Toronto 707 Lofts | ?m | 5s | Enirox Group | TACT Architecture

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riley

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I just heard about a new condo proposal for the site directly beside the Church Lofts at Bloor and Dovercourt. The developer has bought the funeral home and houses that are currently there, and wants to tear them down and erect an 8 storey condo with a green roof, underground parking and a 'mews' between it and the church next door which will have tables and lounging space. I'm glad to see this area getting developed and hope the neighbourhood will not object. The developer is Enirox, and there are pictures of the development on their website www.enirox.com. I haven't heard of them before. Does anyone know anything else about this project?
 
Thanks. This looks a bit similar to that Bauhaus project but more modest. Doesn't look like this board likes the Bauhaus project at all.
 
The application was submitted in February for 83 units.
 
riley said:
Thanks. This looks a bit similar to that Bauhaus project but more modest. Doesn't look like this board likes the Bauhaus project at all.
Click to expand...

Speaking on behalf of the entire rest if the membership of UT, since they're being silent on the issue themselves, what we don't like is the use of the term Bauhaus as the name for their building, when the architecture of the building isn't Bauhaus at all. It's just another marketing tactic coming up empty, and we hope it bites them in the assets. If 707 Dovercourt is marketed without pretensions to something it is not, then may the earth spring forth with 83 fabulous units, all with gorgeous marble countertops.

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Renderings

from http://www.enirox.com/

apparently this is also designed by the same architect as Bauhaus Condos ... Tact Design

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Apparently a revised proposal has been submitted which reduces the building to 5 storeys and also steps back from the next door church. i'm curious to see the new design. Does anyone have a copy of it? People here seem to know how to find the City planning renderings.
 
my favourite thing about the community meeting for this project was the people who bought units in the church condo, complaining about, among other things, how the development will ruin the neighbourhood with additional cars and people. ha!

the other thing i liked was when the developer said he wouldn't buy in the church conversion beside!
 
The houses that currently occupy this space give the area some character that I don't think will be replaced by this condo.
 
I've seen the 5-story proposal, and it's fairly pedestrian. More red/brown brick to match the church lofts next door. The facade was shown largely obscured by trees in the renderings. It still contains 60-70 units, albiet much smaller ones than the original.

The immediate neighbourhood is much happier with the new proposal - I live very close to this proposed development. The 8-story version was fought vigorously, esp by the many long-time residents in the houses backing onto the property who's backyard gardens would have become deeply shadowed in the afternoon. The developer of the church lofts had some type of assurance from the city planning dept that adjacent developments would respect the light situation in his units - and was upset that the original proposal would have almost eliminated the natural light in some units and offered a view of a large blank concrete wall. Some of the homeowners were prepared to sell had it gone ahead at 8 floors. In general those who fought it, including city planning staff, argued that it was an oversized building for its context (despite the presence of the giant 60's slabs accross the street, in another ward).

The more reasoned arguments against the proposal acknowledged the area is a prime location for densification, being so close to the subway. The objections were not about more people or cars per se, but rather that the lane behind is not cleared in winter and has a very narrow, unsafe blind exit onto Dovercourt, and is already a major headache for the residents who use it. The plan for garbage pickup in the lane was also deemed unworkable since city trucks would not have room to turn around in the lane without making a twenty point turn. I think this was the achille's heel of the original proposal. The new proposal calls for private pickup in smaller vehichles and would arrange for snow removal.

One big issue the 8-story proposal raised was that it was a serious challenge to the 4-story maximum specified in the city's plan for the neighbourhood in question. Had such an exception been made in this case, it would have set a major precedent for the city's low-rise hoods in general. It seems 5 floors is an acceptable compromise though - a nearby developement down on College is rendered with 5 floors.

At the public presentation, I recall the TACT designer who gave the presentation coming off as somewhat arrogant and seemed taken aback by the degree of vocal community opposition (he had his back up after some heckler-types made unhelpful arguments about it being ugly and got himself loudly bood for some insensitive comments). Enirox fought hard, but the planning dept held out on the grounds that it was oversized, and eventually Enirox chose not to fight it at the OMB.
 
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from what i remember, both the developer, their lawyers, and the public, were all looking for a fight. the city staff seemed pretty level headed, doing their best (but i'm biased, i guess)...pantalone was demonized ("shame", "liar", all the regular things people yell out at these things).

i'm glad to hear the height issue was resolved, as was the laneway issues (although, i'm surprised they didn't think of private collection at first). the designer/architect was quite arrogant (and perhaps obtuse and insincere towards the whole process of consultation), but the dressed up, pointy-shoe'd chumps, weren't much better. one lady was complaining about the "type of people" who lived across the street. too bad they can't afford church lofts or detached family homes in toronto.

i didn't think the design looked too bad, but then again, i'm not living beside it. i just wish some of the more reasoned arguments against the project were better presented.
 
"707 Lofts" has launched

There are signs with render on the site now and a website: www.707lofts.com

I guess the thread name should now be changed to the official name of the project: 707 Lofts.
 
No work has begun yet, but here are the properties that will be demolished for this condo:

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And for an extra, here's the Church Lofts directly south of this site. This entire neighbourhood looks very nice, the Victorian houses here are well maintained for the most part. There's also a hipster presence now along this stretch of Bloor West. This inner-city neighbourhood seems to be on the rise.

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