are missing the point. The Duke family already owns the property. They are already established, with a good business. Changing just one factor, new tax rate vs. old, has such a material impact that conducting business in a location that they already own is unfeasible.
If Dukes was rebuilt, as it was, it would be facing a $90,000 per year property tax bill. That is $7,500 per month, just in taxes. This is a fate that will befall all non residential properties in the city. Areas currently protected by the cap, think Kensington, the Beach, Ossington etc., and almost all of Toronto, will eventually be taxed out of existence.
The vitality of commercial areas, save for Class 'A' office, follow a pattern. Old areas, heavily protected by capping, are doing better than new areas. Queen's Quay is a perfect example.
taal
Senior Member
What are the other areas exatly?
Downtown Yonge, between Bloor and College maybe?
When's the plan to phase out the protection? and how does that work - for example, on Queen W - where is the protection in place?
Correct me if I'm wrong but the tax rate on these protected areas is unbelievably low? If that's the case it really doesn't make sense to keep them as is long term, maybe they need to be phased in slowly, not sure, but I agree that something needs to be done.
Also, Queen's Quay ... not the best example, again, not that I'm disagreeing with you but there are many other reasons why that area isn't alive and thriving with retail and while the tax rate might have something to do with it, I don't think it's the largest issue here for that area.
drum118
Superstar
Dec 04
MetroMan
Senior Member
I bet it'll be a parking lot for the next 5 to 10 years.
Glen
Senior Member
Sorry, me saying 'areas protected by the cap' was confusing. It is not areas, exactly, but individual properties. The older the property, the farther behind in paying full CVA taxes it will be. I used the term area because most areas were constructed within similar time period's. Protection (via capping) is in proportion to age.
Here is a good primer on the issue....
http://www.toronto-bia.com/index.ph...sk=view&id=86&Itemid=111&limit=1&limitstart=0
Cyril Sneer
New Member
I work in that lovely office building. I always see people photograhing that lot - I guess its you guys!
Glen
Senior Member
Developer gets go-ahead to rebuild Queen Street strip destroyed by fire
There were no significant objections raised at the Jan. 27 public meeting convened to consider the proposal to rebuild 611-625 Queen Street West, destroyed by fire two years ago next week. As a result, as soon as developer Hamid Bahrami submits final architectural drawings and details that meet Heritage Services' exterior standards, he is free to proceed.
The destroyed buildings once housed Queen West retail icon Duke's Cycle, which had been in that location for 94 years, as well as Suspect Video's second location and apartments in the buildings' second and third storeys.
His plan is to replace the destroyed heritage designated commercial strip, the only commercial strip in Toronto to be so designated, with what planning department officer Nicole Ivanov describes as a three-storey mixed-use building with storage in the basement, retail on the first floor, and four residential units above, and no parking.
Though there's no definite date set for completion, Ivanov says work should begin shortly.
"People usually get started right away when the appeal period is over," she says.
There were no significant objections raised at the Jan. 27 public meeting convened to consider the proposal to rebuild 611-625 Queen Street West, destroyed by fire two years ago next week. As a result, as soon as developer Hamid Bahrami submits final architectural drawings and details that meet Heritage Services' exterior standards, he is free to proceed.
The destroyed buildings once housed Queen West retail icon Duke's Cycle, which had been in that location for 94 years, as well as Suspect Video's second location and apartments in the buildings' second and third storeys.
His plan is to replace the destroyed heritage designated commercial strip, the only commercial strip in Toronto to be so designated, with what planning department officer Nicole Ivanov describes as a three-storey mixed-use building with storage in the basement, retail on the first floor, and four residential units above, and no parking.
Though there's no definite date set for completion, Ivanov says work should begin shortly.
"People usually get started right away when the appeal period is over," she says.