Toronto 284 Lawrence West | 52.35m | 14s | First Capital | Turner Fleischer

This is the most inoffensive proposal I have ever seen. It’s the perfect balance of being modern enough that it’s easy to construct but with enough Disneyland historic looking details to satisfy the trad homeowners of the area. I will be supporting this, but I would prefer it were rentals vs condos.
 
DavidCapizzano said:
This is the most inoffensive proposal I have ever seen. It’s the perfect balance of being modern enough that it’s easy to construct but with enough Disneyland historic looking details to satisfy the trad homeowners of the area. I will be supporting this, but I would prefer it were rentals vs condos.
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It's definitely a reasonable ask and the massing is more or less exactly what the site could use, but my neighbours are the type to focus in on the wrong things. Here are the complaints we'll soon be seeing:
  • "it's too tall" ignoring the planning policies and studies that were clearly considered designing this
  • "too many parking spots" without any understanding of minimum parking requirements
  • "why does it include rentals?" with no understanding of rental replacement requirements
  • "but what about Pusateri's?!" - Or maybe you could just buy regular groceries like the rest of us?
  • "this will bring crime to the neighbourhood" which is a totally realistic thing to think when $1M+ condos are likely being proposed :rolleyes:
All of these complaints (aside from Pusateri's) were used to fight the even smaller 250 Lawrence proposal, so get ready for some excellent NIMBY comedy
 
I'm almost certain we'll see the classic paradox:

"not enough parking"

"the development will create too much traffic!"
 
Docs are up:

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Preliminary Report on this one to the September 10th, 2020 meeting of North York Community Council.


From said report:

On a preliminary basis, issues of concern with regards to site organization, built form and context include:
•Configuration of the proposed private street on the site and if a public street is required through the site;
•How the proposal fits within the context of the large block;
•The lack of onsite parkland dedication, its location and size;
•The proposed location and size of the POPS area as well as other open space on the site;
•Building setbacks from Avenue Road and Lawrence Avenue West as well as the private street and to adjacent neighbours and the ravine;
•The proposed location of the loading and servicing area;
•Demonstrating how the proposed site organization, building height and massing relate to the existing and/or planned context, including the proposed density and scale of development;
•The configuration of the proposed building over the private street on Lawrence Avenue West; and
•Whether the proposed tall buildings are appropriate to be introduced in this area and at this location given the context.
 
Article with various commentary from local community groups and Councillor Mike Colle:

trnto.com

Pusateri’s development set to transform midtown neighbourhood

The application would dramatically transform the corner of Avenue and Lawrence
trnto.com trnto.com

A communication sent to North York Community Council on Sept. 8, 2020, jointly signed by four residents’ associations, noted concerns with the application with regard to building heights and no on-site public parkland as well as driveway and traffic issues.

The groups are Bedford Park Residents Organization, South Armour Heights Residents’ Association, Lytton Park Residents’ Organization and Upper Avenue Community Association.

A written statement from South Armour Heights Residents’ Association (SAHRA) said that although the group is not opposed to the redevelopment of the site, they want to ensure the best outcome for the community.

The statement said that the groups agree on the key issues outlined in the letter and continue to be in contact with the City of Toronto Planning and councillor Mike Colle’s office and will be expressing the concerns to First Capital.

“We strongly agree with the City that the site can and must accommodate a city park. Our neighbourhood is park deficient and this is one of the only opportunities to build a large park that will benefit all four residents’ groups and the wider community.”

“Given the size of the site, the Developer is required to convey 15 per cent or 1,470 square metres to public parkland.

“The Developer’s proposal does not include any public parkland. First Capital’s proposal will need to be revised to address this issue,” SAHRA’s statement says.

The statement also says current planning policies permit mid-rise buildings and that SAHRA believes the height of the proposed buildings represent an overdevelopment of the site.

“The upper levels of the buildings facing both Avenue Road and Lawrence should be terraced back from the street to conform with existing planning policies,” it reads.

Ted Butler, vice-president of Bedford Park Residents Organization said the group has concerns about the development’s impact on traffic not only on Lawrence Avenue and Avenue Road, but near the development’s entry points.

He said he would also like to see the completion of the Douglas Greenbelt, a path that currently runs from Douglas Avenue to the back of 250 Lawrence Ave. W.

“There’s a connectivity of the path that goes through the neighbourhood. If you look it up, it’s in the city parks plan, but it really doesn’t finish to Lawrence like it should,” said Butler, who said the issue wasn’t properly addressed during the development process of 250 Lawrence Ave. W.

“Finishing this Douglas Greenbelt cross-ravine path is critical to the neighbourhood. We feel this is a wrong that needs to be corrected,” he said.

Councillor Mike Colle said the corner is significant, as it is a gateway to the area, and this development will set a precedent as two other corners at the intersection could also be up for development soon.

“It’s quite a significant-sized property that backs on to the Douglas Ravine and also it’s part of future efforts to make Avenue Road more of a people street — more than a highway bypass extension — so we have to get this right,” said Colle.

“I’d love to see a setback on the corner where we can get a public plaza or public green space, where people can sit, have a coffee, read a book, just spend some time outside, so coming up Avenue Road you don’t just see another building. I’d like to see sort of a setback on that corner that not only the residents can use, but the whole community can avail themselves of,” he said.

Colle said the development is known around his office as the Pusateri Development, named after the fine-foods grocer whose current location would be lost to the development. Colle said he would love to see Pusateri’s remain and be one of the anchor stores in the new development.

“Pusateri’s has a very important place in food distribution and food retailing in Toronto and really set the standard for quality food long before anyone else understood or appreciated the fact that people wanted top-quality products, and they were willing to pay a bit more and knew they were getting excellent top quality,” said Colle.
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I can agree with the need to extend the Douglas Greenbelt to Lawrence, that's just common sense. Wanting added green space and stepbacks are reasonable demands from the community, but WTF is Colle on about with Pusateris? Politicians shouldn't be defending a store caught price gouging during a pandemic.
 
The height of the proposed buildings represents an overdevelopment of the site.

Really now, are they kidding me? You know what just for this "South Armour Heights Residents’ Association (SAHRA)" saying that, i'd love to see double the density proposed on site now.

They don't know how good they're getting it; First Capital is one of the few developers out there who are actually willing to work with and address neighbourhood concerns and not just jam through as much development as possible for a quick buck.
 
First Capital have picked up 272 Lawrence - I wonder if that will be incorporated into the development now.
 
New renderings are updated in the database. The total storey count changed from 13 & 10 storeys to 14 & 10 storeys. Overall height changed from 50.40m & 38.80m to 54.20m & 41.35m. The total unit count changed from 440 & 15 units to 532 units. And finally, the total parking space count changed from 605 to 584.

Rendering is taken from the architectural plan via Rezoning submission:

PLN - Architectural Plans - AUG 8 2022-363.jpg


PLN - Architectural Plans - AUG 8 2022-365.jpg


PLN - Architectural Plans - AUG 8 2022-364.jpg
 
streetsoftoronto.com

Revised development at the site of Pusateri's set to go to council this fall

Revised development at the site of Pusateri's set to go to council this fall - Streets Of Toronto
streetsoftoronto.com streetsoftoronto.com

A revised development application for Avenue and Lawrence at the site of high-end grocery store Pusateri’s will go before city council this fall.

The application for 1507-1545 Avenue Road and 284-290 Lawrence Avenue West was resubmitted on Aug. 10 after concerns over its previous proposal in 2020. Developer First Capital Holdings now calls for two buildings 14 and 10 storeys in height and 532 residential units, an increase from the 455 units previously proposed and 13 storeys for one of the buildings. This application does not include 1549 Avenue Rd., which abuts Pusateri’s and is home to the store Royal Lighting.

In 2020, four residents’ associations jointly signed a letter to North York Community Council outlining concerns over traffic and that no greenspace was included in the plans. First Capital has since added a nearly 1,000 square feet public park on the site and has acquired an extra building at 272 Lawrence to give more breathing room. The developer will also now incorporate a new access road going north-south between its site and 250 Lawrence, which is currently under construction, to aid with traffic concerns. A traffic light will be installed at the intersection.

Local councillor Mike Colle told Post City that traffic has always been a problem in that area given the busy medical centre at 250 Lawrence, and so the new traffic signals will help improve safety greatly. Overall, Colle is supportive of the application given its midsize-range height, as other applications in the area have reached up to 40 storeys.

“This is much lower density and height than what I’m getting with other applications,” Colle said. “This is a welcome change to see buildings that have are mid-size range.”

There will also be a new privately-owned public space of about 364 square metres as part of the development to allow pedestrians to cut through, and the sidewalks on Lawrence will be widened. Colle looks forward to the new residents joining the area to give a boost to local businesses, though it isn’t clear whether Pusateri’s will remain at the location.

Bedford Park Residents Organization President Ted Butler is also pleased with the new application after he said the developer went “back to the drawing board.”

“There’s a lot of respect for both land-use and the neighbourhood continuity, and not over-building,” Butler said. “Their proposal has been fair given some of the comparable ones that we’ve seen in similarly designated intersections.”

Butler hopes that Pusateri’s will remain at the location, and said it will still be available through much of the construction.

The application should go before council in November or December to get final approval, Colle said.
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This one has been appealed to OLT by the looks of it w/the first CMC scheduled for March 27th, 2024.
 
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