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East Danforth

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Yes, this site has been under construction as a new car wash for the last few months and it looks ready to open soon. I wasn't thrilled when I heard this was going in, but it is being built as of right (it was already zoned for a car wash or similar). Definitely temporary and will hopefully redevelop again in a couple of years, as a car wash won't do much to make this stretch of Danforth more walkable and livable. It is pretty quiet along there late at night and could use a little more life!
 

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I just moved to East Danforth and have been really enjoying walking around the strip, seeing what's being re-developed, this thread just made me all that more excited!

I'm actually curious about the pub-looking development at the corner of Dewhurst/Danforth, across from the TD. It's been under wraps for awhile and I can't find any information. Looks finished inside, but I don't know how long it's been under wraps (just moved a month ago)

To contribute, I also noticed that the church on the same corner now has a proposal sign. Looks like it will indeed be a Church-Loft conversion (Although not sure about that white!)
 

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Welcome to the hood.

Funny, I mentioned this locale yesterday in the Riverdale thread. It was a big Greek resto, then became an upscale hamburger franchose and then there were rumours of it becoming a Shopsy's or something. I was not aware of any new plans.
 
Toronto’s east end has the hottest real estate in the city

By:
Robin Levinson King Staff Reporter, Published on Wed Feb 03 2016

The trendiest neighbourhoods in Toronto aren’t in the trendy west end, but the east.

Homes north of Danforth Ave. and east of the Don River are selling fast, according to data provided by the Toronto Real Estate Board. The area, which encompasses posh Playter Estates to the west and rough-around-the edges Woodbine-Lumsden further east, boasts the shortest sale times in the city, with homes averaging a mere 12 days on the market compared to a city-wide average of 21 days.

To the south, Leslieville, Riverside and Riverdale came a close second, with homes averaging 13 days on the market.

Over the past decade, sale times across the city have been declining despite soaring home prices.

The median price of a Toronto home — stand-alone houses and condos combined — was $643,145 in 2015, compared to about $341,450 in 2005.

Yet in 2015, homes typically spent 21 days on the market, down 10 days from 2005 when they took a full month to sell. It’s a trend that has touched almost every corner of the city. The only areas that did not see a decrease in sale time were neighbourhoods around the Annex, Casa Loma and Wychwood.

Toronto realtor Desmond Brown said that low interest rates and population growth mean that there are more buyers than available homes, so most properties get snapped up fast.

“I think it’s basic supply and demand,” he said. “Good inventory is at a premium.”

That’s great news for sellers, especially for those north of the Danforth who bought at a low price and can now reap the benefits of a decade’s gentrification. Over the past ten years, the median value of homes north of the Danforth has increased 132 per cent, from $288,500 in 2005 to $608,500 in 2015.

“We’ve seen higher prices there, or even bidding wars, because it’s about supply,” said real-estate agent Linda Ing-Gilbert.

A recent listing, a three-bedroom semi at 106 Woodmount Ave., sold in six days for $681,700, more than $80,000 over asking. Ing-Gilbert, who grew up around the Danforth, said the area is often the last refuge for affordable family homes for many in the city.

Most of the bidders for the home west of Woodbine Ave. were first-time home buyers, she said, or young couples looking to upgrade from a condo.

“I think every single woman was pregnant,” Ing-Gilbert said.

Many start out hoping to buy in the more trendy west end, Ing-Gilbert said, but soon come to realize you can get the same amenities — access to the subway, schools and good restaurants — for about 10 per cent less in the east.

But there’s a price to pay for affordability, and that’s popularity, said Brown. Everybody loves a bargain, which means it can take buyers a few tries to land an east-end starter home.

Conversely, homes in neighbourhoods like the Annex can take a bit longer to unload.

“It’s a simple explanation — there aren’t as many buyers for the high-end properties,” he said.

http://www.thestar.com/business/rea...-has-the-hottest-real-estate-in-the-city.html
 
Funny, I mentioned this locale yesterday in the Riverdale thread. It was a big Greek resto, then became an upscale hamburger franchose and then there were rumours of it becoming a Shopsy's or something. I was not aware of any new plans.

Used to be called Patris
 
The Shopsy's was always a bit more than a rumour. Local Soul was going to set up a catering kitchen in the back. In May 2015, the Committee of Adjustment approved variances to allow the garage at the back of the building to be converted to a kitchen. Councillor Fragedakis (who is no friend of a lively and urban Danforth) got Council to inject itself into an appeal of the decision at the OMB, on the basis that it would eliminate parking on the lot (Fragedakis is a big friend of surface parking, as the new surface parking lots in the ward show). I don't know what happened after that. The OMB file is closed, without the Board having released any decision(s), which means either than a settlement was reached (as Fragedakis' Council motion suggested might be possible) and the appellant(s) withdrew their appeals, or (more likely, given that there was no Board decision amending the variances) the landowner withdrew the variances.

I do know that last time I walked by, there was no "For Lease" sign in the window, which suggests that either the deal with Shopsy's/Local Soul is still alive (although maybe on life support), or a new tenant has been lined up.
 
The City is moving forward with a planning study of Danforth Avenue, from Coxwell to Vic Park. Now that portions of that stretch are being developed with midrise buildings, the City wants to assess its existing Official Plan policies and determine if any new policies are required to guide development. A good idea, in theory, assuming that Council can stick to good planning rather than good politics.
 
The City is moving forward with a planning study of Danforth Avenue, from Coxwell to Vic Park. Now that portions of that stretch are being developed with midrise buildings, the City wants to assess its existing Official Plan policies and determine if any new policies are required to guide development. A good idea, in theory, assuming that Council can stick to good planning rather than good politics.

Hopefully, this study (and the changes that result from it) will stimulate reconstruction of the north side of Danforth from the Green P lot just east of Coxwell to the TD Bank at the subsequent traffic light.

That is an incredibly underdeveloped block and would be great to see as attractive mid-rise, and replace the Shoppers with a full-blown grocery store (either one that sells wine or add an LCBO).

I'd also like to see a direct entrance into Coxwell Stn from Danforth though any new development.

It might also be possible to address the obscenely under-sized bus platforms as part of such a project. They can be dangerously over-crowded.

***

Other sites offering real potential include the Sobeys, west of Main (again, keep the store, just rebuild it, and build above it; The Canadian tire, east of Main, and then Shopper's World.

On the latter, I'd love to see that whole block re-done w/mid-rise facing Danforth and Vic Park, retail at ground level and maybe on a second level as well; and then a full street grid in behind with townhomes/duplexes etc.

It would also offer a good chance to create a purposeful park. By which I mean gap-filling for those things no one can find space for now, like a community garden, and place to put a farmer's market!
 
Can anyone recommend good lunch spots that would not be disturbed by a stroller being inside the building? We like The Wren but it's very small, so I would not want to attempt to bring our stroller in there (Our little guy is too young for a high chair)
 
The Shopsy's was always a bit more than a rumour. Local Soul was going to set up a catering kitchen in the back. In May 2015, the Committee of Adjustment approved variances to allow the garage at the back of the building to be converted to a kitchen. Councillor Fragedakis (who is no friend of a lively and urban Danforth) got Council to inject itself into an appeal of the decision at the OMB, on the basis that it would eliminate parking on the lot (Fragedakis is a big friend of surface parking, as the new surface parking lots in the ward show). I don't know what happened after that. The OMB file is closed, without the Board having released any decision(s), which means either than a settlement was reached (as Fragedakis' Council motion suggested might be possible) and the appellant(s) withdrew their appeals, or (more likely, given that there was no Board decision amending the variances) the landowner withdrew the variances.

I do know that last time I walked by, there was no "For Lease" sign in the window, which suggests that either the deal with Shopsy's/Local Soul is still alive (although maybe on life support), or a new tenant has been lined up.

Place is now back on the market. Local Soul/Shopsy's fell through. Thanks, Councillor Fragedakis.
 
Someone is proposing to sever off part of 1275 Danforth Avenue and to construct 9 freehold townhouse units with above grade parking. An application for a zoning review was submitted yesterday.

1275 is a TCHC property. Not sure if this is a TCHC initiative, or they are entertaining proposals to declare unused portions of the site surplus to sell off for development. I'm assuming the townhouses would be built along the Ladysmith frontage of the site.
 
What we need are bicycle lanes. See link.

Other councillors, while not philosophically opposed to the idea of bike lanes, have issues with the Bloor proposal.

Denzil Minnan-Wong isn't convinced Bloor Street is a suitable location and is concerned about bike lane "creep."

"Are there going to be bike lanes on Danforth next?" he asked reporters.

The Ward 34 councillor also wonders how, when the pilot project is over, it will be determined if the lanes should stay or not.

"The current proposal is a little short on creating clear parameters," Minnan-Wong said, although later he did say he would vote for the project with amendments.
 
Pop-up shops transform a stretch of Danforth's commercial strip
From a 17% vacancy rate to 6%, this Toronto's commercial strip is buzzing
By Priscilla Hwang, CBC News Posted: Aug 23, 2016 2:27 PM ET Last Updated: Aug 24, 2016 9:35 AM ET


It's an idea that sounded good to AnitaSchretlen, one of the organizers of the Danforth East Community Association's pop-up shop project, the first of its kind in Toronto.

"We needed to do something about the empty storefronts. They were really plaguing the street," she said on CBC's Metro Morning Tuesday.

Pop-up project how-to's
Pop-up shops are stores that set up in storefronts or other commercial spaces for a limited period of time — sometimes as short as a day or two — then close down. They can help bring in shoppers and can even help revitalize rundown commercial strips in the long term.

But to get them to work in the east Danforth area, Schretien said the first step was to convince landlords to give up their vacant spaces to the program for free, or for a very reduced rent.

This was the biggest challenge, according to Schretlen. "The first one was quite tough."

The next step is to revitalize the properties.

"A lot of these places looked fairly abandoned, they'd been empty for a long time," she said.

So she gathered several volunteers to come in and clean, paint and fix up the space.

Then the recruiting would start for pop-up tenants, who would rent the space for as short a time as a weekend or up to six months.

The program was able to gather 15 properties, hosting pop-up stores for kids clothing, gift shops, cupcakes and fitness studios.

It's "a win-win for everyone involved," said Schretlen, with landlords having revamped their previously dull stores, pop-up tenants getting an opportunity to test out their businesses, and the public getting new places to shop.

Spreading the idea
Having lived in the neighbourhood for years, Schretlen said she feels a lot safer and is excited to be able to take her kids down the street to the local bakery and to the park for the weekly farmers market without getting into her car —something she wasn't able to do five years ago
Today, the project has come to a close, having run out of landlords who have spaces available.

"It's a great problem to have," said Schretlen, laughing.

All 15 of the properties ended up with long term leases and the vacancy rate is down to six per cent.

"A lot of our secret to our success was the community engagement," said Schretlen. "There's a lot of community pride around the neighbourhood."

The association is still working on getting people out on the street by holding events like their Laneway Crawl this coming weekend.

But this isn't the end. Other cities like Oshawa and Hamilton have expressed interest in this project, said Schretlen.

"I would love to see it spread."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/danforth-east-pop-up-transform-1.3732175
 
Noticed a new restaurant called Holy Chicken opening up just east of Donlands, in the place that used to be Lickin' Chicken or something like that. Looks more upscale, but can't find any more info on it yet. (Side note: what is with this city's obsession with religion-themed restaurants?)

Also, the juice bar adjacent to/at The Only seems to have been converted into something called Tacos del Carmen. No complaints here - tacos a few storefronts from my apartment sounds good to me.
 
Also, the juice bar adjacent to/at The Only seems to have been converted into something called Tacos del Carmen. No complaints here - tacos a few storefronts from my apartment sounds good to me.

Yea, the juice bar was always empty, not surprised to see it go. I hope the new Mexican joint doesn't reverse The Only's open doors policy with outside food. Few things more satisfying than a Square Boys gyro chased by an IPA. Pretty sure the pizza place next door stays afloat from Only customers.
 

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