Toronto 294 Sherbourne | 65.45m | 20s | MPI Group | superkül

ferusian

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294 SHERBOURNE ST
Ward 13: Toronto Centre

Development Applications

Project description:
Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment application to facilitate the development of the site for a 10-storey residential building having a gross floor area of 5,250.60 square metres. A total of 153 dwelling units to be utilized as student residences are proposed.

This site is currently a vacant lot

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294 SHERBOURNE ST
Ward 13: Toronto Centre

Development Applications

Project description:


This site is currently a vacant lot

View attachment 332173

Observation 1:

There was once a designated heritage building at 294; needless to say, it's no longer there.

Observation 2:

This site is within a Heritage Conservation District (under appeal); the City's ask would likely be for a comparable set-back on Sherbourne to surrounding properties, use of brick, a setback at the traditional roofline.
Typically, we don't see an ask for faux-heritage, but for something that would unassumingly fit in.

Observation 3:

The proposed building area, if divided by the number of proposed floors, works out to a footprint of only 5,600ft2 per floor; quite small for the height; particularly when considering room for at least 1, and perhaps 2 elevators.

Observation 4:

A building laid out based on the above (without setbacks is entirely workable within the traditional footprint of the adjacent homes/buildings.
As illustrated below:

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My guess, however, would be a slightly larger footprint on the 1st 2 floors, likely encroaching into the backyard areas a bit, but probably saving the trees at the very rear.
This would allow some continual terracing to meet traditional Toronto planning goals around angular plane and make the building seem less overwhelming the rear. Probably 1 or 2 setbacks from the front building line too.
That seems workable to me, in terms of unit count, given that these will likely be shoebox units.
Though it would lead to fairly small unit count at the highest levels.

The other option would be a straight box in behind the traditional building foot print (a uniform set back from the front and rear in particular, no terracing).
In this scenario the entire 'back yard' is left alone, and the building would fit a bit more, in certain respects, but the the shadowing would be slightly more substantial.

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This is the rear of the property, fronting the laneway, as per Streetview:

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Below is also the rear lane, from just a bit to the south to show the interesting context of the lane (to me, anyway)

Where one typically finds garages in Toronto, there are none, but fences reflects that same space, allotted to rear parking.

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Here is the former house at 294 Sherbourne, also known as the John H. Thom House, which was demolished in 2005.

Seeing how the application description mentions this as student residences, then I'm guessing this will be by Ryerson. Or built by a developer and managed as residences catering to Ryerson students.


Photo from ACO in link above:

thom.jpg
 
From the landscape plans, we see that

a) They proposed street trees along the Sherbourne frontage, all native. (though I question the viability of a red maple as a street tree.

b) They are taking this all the way back to the laneway, no rear yard retained; replacing that w/terraced amenity space.


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They propose to preserve only 1 existing tree.........oddly to me............a non-native, invasive, not the in best of health, and preserved, as one can see above in a very small area with the building on all sides of it.

From the Arborists Report:

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Along institutional lines which is fitting, I find this to look pretty good. Would've preferred if the entire base was continued with the central red brick cladding though.

 


Construction of a Building within the Garden District Heritage Conservation District - 294-298 Sherbourne Street

This item will be considered by Toronto Preservation Board on January 24, 2022.

Summary
This report recommends that City Council refuse the application to construct a new structure at 294-298 Sherbourne Street (designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act as part of the Garden District Heritage Conservation District) in connection with the development of the subject properties.

The development application would introduce a 10-storey building on the properties at 294-298 Sherbourne Street, featuring a 7-storey tower element atop a 3-storey podium base. The applicant has applied for permission under Section 42 (1) 2. of the Ontario Heritage Act to permit the proposal, in addition to applying for Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments and Site Plan Approval. A Refusal report in response to the associated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application has been prepared by Community Planning, to be heard by City Council concurrently with this report.

In its current form, the proposed development conflicts with the policies and objectives of the Garden District Heritage Conservation District, the City's Official Plan Heritage Policies and the existing Provincial land-use planning policy framework as it pertains to the conservation of cultural heritage resources. Staff are of the opinion that it has not been demonstrated that the cultural heritage values and heritage attributes of the District and the adjacent protected heritage properties will be conserved through the proposed development.​
 


Construction of a Building within the Garden District Heritage Conservation District - 294-298 Sherbourne Street

This item will be considered by Toronto Preservation Board on January 24, 2022.

Summary
This report recommends that City Council refuse the application to construct a new structure at 294-298 Sherbourne Street (designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act as part of the Garden District Heritage Conservation District) in connection with the development of the subject properties.

The development application would introduce a 10-storey building on the properties at 294-298 Sherbourne Street, featuring a 7-storey tower element atop a 3-storey podium base. The applicant has applied for permission under Section 42 (1) 2. of the Ontario Heritage Act to permit the proposal, in addition to applying for Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments and Site Plan Approval. A Refusal report in response to the associated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application has been prepared by Community Planning, to be heard by City Council concurrently with this report.

In its current form, the proposed development conflicts with the policies and objectives of the Garden District Heritage Conservation District, the City's Official Plan Heritage Policies and the existing Provincial land-use planning policy framework as it pertains to the conservation of cultural heritage resources. Staff are of the opinion that it has not been demonstrated that the cultural heritage values and heritage attributes of the District and the adjacent protected heritage properties will be conserved through the proposed development.​

Lets get into the guts of this one: (from the report)

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In reading the above, it would seem they want the hirise portion pushed further back by several metres; some tweaking out front, a bit more setback, and various features and heights more closely aligned w/buildings to the south, some softscaping on the Sherbourne frontage as well.
 
At TEYCC next week (Feb 16th) -

TE31.21 - 294-298 Sherbourne Street - Official Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment Applications - Request for Direction Report

"On January 14, 2022, the applicant appealed the applications to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) due to Council not making a decision within the 120-day time frame under the Planning Act."
 
At TEYCC next week (Feb 16th) -

TE31.21 - 294-298 Sherbourne Street - Official Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment Applications - Request for Direction Report

"On January 14, 2022, the applicant appealed the applications to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) due to Council not making a decision within the 120-day time frame under the Planning Act."

My assessment, under typical decision making formulae, is that the proponent will have to make some concessions here.

They don't necessarily result in a significant reduction in housing, though some loss may occur.

A lot of change here is a matter of style rather than substance.
 

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