Toronto 2720 Danforth Avenue | 31.7m | 9s | Katalyst | BNKC

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ferusian

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2720 DANFORTH AVE
Ward 19 - Tor & E.York District

Development Applications

Zoning By-law Amendment for a proposed 9-storey (27.85 m, exclusive of a mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building with a non-residential gross floor area of 256.0 m² and 81 residental dwelling units consisting of 5274.60 m² of residential gross floor area. 27 residential parking spaces will be provided below grade.
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Katalyst Real Estate Corp. + BNKC Architects:

Detailed project description:

2720 – 2734 Danforth Avenue is a smartly-designed 9-storey, purpose-built rental midrise building situated near Main Street in an area of the City that is only now beginning to experience significant infill along its avenues. It will contain 70 residential units, retail spaces at grade and a ‘hotel’ component at the second level. Studios, 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom options will be available for the professional modern urbanite that conform to the city’s ‘Growing Up Guidelines’. The façade is of masonry with a rhythm of punched windows, which responds to the eclectic urban fabric of the neighbourhood, but at same time is respectful and acts as a foil to the cultural assets that exist on the site.

Two heritage buildings form the basis of the fabric incorporated into the façade, from which the designers took their inspiration, complimenting their style with the neighbourhood streetscape. The first building is typical in scale and materiality with many others on the Danforth. The second building is dated from 1782. It was a wood structure, originally known as ‘The White House Hotel’. BNKC is working with heritage specialists to develop a strategy to celebrate and recognize the heritage assets on the site, incorporating elements into the design. This will result in a project that bridges the heritage features of the original buildings onsite, with the stylistic features of those that line the street in the surrounding area. This will enhance the experience at street level for both retailers and pedestrians, while providing a distinct address to the new residences.
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I always figured that building was old, but I'm really surprised that it dates from 1782. Is Dawes an old First Nations road? I thought Danforth Rd was, but I'd never heard that about Dawes

And history aside, I wouldn't be upset if this building was pulled down. It might be old, but it doesn't look like there's much worth saving there. And the way they've tried to pull it into the new buildings seems awkward. Maybe if they tried to restore the ground elevation in a more sympathetic way?
 
whatever said:
I always figured that building was old, but I'm really surprised that it dates from 1782. Is Dawes an old First Nations road? I thought Danforth Rd was, but I'd never heard that about Dawes

And history aside, I wouldn't be upset if this building was pulled down. It might be old, but it doesn't look like there's much worth saving there. And the way they've tried to pull it into the new buildings seems awkward. Maybe if they tried to restore the ground elevation in a more sympathetic way?
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wait, what? 1782? that would make it the oldest building in the entire city, no? Where did you get that information? There is no reference to it in the Heritage Impact Statement.
 
whatever said:
I always figured that building was old, but I'm really surprised that it dates from 1782. Is Dawes an old First Nations road? I thought Danforth Rd was, but I'd never heard that about Dawes

And history aside, I wouldn't be upset if this building was pulled down. It might be old, but it doesn't look like there's much worth saving there. And the way they've tried to pull it into the new buildings seems awkward. Maybe if they tried to restore the ground elevation in a more sympathetic way?
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Dawes Road is quite old, it predates Victoria Park Avenue considerably and was one of very few roads to cross the valley that is now Taylor Creek Park.

It originally follows that same angle you see today, but started further south west, roughly, just north of the Kingston Rd/Main intersection of today.

On the north end it straightened quite a bit, ending very near modern Finch Avenue and VP.


 
innsertnamehere said:
wait, what? 1782? that would make it the oldest building in the entire city, no? Where did you get that information? There is no reference to it in the Heritage Impact Statement.
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I note the heritage impact statement explicitly suggests a time period of late 19thC; and in terms of definiteness only notes the building was present on the 1890 Goad's fire map.

The reference to the year 1782, comes from this link: http://www.bnkc.ca/portfolio/2720-2734-danforth-avenue/

It would appear inconsistent with the Heritage Impact Statement.
 
Northern Light said:
I note the heritage impact statement explicitly suggests a time period of late 19thC; and in terms of definiteness only notes the building was present on the 1890 Goad's fire map.

The reference to the year 1782, comes from this link: http://www.bnkc.ca/portfolio/2720-2734-danforth-avenue/

It would appear inconsistent with the Heritage Impact Statement.
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Interesting. The historic mapping seems to suggest it's too far off of Dawes to date from an older period, however it's structural configuration suggests its older than the 1880's to me.. I doubt a building would have been built like that then, even if it doesn't appear in the 1878 mapping. i wonder where BNKC got the date, if it's just an old wives tale from the owner or if there is some harder evidence that ERA turned a bit of a blind eye to to try and get support for the proposed modifications.

Generally I struggle to believe it dates from 1782 for obvious reasons, Toronto was primarily unsettled by Europeans at the time and a structure of this size would have been noted somewhere most likely. I mean the oldest building in the city is a 200sf log cabin from a decade later.. I struggle to believe a fairly significant structure like this would have been constructed prior to any significant European settlement in the area.
 
I wonder why they don't mention the 89-bed homeless shelter next door in the marketing materials? Hmmmm.

In all seriousness, we need such places in our City though I do wonder if it would affect sales/rentals here.

The shelter is an odd-ball retrofit of an old movie theatre.

tayloronhistory.com

Toronto’s old Grover Theatre - Historic Toronto

The Grover Theatre in the 1920s, gazing east along Danforth Avenue. City of Toronto Archives, Series 488, File 2960-2 The Grover Theatre opened its doors
tayloronhistory.com

Image from the above:

1581433809180.png
 
innsertnamehere said:
Interesting. The historic mapping seems to suggest it's too far off of Dawes to date from an older period, however it's structural configuration suggests its older than the 1880's to me.. I doubt a building would have been built like that then, even if it doesn't appear in the 1878 mapping. i wonder where BNKC got the date, if it's just an old wives tale from the owner or if there is some harder evidence that ERA turned a bit of a blind eye to to try and get support for the proposed modifications.

Generally I struggle to believe it dates from 1782 for obvious reasons, Toronto was primarily unsettled by Europeans at the time and a structure of this size would have been noted somewhere most likely. I mean the oldest building in the city is a 200sf log cabin from a decade later.. I struggle to believe a fairly significant structure like this would have been constructed prior to any significant European settlement in the area.
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It could be a dyslexic typo, 1872 instead of 1782… but if so, what do BNKC know that ERA does not? Very strange…

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