Toronto Gerrard-Carlaw South TOC: Badgerow, Carlaw & Thackeray Block | 79.08m | 23s | Infrastructure ON | SvN

[Paclo]

This thread will be used for discussion of the Badgerow, Carlaw & Thackeray Block (East Block) at the Gerrard-Carlaw South Transit Oriented Community. A 23, 12 & 11-storey mixed-use residential & commercial-retail buildings and 7-storey office designed by SvN.

For discussion of the Gerrard-Carlaw South Transit-Oriented-Community as a whole, please continue to use the master thread here.

Preliminary information and documents can be found here:

Gerrard-Carlaw South | EngageIO

engageio.ca

 

[christiesplits]

Great to see more housing in the area, especially next to a new transit hub. However, I'm going to miss the lush vines on the old brick facade.

Google Streetview

 

[dougtoronto]

They need to switch the location of the 23 storey building and the southernmost 11 storey one so the smoke stacks can have their own moment. Also are any of the heritage facades on the eastern edge of the site being retained?

 

[AlbertC]

Undoubtedly many long term benefits here but will mention that this is a very significant change for the area, as the current buildings host spaces for several creative work spaces and businesses.

 

[Amare]

Undoubtedly many long term benefits here but will mention that this is a very significant change for the area, as the current buildings host spaces for several creative work spaces and businesses.

And i'm very sure that IO wont include creative space as a prerequisite in any redevelopment unfortunately.

 

[smably]

This looks nice but damn, losing Rock Oasis is going to hurt.

 

[rdaner]

Interesting! If memory serves me I seem to remember a very large proposal for Dundas just east of the new(ish) theatre. This whole stretch may explode soon!

 

[HousingNowTO]

Adding this thread to our "Affordable Housing" watch-list.

 

[TossYourJacket]

I figured this was inevitable, but goodbye to the best Rock Climbing gym anywhere close to downtown, cus as if there is any way IO would design a retail space meant for a climbing gym instead of a Shoppers (or other Galen Weston-owned business).

And unlike other relocated businesses for most condo projects, it's not like most retail spaces anywhere near downtown have the heights needed for the space Rock Oasis has rn. So as usual in Toronto, we're slowly pushing yet another recreational activity into being something only people who have cars to drive to obscure locations in the suburbs can access, which is a shame.

 

[TossYourJacket]

And i'm very sure that IO wont include creative space as a prerequisite in any redevelopment unfortunately.

Who needs culture in a city when you can have a weed store, an A&W and a Rexall! And maybe a nail bar!

 

[maestro]

I see this as ten to 15 years away. Toronto will either have a glut of housing and few jobs or the real estate investment and development economy will continue flourishing and the highest bidder will pay too much resulting in three 60 stories towers on a shared 20 story podium.

This is just a vision and visions like these end up tiny to what developers actually build. Anyone remember the exhaustive planning study for One Yonge/ Sugar Wharf circa 2005? The tallest massing envelope was under 150 metres tall? I

This specific block plan is better than I would have expected. It's neighbouring block is exactly what I expect. Still, I prefer the creative spaces there now than high density housing in which the main amenity is a transit station. This is a terrible place for high density housing without that transit station.

 

[torontologist]

Gonna disagree. Perfect location for density like this, even before Gerrard Station opens. Access to two streetcar lines, bikeable distance from Downtown, easy walking distance to commercial streets like Queen, Gerrard and Danforth. I'd gladly live here with or without the station.

The block plan is good, it follows the grid and doesn't try to re-invent the wheel. I'm not usually a fan of facadectomies, but this is perfect in that the existing building is not architecturally significant and plopping a condo on top doesn't really interfere with its form.

I agree that it is always a shame to lose spots for small-scale independent businesses and creative spaces. Hopefully there will be some replacement of those units within this development (and all the TOCs), but given IO is involved, I'm not sure. The City should be advocating for replacement of those small commercial units in addition to affordable housing.

 

[Undead]

This is a terrible place for high density housing without that transit station.

The OL should be almost complete by the time this TOC is built. Planning might take 2-3 years and construction another 5-6 which takes us to the early 2030s and lines up with the OL tentative schedule. But yes, I do hope the station and development here are being closely coordinated to avoid a Humber Bay Shores situation.

 

[Kenojuak]

Why so low density? Serious question. Should be 5 towers and taller. And those had better not be 750 m2 floorplates!

 

[jmi22]

Why so low density? Serious question. Should be 5 towers and taller. And those had better not be 750 m2 floorplates!

might not want the 'relief line' to be over crowded from day one lol