Toronto Crosstown LRT | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | Arcadis

[sixrings]

It would be a travesty if a community so starved for reliable rapid transit finally gets it only to be served with eviction notices the next day. Bloor-Danforth isn't overrun by condos after 50 years in existence, what makes Eglinton so special? The "subway" is meant to make communities more accessible to the greater public, not change the character of a street entirely beyond recognition.

The only thing I can say about this is that bloor Danforth was built at a time when transit was not as big a factor of where people lived. In the old days people (these people still exist-but trends are shifting) wanted to live in the suburbs with a four bedroom house, a two car garage, and a white picket fence. Also buildings were associated with being poor. The buildings that existed were often tower in the parks or right downtown. Now days though partially because of the traffic in this city, partially growing up and watching shows not like leave it to beaver but Seinfeld and friends people want to live close to people, where they work and where they can have fun. So now anything near transit demands a premium. As for bloor itself. Although at one time no one cared to build buildings along it, and then at another time NIMBYs managed to fight against them (giraffe), now condos are being built even in the most prestigious areas which were once untouchable. Between keele and Jane in the last few years there has been at least 5 condos I can think of off hand that have been built. And there is another 5-10 on the horizon. Times are changing.

As for this community itself. When did it change from a Italian neighbourhood to a west indian neighbourhood. I go to plenty of meetings in the area and old Italians show up who have lived here for years and continue to live in the area and complain about how its lost its way (these people exist you just don't see them because they have abandoned Eglinton and do all their shopping at yorkdale). If this is true that it was once predominantly Italian and there are Italians in the area still then shouldn't these people at least gather as much sympathy for their circumstance as the current owners.

 

[edmundoconnor]

Please no.

I'm expecting a Starbucks in Mt. Dennis before too long.

 

[crs1026]

I am not certain that this can be controlled.

Nor am I, and this is the hugest elephant in the room in this city. Much bigger than bad transit planning, even. Developers in this city have far too much freedom, and abuse the planning process out of pure greed. And don't see anything wrong with that.

As a minimum, the OMB needs to be redirected, and restaffed.

- Paul

 

[TheTigerMaster]

As for this community itself. When did it change from a Italian neighbourhood to a west indian neighbourhood. I go to plenty of meetings in the area and old Italians show up who have lived here for years and continue to live in the area and complain about how its lost its way (these people exist you just don't see them because they have abandoned Eglinton and do all their shopping at yorkdale)

I'm curious about what triggeredthat changeover.

That said, I remain steadfast against gentrification of the area. Toronto should not be looking to spend billions of dollars on public infrastructure, just to kick the undesirables out.

 

[sixrings]

My thing is that the businesses don't reflect the home owners.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Beyond the gentrification of Eglinton West between Eglinton West and Keele stations, I'm also concerned about the effects the Crosstown will have on neighbourhoods in Scarborough. The strip malls there host many small, family owned businesses that are important to the community. I'm concerned that the Crosstown will trigger development that'll replace these small businesses with more expensive units that only large chains and banks can afford.

I'm not opposed to the redevelopment of the strip malls, but there should be strict regulations to maintain today's store frontage sizes, and rent control to ensure that smaller businesses aren't priced out of the community.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Beyond the gentrification of Eglinton West between Eglinton West and Keele stations, I'm also concerned about the effects the Crosstown will have on neighbourhoods in Scarborough. The strip malls there host many small, family owned businesses that are important to the community. I'm concerned that the Crosstown will trigger development that'll replace these small businesses with more expensive units that only large chains and banks can afford.

I'm not opposed to the redevelopment of the strip malls, but there should be strict regulations to maintain today's store frontage sizes, and rent control to ensure that smaller businesses aren't priced out of the community.

Except the payday loan places. They can be replaced.

 

[smallspy]

I'm curious about what triggeredthat changeover.

Probably the same set of factors that resulted in many ethnic groups - Jews and Portuguese to name but two others - with moving up and out of the City. Built-up wealth and a dream of a little "plot of land to call their own". Call it "The Canadian Dream".

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[crs1026]

Probably the same set of factors that resulted in many ethnic groups - Jews and Portuguese to name but two others - with moving up and out of the City. Built-up wealth and a dream of a little "plot of land to call their own". Call it "The Canadian Dream".

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

Smallish, older houses that presented affordable first-home housing opportunity, plus other amenities (including small business opportunities on the main street, good transit, low crime and a fundamentally livable neighbourhoodscape) that enabled arriving ethnicities to buy in, get established, and build a community....but not upscale enough to remain attractive as the community became more affluent. Good old concentric zone theory at work.

The danger of the arriving RT is that it becomes another opportunity district for monster home conversion, and with development the rents on the main street commercial zone rise to the point that the smaller businesses (oriented to the community) are pushed out in favour of chain stores or nail parlours. The incoming immigrant communities - and Toronto is not finished attracting new ethnicities as immigration continues - end up going elsewhere.

- Paul

 

[A Torontonian Now]

I am not necessarily pro-gentrification of Eglinton West, but am hugely pro-intensification. If that intensification brings some gentrification, that may be a necessary evil.

This area is bound to become more urban with a subway under it and with Eglinton Connects, and I do not see that as a bad thing. Yes, property values will go up, but that won't force anyone to move or sell, and residential rents in most of the neighbourhood are protected to the mandated maximum annual increase, usually in the range of 1%. Yes, some of the current retail may get kicked out, but others may remain and thrive or may move from Eglinton to more marginal streets with less expensive and available storefronts, like near Five Points.

I don't see how an influx of new residents will make the sky fall in Eglinton West, and one needs to remember that neighbourhoods are constantly changing, particularly in terms of their demographics, constantly, no matter what. That is the nature of a city.

 

[sixrings]

People must hate empire midtowns condo at oakwood advertising
"NEW DEMOGRAPHICS, NEW COMMUNITIES"

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Yes, some of the current retail may get kicked out

That's a huge problem, and one of the primary drivers of gentrification. When retail rents go up, and the family businesses in the community are forced to leave, the rest of the neighbourhood that lives in the community often follows with them. I don't know if there's rent control on commercial businesses, but there should be in areas that are at high risk of gentrification.

 

[salsa]

Beyond the gentrification of Eglinton West between Eglinton West and Keele stations, I'm also concerned about the effects the Crosstown will have on neighbourhoods in Scarborough. The strip malls there host many small, family owned businesses that are important to the community. I'm concerned that the Crosstown will trigger development that'll replace these small businesses with more expensive units that only large chains and banks can afford.

That's exactly what's been happening downtown for a while now and city hall is still not doing much about it.

 

[Steve X]

That's a huge problem, and one of the primary drivers of gentrification. When retail rents go up, and the family businesses in the community are forced to leave, the rest of the neighbourhood that lives in the community often follows with them. I don't know if there's rent control on commercial businesses, but there should be in areas that are at high risk of gentrification.

Remember, these are the same people who were opposing LRT because it blocks left turns into their strip mall. They rather have a subway but not realize a subway will just turn their business into a condo.

 

[dowlingm]

One of the unfortunate effects of transit construction is that the pre-existing businesses get hammered by disruption during it, leaving them in a weakened state when the landlord decides he can renovict them and get a chain store instead. I wonder if there are any municipalities who have figured out a way to assist such businesses in a fair way.