Toronto Lofthouse on Logan | 24.38m | 6s | Grid | COMN Architects

[Skeezix]

Proposed Use --- # of Storeys --- # of Units ---
Applications:

Type Number Date Submitted Status

Site Plan Approval | 16 270571 STE 30 SA | Dec 23, 2016 | Under Review

Rezoning | 16 270566 STE 30 OZ | Dec 23, 2016 |Under Review

Beer Store site on the northeast corner of Gerrard Street East and Logan Avenue. Rezoning and site plan applications submitted the day before the Christmas holidays - one of many applications submitted in December for Beer Store sites across the city, it seems.

I assume this also includes 800 Gerrard St. E., which is the surface parking lot which serves the Beer Store.

This is a pretty desolate stretch of Gerrard East, despite the perseverance of Batifole ("the best French restaurant in East Chinatown!"). However, the last two or three years have seen some interesting new businesses around this intersection, including the wonderful Saturday Dinette, Hailed Coffee, Mad Dog Cafe, the much missed Sully's Sandwich Shop replaced after only a year or so in business by trendy Hangry Catering Co., and even the old upholstery place near the NW corner seems to have been spruced up.

(Credit: Toronto Maps, Google Maps)

 

[Lenser]

That little stretch has definitely been improving the last couple of years - we love Saturday Dinette. But yeah, it's still pretty forlorn. Would love to see that miserable Beer Store go under the wrecking ball. I've been expecting this for some time.

 

[PMT]

Application description:

The Applicant, George Popper Architect Inc., has submitted a Rezoning Application (#16 210566 STE 30 OZ) and Site Plan Application (#16 270571 STE 30 SA) that proposes to develop the subject lands at 794 Gerrard Street East with a 6-storey, mixed-use building that measures 24.06 metres in height and will contain 58 residential units above 678 square metres of non-residential GFA. The proposed FSI for this development is 3.59. The proposal includes 38 vehicular parking spaces at grade (in a parking stacker system) and 62 bicycle parking spaces (including 6 within the City ROW). The proposal also includes 61 square metres of indoor amenity and 142 square metres of outdoor amenity space. Through their development application, the Applicant is proposing to change the southerly portion of Logan Avenue between Gerrard Street East and the private lane north of the subject site to a two-way street, rather than its current one-way, northbound only, configuration.

 

[Lenser]

I expect some push-back from south Riverdale residents - the usual stuff about scale and the existing character of the neighbourhood. Still, the general height and massing are appropriate for Gerrard, which is an artery after all.

 

[LUVIT!]

Yes yes yes!! This stretch of Gerrard need some love and better scale. The Beer Store (my local one) is rather a disgrace IMHO. Many folks would love to live in this scale of a condo instead of a 'downtown' high-rise...I being one. I was just saying yesterday that TO does not have great options like this in establish neighbourhoods (like Riverdale/Leslieville).

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

Bring it on

 

[Lenser]

Yes yes yes!! This stretch of Gerrard need some love and better scale. The Beer Store (my local one) is rather a disgrace IMHO. Many folks would love to live in this scale of a condo instead of a 'downtown' high-rise...I being one. I was just saying yesterday that TO does not have great options like this in establish neighbourhoods (like Riverdale/Leslieville).

Oh, they're coming. Give it a few more years and there will be several mid-rise options in Riverdale and Leslieville.

 

[Skeezix]

Six storeys on a street designated as an Avenue in the Official Plan? That's crazy - get the pitchforks out!

ETA:

Seriously, though. Six storeys on Gerrard should be a no-brainer. A glance at the plans, however, shows that the ground floor has clearly been designed to accommodate a new Beer Store on the east side of the building. Which is fine. But the retail space (two units) at the corner of Logan and Gerrard is tiny - one big enough for, maybe, a dry cleaner counter. This retail space has not been designed to allow for interesting uses or to animate the streetscape - it's just remainder space. A good portion of the ground floor is taken up with the parking stacker. Might not be any way around that.

 

[Momin]

Update: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2017/01/6-storey-condo-proposed-gerrard-street-south-riverdale

 

[Skeezix]

Update: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2017/01/6-storey-condo-proposed-gerrard-street-south-riverdale

George Poppler Architects is the agent, not the proponent. The proponent is Grid (Logan) Inc.

ETA: The proposed height is 24.3 m (with mechanical), according to the project data sheet.

 

[AlbertC]

Just got an email for this: The Lofthouse by Grid Developments. Not feeling the combination of yellow brick with grey on top. Results in a rather dulling effect based on renderings. Red brick would have been a better look.

http://thelofthouse.ca/

 

[Lenser]

Looks fine all in all but agreed, it's a bit bland, colour-wise. Seems predictably safe, even anonymous.

 

[christiesplits]

Fairly ho-hum, but sometimes ho-um is the best with midrises. I find a lot of the midrises in the east end to be too fussy and decorative. See 227 Gerrard East.

 

[Lenser]

I'd prefer something with a bit of verve, class and a lot more presence - like Oben Flats.

 

[Skeezix]

Guys, all this complaining about blandness and lack of presence. I think everyone is missing the fact that Grid is proposing these super awesome support column holograms at the southwest corner of the site!!