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

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.

streeter.ca

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 streeter.ca



55-Division-map.jpg
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
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
Click to expand...

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.
 
AlbertC said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
urbantoronto.ca

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 urbantoronto.ca


1627d.JPG
 
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:

1696337945097.png
 
This project as conceived appears dead in the water.

Not only do the police want out.............they want to un-do what they did that precipitated this project and de-amalgamate 54 and 55 divisions, rebuilding them on their former and current sites respectively.

From the latest Police Services Board Agenda:

1733599733225.png

1733599762295.png


This change impacts affordable housing plans for both the Danforth Garage site and the current 55 Division as such, @HousingNowTO must be flagged.

*****

Comments:

1) I'm glad to see a re-think given out-of-control cost escalation here. But I'm not sure turning one project into three, and 2 sites into into 3 will end up saving much. This is a lot of money down the drain, and a lot of delay for needed new facilities including housing.

2) The change may favourably impact the amount of affordable housing that can be delivered, allowing a much different footprint on the Danforth Garage site, which can support something taller/denser than the 55 Division site. Albeit, it will arrive years later than it might have.

3) I do hope they retain the idea of a redeveloped and expanded library.

4) Great idea the TPS has, taking one large police division, created at great hassle and expense within the last 10 years and splitting back to be roughly what it was, at further expense and cost!

5) If we are to recreate 2 police divisions here, I think the 55 site is fine......however, the 54 site is buried in an industrial area and gives police low visibility. I'd prefer to see the 54 site shifted out to O'Connor or some other more visible and accessible parcel.
 
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