Eighty One Wellesley | 97.53m | 28s | Aragon Properties | Core Architects

[AlbertC]

What the heck, a perfectly fine heritage caliber Victorian house gets demolished without any resistance or city intervention. As an urban enthusiast I'm all for proper intensification but it's moments like these that make you stop and reflect on what we're losing in the name of progress.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Kristyn Wong-Tam did try but failed. Now we'll miss this treasure and stare at a gravel lot by Friday for the next two years, or much longer if the market corrects.

 

[CanadianNational]

From androiduk:

It's amazing how fast and stealthily they've gotten this far. And how do they get away with that demo site. No hoarding or warning signs, the front gate is wide open and debris is falling off the roof onto the front of the property.

What the hell. No protection, not even a company sign. Just a few cones on the sidewalk. Is this thoroughly legal?

The naked haste to demolish this building seems really disrespectful. I can't imagine that it was absolutely necessary. It would only take some skill and consideration to create an addition that would work with the site (though, arguably, the coach house would still have to go).
As long as there's parking lots, eyesores and recently created fenced-in yards of gravel and rubbish (at Wellesley and Yonge), this sort of thing should not be necessary.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

The rush to get these two buildings demolished is clearly to prevent them from going through the process of being designated.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

CN:

Under the Occupational and Health Safety Act, under Demolition and Damaged Structures

213. (1) Only a worker who is directly engaged in the demolition, dismantling or moving of a building or structure shall be in, on or near it. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 213 (1).

(2) If the demolition or dismantling of a building or structure is discontinued, barriers shall be erected to prevent access by people to the remaining part of the building or structure. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 213 (2).

(3) A worker shall enter only the part of a building or structure being demolished that will safely support the worker. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 213 (3).

214. (1) No building or structure shall be demolished, dismantled or moved until this section is complied with. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 214 (1).

(2) Precautions shall be taken to prevent injury to a person on or near the project or the adjoining property that may result from the demolition, dismantling or moving of a building or structure. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 214 (2).

(3) All gas, electrical and other services that may endanger persons who have access to a building or structure shall be shut off and disconnected before, and shall remain shut off and disconnected during, the demolition, dismantling or moving of the building or structure. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 214 (3).

(4) All toxic, flammable or explosive substances shall be removed from a building or structure that is to be demolished, dismantled or moved. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 214 (4).

AoD

 

[GrinTO]

This is appalling! As others stated there was and is no signage or fencing. Another scumbag property owner/developer. Did anyone contact the bylaw office or whoever is responsible for enforcement? I emailed Kristen Wong-Tam and the Bus.Assoc but didn't hear back.

 

[cdr108]

i was really shocked to see this when i happened to drive by on Wednesday night !

initially i thought they were gutting it because of the lack of fencing and the amount of rubbish in the front yard.

 

[AlbertC]

http://thetorontoblog.com/2012/01/1...ith-demolition-of-odette-mansion-coach-house/

TheTorontoBlog article with lots of photos

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Many of the comments in the second last paragraph from the CWNA Facebook page are mine.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

KWT seems to have dropped the ball on this one - if it wasn't intentional that is.

AoD

 

[wopchop]

In comparison to where I previously worked (NYC), the actual laws regarding construction fencing / hoarding in Toronto are woefully pathetic. We have high-rise towers going up all over the place with completely inadequate street protection. I wouldn't be surprised if that original fence along the street side of the property qualified as one.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

wopchop:

I wouldn't be surprised if that original fence along the street side of the property qualified as one.

That's what I was thinking, though I didn't think this is a particularly dangerous demo job. The fencing/hoarding for Aura is utter pathetic on the other hand, esp. considering the amount of traffic going through that stretch.

AoD

 

[whatever]

Aura's hoarding does seem a bit awkward (particularly along Yonge), but I figured they left it as was because of the right turn lane on Yonge and also because I thought they were planning to take down that hoarding once they get the podium opened up later this year.

The hoarding that was really terrifying was Shangri-la. There were big holes in the roof of it all the way down University from where things had hit it and gone through. I could swear at one point I saw half of a shoring jack lodged in the hoarding.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

whatever:

That maybe, except that at one point one of the support pillars to the framing around the construction entrance was struck by a vehicle - and left in a bent state for a month.

AoD

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

This is appalling! As others stated there was and is no signage or fencing. Another scumbag property owner/developer. Did anyone contact the bylaw office or whoever is responsible for enforcement? I emailed Kristen Wong-Tam and the Bus.Assoc but didn't hear back.

Hoarding went up today, I guess someone got put on notice.

KWT seems to have dropped the ball on this one - if it wasn't intentional that is.

AoD

When the demolition notice was posted here by androiduk on Dec. 2nd I posted it on both the CWNA & our Tenant Association's Facebook pages. I know for a fact that at least two emails were sent to Kristyn Wong-Tam shortly after but neither received a response from her office. I'm very disappointed that she claims she knew nothing about the demolition permit.

Two other Toronto blogs have weighed in on Odette Mansion & Couch House, Torontoist and BlogTO -

http://torontoist.com/2012/01/the-fall-of-81-wellesley-street-east/

http://www.blogto.com/city/2012/01/a_lesson_in_heritage_neglect_at_church_wellesley/