Toronto Church of Scientology | ?m | 8s

[zang]

Presumably they’re still in arrears of their property taxes ($100k+ in 2015—a bill set to jump with the major increase on that stretch). Holding onto this property doesn’t seem in their best interests any more and what was supposed to be a temporary relocation seems pretty permanent to me, now five years on.

I can’t find much detail as to what was in the renovation plan structurally, but it’s conceivable that the bones match the skin to some extent as it has never seemed like a well-maintained structure.

Enough complaints to ML&S might get them to determine if it’s a danger or nuisance, and the city will fix it and bill the church to bring it up to code. I can’t imagine there isn’t someone at the city who knows about the broken window theory and why this block doesn’t seem to be seeing the same development love as those north and south.

Plus, it’d be nice to see a symbol of hucksterism turned to good.

 

[Skeezix]

[...] Enough complaints to ML&S might get them to determine if it’s a danger or nuisance, and the city will fix it and bill the church to bring it up to code. [...]

There does need to be some pressure on the Property Standards group. There is a tendency to respond to complaints rather than being proactive, given resources.

I can't recall - is this building designated?

 

[DSC]

Looks like 'demolition by neglect" to me - I just e-mailed 311 (and Councillor Wong-Tam) to have Property standards officers look into it!

 

[DSC]

I got this 311 response about my property standards complaint: "Our records indicate that there is an existing property standards service request on record and that Municipal Licensing and Standards has been notified. We will add notes to the file with your information."

 

[adma]

The degree to which these cretins are allowing this beautiful structure to decay is criminal.

Still, me likey the original sash--which'll surely be replaced by something more "efficient" whenever the renewal takes place.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Application:
Building Additions/Alterations
Status:
Under Review
Location:
696 YONGE ST
TORONTO ON M4Y 2A7
Ward 27: Toronto Centre-Rosedale
Application#:
17 232862 BLD 00 BA
Accepted Date:
Oct 3, 2017
Project:
Office
Work:
Multiple Projects
Description:
Proposal for interior alterations to all 9 floors of existing office building and replacement of all windows.

 

[zang]

Application:
Building Additions/Alterations
Status:
Under Review
Location:
696 YONGE ST
TORONTO ON M4Y 2A7
Ward 27: Toronto Centre-Rosedale
Application#:
17 232862 BLD 00 BA
Accepted Date:
Oct 3, 2017
Project:
Office
Work:
Multiple Projects
Description:
Proposal for interior alterations to all 9 floors of existing office building and replacement of all windows.

Who applied? Could this just be a stall tactic by the church to delay the city moving on it?

I can’t imagine that if they owe hundreds of thousands in back taxes, that the city would let them renovate.

 

[Automation Gallery]

I can’t imagine that if they owe hundreds of thousands in back taxes, that the city would let them renovate.

i doubt the city can deny an application when one thing has nothing to do with the other

 

[maestro]

It's not unheard of to deny building permits because of owed taxes. I don't know what Toronto does. There's the valid argument that denying permits over delinquent taxes won't get them to pay up and will only further buildings to rot. That said, they do have something to do with one another.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

So can the City seize a property if they continue to not pay taxes?

 

[zang]

So can the City seize a property if they continue to not pay taxes?

Yes, pursuant to:

https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=9455ff0e43db1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

I would love to see no less. But it may not be to that point, yet.

However, an application to renovate might pause the city moving on laws that would force (at the church’s cost) bringing the building up from its rapid dilapidation to a state of good repair.

That’s why I suspect this may be a stall tactic. Presumably, when the church vacated the building, they had permits in place for the work they intended to do. Those have lapsed, I’m sure. If they make it look like they’re gonna do something, the city might back off.

The Church of Scientology is well known for playing on legal loopholes to further sketchy motives.

 

[Johnny Au]

See here: http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/guelph/former-drop-in-centre-to-house-church-of-scientology-1.3611069

The Church of Scientology's main Canadian operations are moving to a former drop-in centre in Guelph.

 

[AlbertC]

Guelph is a nice town that I like. No place in Canada deserves this.

 

[wolfewood]

^ The Scientologists coming to Guelph has been doubly bad - that drop-in was a major element of the downtown anti-poverty scene, providing an important community centre for homeless and at-risk youth in the city. In particular, the founder is a bit of an old-school hippy and leftist and, as a rule, refused to share data with government agencies. This cost him funding over the years but it also meant that people who were wary of government interference (for better or worse) felt safe using 40 Baker when they might have refused aid with other agencies. They made due with funding from individuals, unions, social justice groups etc. but they've finally been unable to pay the bills on the property - in large part due to on-going gentrification in downtown Guelph that is raising rates across the board. And 40 Baker is closing its doors in the middle of an on-going drug crisis that the city has struggled to even identify, let alone act on. It was meth for the last couple years and now, of course, it's fentanyl. The drop-in is continuing to operate in the parking lot across the street but the founder is in his 70s now and the winter won't be easy for even the younger volunteers.

 

[zang]

Love the new masking tape muntins
on the windows.

Such an improvement.