Toronto 572 Church Street | 45.5m | 12s | Bento | Arcadis

[rdaner]

Peepers at SSC has posted that he has heard from an employee at The Beer Store that the lot has been sold to a condo developer.

 

[urbandreamer]

Ale House Condos?

45 storeys would be about right.

 

[rdaner]

I wonder if this is part of a larger land assembly?

 

[ThomasJ]

Ale House Condos?

45 storeys would be about right.

not

 

[devjohnson]

Thank goodness. A condo is better than a Beer Store/parking lot set up that looks like it's straight from Saskatchewan.

It will be nice to see Church Street densify some more, the strip from Dundas to Wellesley will be completely transformed in 10 years with something close to ten developments in place. Although this is probably the start of gentrification of The Village.

 

[DSCToronto]

Although this is probably the start of gentrification of The Village.

Not too sound too much like an old fart but 'gentrification' has been going on in (or to?) the Village for 30+ years. It used to be far 'grittier' and, frankly, more fun!

 

[ssiguy2]

It's very true and happening all over the Western world.

Gay villages were originally set up because they offered a safe refuge from an unwelcoming society. They were the one area were you could be gay and not stared at or be afraid for your safety. Times have changed and so have gay villages and the need for them.

Relatively few gay people even visit them anymore and if they do it's usually only for their occasional night out. Gays have fled the villages and gone to other usually urban neighbourhoods. In contrast it is mostly straight people who are taking their place as it transforms from a gay-only neighbourhood to a more generic one. This happens all the time just as Little Italy use to be strictly for Italians, now it's a conglomeration of everyone.

Gay villages cater far more to tourists now than the average gay person as they have simply moved on.

 

[ksun]

Thank God.
A tiny suburban like beer store with an oversized parking lot in the front. I don't think Church/Wellesley needs that. Definitely far from a good use of prime real estate.

 

[androiduk]

I'm also happy to see it go. I'm pretty sure they would want to have a replacement outlet close by but I can't really think of an appropriate location that's available.

 

[Torontovibe]

It's very true and happening all over the Western world.

Gay villages were originally set up because they offered a safe refuge from an unwelcoming society. They were the one area were you could be gay and not stared at or be afraid for your safety. Times have changed and so have gay villages and the need for them.

Relatively few gay people even visit them anymore and if they do it's usually only for their occasional night out. Gays have fled the villages and gone to other usually urban neighbourhoods. In contrast it is mostly straight people who are taking their place as it transforms from a gay-only neighbourhood to a more generic one. This happens all the time just as Little Italy use to be strictly for Italians, now it's a conglomeration of everyone.

Gay villages cater far more to tourists now than the average gay person as they have simply moved on.

I disagree. I go out to the Village on weekends and very few of the people there are tourists. It's Torontonians going out having fun. (most people are regulars) Since when have people stopped wanting to go out to have fun with their friends? Most gay people I know, don't go to straight bars when they want to have a fun night out. Go to Crews or Woody's on the weekend and see the line ups to get in. Have you been to Cellblock on Retro Sundays? There is always a line up to get in. Even Church on Church has line ups for its collage nights. The bars aren't as crowded as they used to be but gay men are still going out to socialize with friends, dance and cruise other men.

When I go out, it seems like the area is 90% gay/lesbian people. As much as people say that it's all straight people these days, that's just not true. It is still very much gay. I think many of the new condos there are predominantly gay. I have friends who live at Radio City and X. From what they both tell me (and from what I've seen) those 2 condos are mainly gay men. I would not be surprised if most of the new condos on Church and Wellesley, also turn out to have a very high gay population.

I have not seen any signs that the Gay Village is going straight. I keep seeing people writing that but I'm not seeing it when I go to Church Street. (probably 3 times a week) Go to Starbucks or Timothy's on Church Street and tell me how many straight people you see in there.

 

[stjames2queenwest]

People no longer feel like they have to seek safety in the village but it is still quite gay, the verve and 500 are also quite gay oriented which is nice. I live in a rental tower on sherbourne and in the few years I have been here I'd say I notice more members of the gay community moving in each month. I do know a number of straight friends who live in buildings in the village these days but they are all "allies". I certainly don't feel like anyone is being chased out of the village. Times change and so do people, if anything I think the community is expanding outwards.

 

[stjames2queenwest]

But back on topic... It is a poorly developed lot. Definitely more in need of a change than some of the heritage buildings.

 

[khris]

I'm also happy to see it go. I'm pretty sure they would want to have a replacement outlet close by but I can't really think of an appropriate location that's available.

The old 7/24 location?

 

[College Park]

The old 7/24 location?

The problems with any site relocation is truck parking for loading, car parking (because carrying a 24 is awful work for those older than 20) and neighbourhood aversion to the bottle-return entrepreneurs. LCBO with its' smaller formats is just more sensible in dense areas.

 

[Tewder]

Please don't take this as height-phobic but is 45 stories a bit much for this site? I only have a vague image of the location in my mind but I recall the surroundings as being fairly low rise... I would think something mid rise at best would be appropriate, no?