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East York-Old East York

Whistler's -- aka Gordian Foods -- owns all the houses north to the Sobey's parking lot, plus one behind the pub on Mortimer. It was most definitely sold to a developer. The owner cashed out after having been in the business since he was a teenager. His children are all professionals and are not the burger-slinging beer-pouring types. Along with the Estonian House and the Salvation Army property (Broadview Village) at the OMB seeking exemptions to the new height restrictions on development, it seems that the Whistler's owner is taking advantage of a good offer at an ideal time.

As for that former car dealership turned Mormon Church turned nothing but a very big expensive piece of land, who knows? It's possible that the current Sobey's plot could also go to a developer for one massive build and then the grocery chain relocate up Broadview a block or two to a much bigger area for a bigger store. After all, there could be many more condos within walking distance.
 
Now Magazine: Saving Sunshine Valley
East York’s wartime housing stands as an example of a national affordable housing strategy that was both pragmatic and idealistic

https://nowtoronto.com/news/saving-sunshine-valley/


War%20Vet%20home%20photos-1-7.jpg
 
I've heard no explanation as to why similar, affordable homes cannot be build today.
Should government donate land to a builder who would promise to build a few, small $100,000 homes?
I suspect the reason that we will never see such a common-sense solution to the "housing crisis" is that most builders would rather profit from building $1,000,000 homes.
 
Goldie said:
I've heard no explanation as to why similar, affordable homes cannot be build today.
Should government donate land to a builder who would promise to build a few, small $100,000 homes?
I suspect the reason that we will never see such a common-sense solution to the "housing crisis" is that most builders would rather profit from building $1,000,000 homes.
Click to expand...

Levels of government do occasionally donate land for affordable housing purposes. The Province donated a parcel to Toronto this week. It's not nearly enough, but it does happen.

The issue with these little monopoly houses, despite their small size and modest lots, is that the density is not all that high. Someone can correct me, but the density of Sunshine Valley is relatively low - it may be higher than a number of other low-rise residential neighbourhoods, but that's a low bar. There is much more bang-for-the-buck, and much more efficient use of the land available, to build high-rise affordable housing which ends up supplying way more units, and can typically be done on smaller sites at more central locations where there are more services. Large redevelopments often entail a mix of housing densities - so in Regent Park, to name but one example, there are also townhouses and stacked townhouses as part of the newly constructed housing stock. I'm guessing, but I suspect towns and stacked towns likely achieve higher densities than monopoly houses. And in those cases the towns and the high-rises have a good combined density.

But, yes, I would agree with you that such modest homes could likely be built relatively inexpensively. They might not be a solution for Toronto in 2017 (I stand to be corrected), but might be a solution in less populated parts of the country with cheaper land, but where housing affordability and availability is also a challenge.
 
I believe it would be more desirable for many families to own their own (small) home than be "stacked" in a high-rise with hundreds of others.
And I agree with Skeezix that such a scheme is more likely where land is less expensive.
 
mjl08 said:
Now Magazine: Saving Sunshine Valley
East York’s wartime housing stands as an example of a national affordable housing strategy that was both pragmatic and idealistic

https://nowtoronto.com/news/saving-sunshine-valley/


War%20Vet%20home%20photos-1-7.jpg
Click to expand...

I'm taking another look at those beautiful, little homes in "Sunshine Valley" and concluding that many of us today have been brainwashed (by advertising and salesmanship)
into believing that we must upgrade to an expensive neighbourhood and a monster home (or condo) if we want to appear successful. Isn't it just another example of the attractiveness of greed?
 
I really like small homes like this (believing a similar concept is the way of the future for suburban expansion), and think having some terra firma or small yard is important for the majority. However I think the lots and widths are a bit too wide. People can still have the dream offered by these homes, but without it taking up so much space. I guess this is saying a lot considering these homes and yards are small compared to mcmansions built elsewhere. But still, you can have the dream, the parking, and the grassy earth - but without it being so big. You want to garden or have a bbq, you still can with small yards. But you want to go swimming or play catch with the kid, there are local parks and pools for that. No need for that in the backyard.
 
Owners of Seranos bakery have revealed they will be opening a new place close by to where they are currently located, think it was pape and gamble, they haven't said what the concept will be yet, I'm intrigued to see what they come up with. I've always thought if they opened up a café/bar/restaurant of some sort it would be a huge hit considering what the current store stocks.
 
Geo21 said:
Owners of Seranos bakery have revealed they will be opening a new place close by to where they are currently located, think it was pape and gamble, they haven't said what the concept will be yet, I'm intrigued to see what they come up with. I've always thought if they opened up a café/bar/restaurant of some sort it would be a huge hit considering what the current store stocks.
Click to expand...
That will almost certainly be where the old Donlands Bakery on the south east corner was. Has been under renovation for a few months now. So glad to see that building being vastly improved after being derelict for years.
 
You know what I would like to see there? A European style gelato parlour/cafe

However, I can imagine all those elderly Greeks now filling up the tables, discussing politics and nursing coffees all evening at the MacD will relocate and fill up this place, assuming it's a coffee place. :)
 
Ex-Montreal Girl said:
You know what I would like to see there? A European style gelato parlour/cafe

However, I can imagine all those elderly Greeks now filling up the tables, discussing politics and nursing coffees all evening at the MacD will relocate and fill up this place, assuming it's a coffee place. :)
Click to expand...
..........all day and evening:)
 
Ex-Montreal Girl said:
You know what I would like to see there? A European style gelato parlour/cafe

However, I can imagine all those elderly Greeks now filling up the tables, discussing politics and nursing coffees all evening at the MacD will relocate and fill up this place, assuming it's a coffee place. :)
Click to expand...

They will do very well if they go down that path, when i went to seranos over the summer you would see people stream in and out holding delicious cakes or ice creams..id think to myself imagine if they could turn all this goodness into a euro/gelato cafe...people would never leave! Its a no brainer. Greeks are all about the coffee and deserts, most greek businesses around here refuse to click onto this and continue the meat obsession and then they wonder why greeks turn up anymore. These types of places are cool, they would attract lots of old greeks, young greeks and heaps of non greeks...anything but more souvlaki!
 
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