Toronto 456 Armadale | 10.5m | 3s | Bernard Watt

[A Torontonian Now]

I spotted this, and a dozen more like it, on my dog walk this morning:

This is what the site looks like at present:

More to come...

 

[A Torontonian Now]

The Change.org petition noted in the posters attached to hydro poles can be found here:

https://www.change.org/p/local-repr...pmentin-the-bloor-west-village?redirect=false

As of right now, it has just shy of 200 signatures. You will not be surprised to learn mine is not among them.

This is a five minute walk from my home. Coming across these posters today is my first notice of this development (I must be just outside the radius for which the City would have sent notices, which is how I assume this came to light).

I have yet to navigate the City's website to see if I can find any application or other documents. But here's the local context:

- This is immediately behind Jane Street. Its rear yard faces the portion of Jane Street that is mixed use and part of the Baby Point Village BIA, with retail on the ground floor and apartments or office (depending on the building) above.

- Many houses throughout the neighbourhood are three stories, and the majority two stories. Bungalos are not in keeping with the neighbourhood character.

- This is close to the retail strip along Annette, seen as the cross street visible in my photo posted above.

- This is approximately a 10 minute walk to Jane Subway Station, and a 2 minute walk from the Jane and Annette bus routes.

- Babiak, who the petition credits as the developer, is a local realtor whom, to my knowledge, has not developed similar projects to-date. His office is located on Jane Street very close to this site.

In my mind, this is exactly where intensification in the form of missing middle should be located. This is not even in the centre of the residential neighbourhood, but an area that in my mind ought to serve as a transition zone from mixed-use Jane Street to the interior of the neighbourhood.

I do not want my neighbourhood to stagnate. I want it to continue to be a place where people of various income levels can reside in spite of the rising property values. We need to encourage, not discourage, this type of development and I am disappointed in the reaction of my neighbours.

Admittedly the rendering on the poster leaves much to be desired in terms of the aesthetics of the proposal, and hopefully it is preliminary only or not an accurate depiction.

Edit to add: Apparently I misread the petition the first time, and this is only proposed at 3, not 4 stories, just to have 4 units (likely one being a basement unit). Even more ridiculous that it would be opposed.

 

[A Torontonian Now]

Today, I took the attached of a notice advising of some event, I believe a Committee of Adjustment hearing, on June 2:

I did take a look at the development application portal. Consultation is closed, but in addition to letters of opposition, several area residents wrote letters of support on similar lines to my rationale above.

I have seen nothing to suggest that this would be a condo rather than a rental fourplex. That seems to have been misinformation, as was the render on the posters hung around the neighbourhood. Here are the front and side elevations:

 

[A Torontonian Now]

Rejected. From what I can tell from the decision, the cited basis is that it is not a minor variance, so perhaps a rezoning would work. Regardless, I find it disheartening, particularly the reasoning that this type of development is "not considered desirable":

The Minor Variance Application is Refused

It is the decision of the Committee of Adjustment to refused this variance application for the
following reasons:
• The general intent and purpose of the Official Plan is not maintained.
• The general intent and purpose of the Zoning By-law is not maintained.
• The variance(s) are not considered desirable for the appropriate development of the land.
• In the opinion of the Committee, the variance(s) is not minor.

 

[A Torontonian Now]

Something is getting built. Looks to me like it might be a large single family home, which would be a sad outcome if true.

Taken yesterday:

 

[A Torontonian Now]

A search of building permits issued indicates that what is being constructed is a triplex (basement unit, ground floor unit, upstairs unit). There is also a permit application for a laneway suite.

Triplex + laneway is still some nice missing middle density here. But the opposition to the rezoning did lose the site one home, since the original proposal, for a building of the same three-storey height, was as a fourplex.

 

[A Torontonian Now]

From my photos below, this development fits into the neighbourhood better than the bungalow it replaced. We need thousands more projects like this.

One in isolation is nice for the people who will get live there but doesn't make a dent in the housing crisis writ large. But a couple of these in each block throughout the yellow belt actually would make a meaningful difference.

Taken January 12:

 

[enter username]

Finished and occupied