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something soviets would build to boost morale in grey-toned suburbs. affordable piece of motherland downtown

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The report was adopted by City Council today, meaning that staff can now formally negotiate the agreement by which the preferred proponent, Dominus, would construct the building.

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www.joecressy.com

Building New Affordable Housing in CityPlace

City Councillor, Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York
www.joecressy.com

Building New Affordable Housing in CityPlace

Posted by Joe Cressy on February 07, 2020

As the crisis of homelessness and housing affordability continues in Toronto, building new affordable housing has rightly become one of our City's top priorities.
A wide spectrum of urgent initiatives is needed to address the many dimensions of the crisis, which is intertwined with poverty and inequality, including adequate emergency shelter capacity, supportive housing, deeply affordable housing geared to income, and purpose-built market rental housing.

Despite the reality that the City of Toronto cannot completely solve the crisis alone, without more support from our government partners, we must do everything possible with the resources at hand. An important tool available to us today is leveraging City-owned parcels of land for new affordable housing construction.
Block 36 North is the last block of undeveloped land in CityPlace, located immediately north of the Fort York library branch. It is owned by the City of Toronto and earmarked for new affordable rental housing. I have been working to have this affordable housing built for a number or years and, with City staff, even secured City Council approval for construction in 2016.

At its meeting on December 9 and 10, 2015, City Council requested the Director, Affordable Housing Office, to fast-track construction of new affordable rental housing on Block 36 North in the Railway Lands through the then-new Open Door Program (EX10.19). Subsequently, City staff reported to City Council on July 12, 13, 14, and 15, 2016, recommending approval of a successful proponent to build and operate 80 affordable rental homes for 50 years (EX16.27). Rents were to be affordable to households with an annual income between $34,000 and $61,000. City Council adopted the staff recommendations. Unfortunately, the project ultimately did not advance to construction.

More recently, the Province of Ontario's public transit agency Metrolinx expressed interest in securing – through licence or expropriation – access to the property to facilitate planned construction in the adjacent rail corridor. I have been advised that, as a result of negotiations between the City's Transit Expansion Office and Metrolinx, the Block 36 North property is no longer under consideration by Metrolinx. This provides the City with enough certainty to re-start the planning process to build new affordable rental housing on the property.

It is time to get moving on building new affordable rental housing in CityPlace. I have introduced a motion to the next Planning and Housing Committee, requesting that City Council direct City staff to re-initiate this project and urgently report back with recommendations to build new affordable rental housing at Block 36 North in CityPlace.
 
I had no idea Metrolinx was looking into this site. I wonder what they were considering for it.
 
I just hope that they can significantly increase the density here. Especially with the sense of urgency noted in the statement to build affordable housing, there's no reason why they should be stopping at 80 units that was previously proposed.
 
AlbertC said:
I just hope that they can significantly increase the density here. Especially with the sense of urgency noted in the statement to build affordable housing, there's no reason why they should be stopping at 80 units that was previously proposed.
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It's a tiny site, which could be why there are so few units.
 
Tuscani01 said:
It's a tiny site, which could be why there are so few units.
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It's large enough that they were looking at 10 units per floor on a 770 square metre floor plate, which is 20 square metres larger than the typical point tower in this town. They could go taller than 8 storeys here, but if they're talking about getting something built really quickly, then they won't take the time to rezone, they'll just build within the current zoning.

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I would have thought they were concerned with shadowing into the planned Mouth of Creek Park.

I agree though, that they could have and maybe should have gone for taller at such a well-serviced location.
 
WislaHD said:
I would have thought they were concerned with shadowing into the planned Mouth of Creek Park.

I agree though, that they could have and maybe should have gone for taller at such a well-serviced location.
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I'm a little confused does the city now rule out taller development around future planned parks that may not be built for a decade?, .:confused:
 
Automation Gallery said:
I'm a little confused does the city now rule out taller development around future planned parks that may not be built for a decade?, .:confused:
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Actually, now that you mention it... I wonder if the park has been held up for the same reason. I can't see why Metrolinx would want this property and not also encroach the park space.
 
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