Toronto 750 Mt Pleasant | 116.98m | 35s | Bazis | Rosario Varacalli

Couple of questions:
  1. Why would the TDSB abandon a Teeple-designed school that's fewer than 20 years old (and that they were very publicly proud of when completed)?
  2. Who pays to build a brand new school on the new site?
  3. The Dollarama + Plaza site is a little bit less than half the size of the existing school site - who makes up the difference and where?
  4. Who pays to reimburse Menkes for the townhouses if they come into play too?
 
ProjectEnd said:
Couple of questions:
  1. Why would the TDSB abandon a Teeple-designed school that's fewer than 20 years old (and that they were very publicly proud of when completed)?
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The TDSB is already considering it.

The school is over capacity.

At the very least it needs a significant addition which would trigger a major renovation.

They have already had discussions with a developer of a nearby site; but they didn't come to a deal.

ProjectEnd said:
  1. Who pays to build a brand new school on the new site?
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The TDSB site is worth more to the developers than their equivalent land to the south.

The height permissions will be taller just by being on Eglinton; but additionally, by being on the north side of the school there is no shadowing concern as a limiting factor.

ProjectEnd said:
  1. The Dollarama + Plaza site is a little bit less than half the size of the existing school site - who makes up the difference and where?
  2. Who pays to reimburse Menkes for the townhouses if they come into play too?
Click to expand...

The total re-arrangement I propose involves 3 developers/parcels; they all shift north; they all get height benefits; the TDSB claims the land to the south.

The difference in real estate value (in large part from the additional height permissions) covers some mix of additional land for the TDSB (a small amount); and partial reconstruction cost; with the MOE grant that would cover a large addition/reno covering the balance.

Edit to Add:

In my discussions, I also mooted that Oxford is having a school requested of it at C-Square.
That all other things being equal, Oxford would rather not; it's a very challenging site to provide some kind of school yard on, and the land is worth more to the City/Oxford at that corner than the Mt. Pleasant one.
It's possible Oxford could pay a small sum towards this in exchange for avoiding the obligation to build a school on its site.
 
Final Report, approval recommended, is headed to the next meeting of TEYCC:


S. 37 benefits:

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🤨

Hmmm..........

Even as this was being approved, Bazis and the TDSB were having talks..........

I don't know how they're coming, but formal negotiations were authorized last July.


From the above:

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Update: July '22



Interesting.....

The timing of the initial proposal call, suggests this may have been a result of my intervention.....

750 Mt Pleasant | 116.98m | 35s | Bazis | Rosario Varacalli

Site was sold to Bazis. Based on the precedent being set by 717-733 Mt Pleasant across the street, I think you could probably expect over 30 storeys here. This plaza was never a good expression of urban form, but it has been a staple of the neighbourhood for many years. Will be quite the...
urbantoronto.ca urbantoronto.ca

Right idea guys.....but they really need Menkes in on this..........a better site arrangement is possible.

@AlexBozikovic takes a keen interest in TDSB projects, I will flag him here for his thoughts.
 
That is a HUGE school. Double the size of most previous TDSB Elementary "podium" builds that we have seen to date...
 
HousingNowTO said:
That is a HUGE school. Double the size of most previous TDSB Elementary "podium" builds that we have seen to date...
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Yup.

There are those in the TDSB not fond of this idea because of the challenges with a relatively small school yard and some other shared amenities across a very large building.

The TDSB still wants/needs an additional school near Yonge/Eg; but this idea may buy them a smidge of time.

Though the proposed construction phasing and layout here are a problem, not just from an ideal perspective, but due to lag in delivery time.
 
It's been over a year since the last update. Any news on this project? Would've thought TDSB (even though its a gov't org.) would want to get on this with their school at capacity and the requirement for schools growing in the area.
 
Tormick said:
It's been over a year since the last update. Any news on this project? Would've thought TDSB (even though its a gov't org.) would want to get on this with their school at capacity and the requirement for schools growing in the area.
Click to expand...
TDSB can only move forward with projects that the Provincial Ministry of Education agrees to provide them with the money to proceed with, and on a co-build project where their private partner has already pre-sold 70% of the Condo units (or has Locked-In Capital Financing for 'purpose-built rental'.

This is a deal with many overlapping counter-parties, during an economic downturn --- we will likely be waiting years for this to every get started on construction, especially if there is an early Provincial election in 2005.
 
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