Consolidated 54/55 Division, Housing Now @ TTC Danforth Garage Site

[AlbertC]

Community meeting before design begins on Danforth Avenue station​

Toronto Police are holding a town hall to discuss the design of their new 55 Division Station, planned for 1627 Danforth Ave.

The virtual meeting is to be held Jan 24 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

This is to be an introductory meeting with the community before the team starts the concept design.

The new station is to replace the existing 55 Division Station at 101 Coxwell Ave. and sub-station at 41 Cranfield Rd.

The station is part of the larger Danforth Garage Master Plan redevelopment planned for the former TTC Danforth Garage site, bounded by Danforth Avenue, Coxwell Avenue, Hillingdon Avenue and the rear property line of the Woodrow Avenue homes adjacent.

Construction is expected to take about three years after design, with occupancy expected near the end of 2026.

You can join the meeting via Webex from this link, or by phoning 416-216-5643. Access code is 132 912 1333.

For updates or more information, see the Toronto Police Service website.

Jan. 24: Join town hall on new east-end police station - Streeter

Toronto Police are holding a town hall to discuss the design of their new 55 Division Station, planned for 1627 Danforth Ave.

streeter.ca

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Rather unambitious given proximity to a subway station - not suggesting that we need 40, 50s towers here, but 10? They can learn a bit from Mirvish Village.

AoD

 

[AlbertC]

Rather unambitious given proximity to a subway station - not suggesting that we need 40, 50s towers here, but 10? They can learn a bit from Mirvish Village.

AoD

The subway stations along the Danforth have been serially under-intensified for so long. Some traction has begun surrounding Main Street station, and others scattered mid-rises around the other stations. But this site right here would've been a ripe opportunity to redevelop it into a larger node.

 

[Northern Light]

The subway stations along the Danforth have been serially under-intensified for so long. Some traction has begun surrounding Main Street station, and others scattered mid-rises around the other stations. But this site right here would've been a ripe opportunity to redevelop it into a larger node.

A city-owned site is going to be limited to the height they would officially welcome from a private proponent, typically. The City is unlikely to go for a precedent that breaks its own planning rules.

That said, the initial intent did include an additional residential building; but the police insisted on not having residential over the top of their station.

There was also some hope the TTC would move out; but they decided to insist on staying.

That leads to some less than ideal ambition here.

****

Over at Woodbine, we've seen the one 9-storey condo go up and the proposal for 985 Woodbine (literally next to the station is decent sized), but on hold for the moment.

The site across from this building, (the Green P lot, the Shopper's Drug Mart and lot, and the one-storey strip plaza are perhaps the single most enticing development opportunity on Danforth from Broadview
to Woodbine.

They could easily sport direct access to Coxwell Station, facilitate a second exit to same, offer substantial intensification and public space while wiping out 2 parking lots that front Danforth.

I remain hopeful that will achieve something good.

****

Hopefully, the Danforth frontage on this site will be a catalyst, even if the site is somewhat under intensified.

The new Library will represent a significant opportunity.

 

[Towered]

That said, the initial intent did include an additional residential building; but the police insisted on not having residential over the top of their station.

What is the basis for this insistence? Required excess capacity for doughnut-induced waistline expansion?

 

[Northern Light]

What is the basis for this insistence? Required excess capacity for doughnut-induced waistline expansion?

Ostensibly, security.

 

[Northern Light]

A sense of some of the timing of this project might be read-in by reviewing the proposed Toronto Public Library 10-year Capital Plan, which is now out.

https://torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com/board-meetings/2022-10-25/15-2023-2032-capital-budget-and-plan-submission-combined.pdf

The serious money (construction) appears to start flowing in late 2028.

 

[AlbertC]

CreateTO's Mass Timber Pilot Program: A Potential Game Changer | UrbanToronto

CreateTO is taking on a project that would tackle both the housing crisis and climate change with their mass timber pilot program. This use of mass timber, which includes engineered wood instead of steel or concrete, has the potential to be a transformative force in Toronto’s development scene.

urbantoronto.ca

 

[Northern Light]

The police division component of this project, and by extension, perhaps the rest is now on hold.

This from a report on Major Capital Projects to a recent meeting of Executive Ctte: