A master plan to build a new police division at the southeast corner of Coxwell and Danforth avenues — and redevelop the land as a community hub — will be going to the June 6 meeting of Toronto's executive committee.
The master plan envisions a complete redevelopment of properties at 1577 Danforth (the Tobias House), 1627 Danforth (the Toronto Transit Commission's Danforth Garage) and the Danforth-Coxwell Toronto Public Library at 1675 Danforth.
The entire parcel, at about two hectares, is the largest single parcel of city-owned land and one of the largest single parcels of land on Danforth Avenue.
At the heart of the redevelopment vision is the new police station — amalgamating the current 54 and 55 Divisions.
That $39.224 million project is the only one that is currently funded. The other two major redevelopments — the reconfiguring of the garage as a community hub and the replacement of the library branch — are currently both listed as unmet capital needs.
As well, according to the report going to executive committee, the Toronto Transit Commission, which currently is planning to use the site for administrative purposes, is contemplating vacating the site.
The report recommends that once council approves the master plan, it allocate some money for a study on the reuse of the Danforth Garage as a civic hub, and continue to seek public-private partnerships for the construction of affordable rental housing on other parts of the property.
At this point, CreateTO — Toronto's real estate arm — is out of money to fund further studies into repurposing the garage or finding private partners for redevelopment.
