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Heintzman Place (formerly Village By High Park, Junction, Options, 23s, Burka)

30 July 2010:

Rounding the corner this afternoon I was suddenly "overwhelmed" at how out of place this building felt in the lowrise Junction 'hood--I had forgotten it existed, and it struck me as a large grim Battery Park (NYC)-styled bunker. The sensation was similar to driving across the prairies and suddenly seeing a grain elevator appear--very disconcerting.

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25 July 2010:

It looks even more severe from the north end--this folks, is the difference between good appropriate density like aA's Mozo vs crap from Burka. TorCrapitecture.

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It really stands out on Keele, but Keele didn't have much of a streetscape in the first place. I'd welcome towers further north on Keele so that it blends in. When you're travelling west on Dundas from Annette, the mid-rise parts blend in beautifully. They look like a natural step-up from the predominantly three-storey streetscape.

The north walls look uninspiring,
 
UrbanD, I take it you're not a fan of the Giraffe project at Dundas/Bloor because of how out of place it would feel relative to what's nearby? I like anomalies here and there. Also if this project was right on Dundas I could see your point, but it's more of a backdrop to me. I was eating at the Vietnamese restaurant on Pacific looking east the other day, and I liked how I could wave at the condo through the window from where I was sitting.

Also despite your feeling towards the project, I like the vantage point of the pic you took with the "Coin Laundry" sign. I didn't realize how tall this project was before and initially it did startle me, but I love it, especially walking south beneath the bridge and looking up while approaching Dundas. It's almost like the contrast with the usual two/three story buildings makes it stand out, yet the subtle/plain industrial design lets it camouflage with the 'hood.
 
25 August 2010: This building is already having an effect on the area retail--long abandoned retail on Keele north of Dundas has finally been leased, with a vintage clothing and furniture shop opening recently (from lower Roncevalles, their second location), a dog spa and yet another furniture store on the west side of Keele--wow.

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Future residents, why not stop by to admire (and thank) your brick layers?

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While southerners will potentially have some of their view blocked by another condo on the Canadian Tire site, northerners will have to put up with the stench and noise of industry, such as the sound of huge rigs backing into this warehouse early every morning....:D

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Future residents, please patronize the best sub shop (other than New York Subway) in the city!

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On my wish list: Die Money Mart die!

If you work at Canada Bread or Topper, H.P. is perfectly suited for your commute!

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rh-7 said:
Yeah, how can we band together and convince Money Mart to take off? It's such a beautiful building that they occupy with their scamming poor people business.
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That's a building by Carrere and Hastings, no less. The owner must have realized its significance in restoring it and adding architectural lighting at some point years ago.
 
Originally Posted by urbandreamer
26 August 2010:

While southerners will potentially have some of their view blocked by another condo on the Canadian Tire site, northerners will have to put up with the stench and noise of industry, such as the sound of huge rigs backing into this warehouse early every morning....

Hi UrbanD,

What did you say about more condos on the site? I have not heard. I cannot imagine where exactly they would put another building?

I also think that the two towers will fit in quite nicely with their brick finish. True, it will be the only highrise building around, but why not? Toronto (especially downtown) has a lot of new/old architecture combined, and it makes the city interesting. I guess it may just take some getting used to...:D

Zahra

PS - Thanks for all of your cool updates all the time!!!
 
^Canadian Tire gas bar is land that could easily go highrise, as is the land to the north of the RR tracks. Canada Bread is closing next year, so even more land for more high rises--the land across the street from C.B. has application in for 3 mid-rise buildings. I expect that pocket to change rapidly over the next decade. In addition, the Public Storage building and the parking lot across the street could be zoned for condos.

So do I know about a specific condo on these lands? No. But I expect it.

Maybe I should sell my photos to residents--$100/photo? :D
 
urbandreamer said:
^Canadian Tire gas bar is land that could easily go highrise, as is the land to the north of the RR tracks. Canada Bread is closing next year, so even more land for more high rises--the land across the street from C.B. has application in for 3 mid-rise buildings. I expect that pocket to change rapidly over the next decade. In addition, the Public Storage building and the parking lot across the street could be zoned for condos.

So do I know about a specific condo on these lands? No. But I expect it.

Maybe I should sell my photos to residents--$100/photo? :D
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The problem is that the site is very contaminated due to the gas station being there for years. This was a concern with the Village By High Park as well, but fortunately due to the grade, most contamination ran off South, so it ended up not being much of an issue. The gas bar will likely remain for a long time. When (if) it closes, it will be very difficult to build something else on that site.
 
rh-7 said:
The problem is that the site is very contaminated due to the gas station being there for years. This was a concern with the Village By High Park as well, but fortunately due to the grade, most contamination ran off South, so it ended up not being much of an issue. The gas bar will likely remain for a long time. When (if) it closes, it will be very difficult to build something else on that site.
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People do soil remediation all of the time. I think ud is right - that site, like all of the sites along the train corridor, are going to see big condos in the next few years.
 
Also, part of the deal when Options for Homes purchased the site from Canadian Tire was that the gas bar is permitted to operate indefinitely.
 
One builder wanted to build a condo on the Benjamin Moore site near St. Clair in that industrial area where Canada Bread is located. The city rejected the application and it went to the OMB who sided with the city, citing the fact that the lands are employment lands.

I'd love to see some condos on the Canadian Tire gas station site and that ugly 1960s three-storey block with the parking in front that neighbours it.
 
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