Toronto 685 Queen East | 19.48m | 5s | Streetcar | Kirkor Architects

AlbertC

AlbertC

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https://twitter.com/x/status/1282694166162571264

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Looks great- the loss of 1 storey is unfortunate, though.

Now to get it built- any plans for the Toyota dealership/garage next door?
 
The Toyota dealership will be part of Streetcar Development's next phase in their Riverside Square project, although there's no definite timeline of when that will start yet.

Riverside Square | 64.6m | 20s | Streetcar | RAW Design

I feel the same way. I find myself wishing they torqued it by pushing those off-angles harder, sculpting it more. I welcome the additional street vibrancy it's bringing but as a collection of modern buildings I think it's a bit of a miss. Nearby, River City has much more personality.
urbantoronto.ca urbantoronto.ca


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685 QUEEN ST E
Ward 14: Toronto-Danforth

Development Applications

City Planning COA Application Information Center
app.toronto.ca

Proposal for the renovation of an existing heritage building with a rear 5-storey addition. In total, the project with have a gross floor area of 2,618.94 sq.m. and will contain 26 affordable rental units. There will be one basement level, 4 at-grade parking spaces, and 27 bicycle parking spaces being provided.
Click to expand...
 
For the record, the original not-for-profit co-op proposal for this site was 80-units before it was scaled back to 32-units and then scaled down further to the current 26-units... but hey, who needs those extra 54-units of Affordable-Housing in a transit & services abundant area of central-Toronto, right..?

GLOBE & MAIL [August 2020] -

Earlier this month, Toronto city council approved a deal with Streetcar Developments to upgrade an old house at 685 Queen St. E., near Broadview Avenue, which belongs to the Riverdale Co-op and has nine apartments. Located next to a Toyota dealership slated for redevelopment by Streetcar, the building will be expanded to 26 units, including complete upgrades of the original nine apartments.

Riverdale’s manager Adene Kuchera says the co-op owns 28 properties in the east end, with 124 units – mostly duplexes, triples and walk-ups. It was founded in 1974 and expanded until the 1980s, but the board hasn’t acquired new units since then. About half of its properties are mortgage free, Ms. Kuchera says.

While earlier proposals envisioned up to 80 units and 12 storeys, the scale was unrealistic. The project will be constructed by Streetcar, which is contributing $5.2-million in Section 37 grants, with another $11.2-million coming from waivers on city fees and taxes. Construction is expected to begin next year.

The number of proposed units was reduced shortly before the project landed at council so Streetcar wouldn’t risk neighbourhood objections or re-zoning appeals – a decision that brought criticism from some affordable housing watchers. But Councillor Paula Fletcher defended the compromise, saying it provides Riverdale’s board with financial certainty. “This has not been the easiest application.”

www.theglobeandmail.com

‘No one would get evicted’: Co-op offers security in an uncertain time

A resurgence of the housing form as some provinces encourage new projects
www.theglobeandmail.com www.theglobeandmail.com
 
...the road paved to regression is at one "compromise" at a time.
 
bilked said:
But why spend any political capital on actual affordable housing projects when hypothetical ones work just fine come election time?
Click to expand...
The real problem is that it's become political suicide (and economic calamity for the rest of the country) for any politico to deflate the housing bubble.
 
...the City Planning staff explanation of the additional affordable-housing unit losses on this prime Leslieville site are fairly instructive.

As you can imagine, our Volunteers were yelling - "Just MZO the damn thing already..!" into our muted WebEx microphones...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1282789850190614529
 


Intention to Designate under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, Alterations to a Heritage Property and Authority to Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement - 685 Queen Street East

Summary​
This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the listed heritage property at 685 Queen Street East under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, approve the alterations proposed for the heritage property in connection with a proposed development of the subject property and grant authority to enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement for the subject property.

Located on the south side of Queen Street East between the East Don Roadway and Broadview Avenue, the property at 685 Queen Street East, contains the Dr. John B. Fraser office and residence. Constructed in 1903-4, the two-and-a-half storey, brick-clad, hipped and gable-roofed, house-form building is an early example of the medical office-residence typology and is a fine blend of the Richardsonian Romanesque and Edwardian Classical styles. In 1938, the property was converted to contain six apartments and in 1976 it became part of the Riverdale Co-operative Housing Inc. and now provides nine affordable rental housing units.

The property contributes architecturally as well as typologically to the eclectic mix of late-19th and early-20th century commercial and residential properties which characterize the historic Queen Street East streetscape. The property was included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in 2016. It is located within the study area of the Council authorized Riverside - Queen Street East Heritage Conservation District study.

Following city staff's research and evaluation under Ontario Regulation 9/06, the provincial criteria prescribed for municipal designation, it has been determined that the property at 685 Queen Street East merits designation under Part IV Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its design, associative and contextual value.

The designation of the Dr. John B. Fraser House, at 685 Queen Street East, would identify all of the property's cultural heritage values and heritage attributes which shall be conserved. Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations for the property, enforce heritage property standards and maintenance, and refuse demolition.

This report also recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the property at 685 Queen Street East in accordance with Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to alter the property to allow for the construction of a rear five-storey addition in connection with a Site Plan Approval application.

The conservation strategy proposed for the heritage property retains and rehabilitates the original portion of the building and integrates it into the new development.​
 
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