AlbertC
Superstar
Summary of May 28 2012, 440 Dufferin Street planning meeting.
The developer is Site Line Group, a company with experiencing in managing employment spaces mainly in the 905. The site is currently designated as an employment area but is being reviewed by the city regarding future usage. This new study will review if a residential usage conversion may be appropriate in terms of growth. The proposal across the street, The Carnaby (11 Peel Street) has a similar zoning amendment. It is also going through a study to decide whether such redevelopment is appropriate. There will be a public consultation later on this autumn, with a final review at the end of the year. Final report will be ready early next year. Traffic studies will be an important component of this project's decision, considering the large amount of development in the area.
The entire development will have 399 residential units in total, consisting of 3 buildings of 24, 12, and 8 storeys in height. Each building will have a 4 storey podium presence on Dufferin Street. The first two levels of the podium have 15 ft ceilings and will feature non-residential usage. This includes retail, artist studio space, and craft/employment space. The developer wants this new project to contribute to the area by creating retail and recreating work space. Their aim is creation of 66,000 sq/ft of employment space in the first two floors of the new buildings. There will be an initiative to control tenant prices to keep it affordable. They will also provide existing tenants an opportunity to return in the future. Some examples of employment are craft, wood work, metal, artisan work, etc. Fifty percent of the non-residential space will be dedicated to work space. The other half will be for retail and office space.
Each building will be separated, and the entire stretch of Dufferin will be broken up into sections. This will replicate smaller blocks and create smaller side streets. In turn this will provide for better pedestrian circulation. This will also facilitate properties to the west for future development. The current green space at the south end of the property will be improved and potential to turn in into a plaza. The podium will be setback 1.5-5 m from the current street line to allow greater pedestrian walk space. The podiums will also feature a gentle curved profile, with it curving outward with the widest point in the middle. Access to the rail path will also be available from the south end of the property for biking and other recreational usage. Store fronts windows will be lining Dufferin Street and feature retail as long as work studios for greater tenant exposure.
The is 2 levels of below grade parking, a total of 340 spaces planned. The number of parking spots is still in the works as traffic studies are ongoing. The towers are arranged in order of tallest to shortest, with the heights sloping downward (24, 12, 8) as you move further away from the rail line. The two tallest towers feature an angled profile. This was done to open up view corridors, ease on the massing presence, and decrease shadows on the area. The architect has presented thoughts of brick on the podium (red or black). The towers will be glass, pre-cast, and potential metal cladding. On top of each podium will be a green roof terrace for tenant recreation usage. The current numbers for unit sizes are: 170 bachelor, 111 one bedroom, 118 two bedroom. Concern was raised among the audience of the large amount of bachelor sized units and the type of people who will be living there and entering the area. The applicant responded by considerations will be made towards creating more family sized three bedroom units.
Although highly attractive and promising, this project presents a large set of challenges. The redevelopment of existing employment usage into residential usage will have to be approved and considered by the city planners. A challenge also exists by mixing employment space noise and residents in the buildings. A project of this size along with the similar sized one across the street, will be a huge strain on traffic congestion and public transit. Many residents expressed concern towards transit options as the 501 Queen streetcar and 29 Dufferin bus are already heavily used. Ward 18 councillor, Ana Bailao was in the audience and said that she is in talks with the TTC to improve transit service of those two busy lines.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roxxstarr/7291400000/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roxxstarr/7291401028/
The developer is Site Line Group, a company with experiencing in managing employment spaces mainly in the 905. The site is currently designated as an employment area but is being reviewed by the city regarding future usage. This new study will review if a residential usage conversion may be appropriate in terms of growth. The proposal across the street, The Carnaby (11 Peel Street) has a similar zoning amendment. It is also going through a study to decide whether such redevelopment is appropriate. There will be a public consultation later on this autumn, with a final review at the end of the year. Final report will be ready early next year. Traffic studies will be an important component of this project's decision, considering the large amount of development in the area.
The entire development will have 399 residential units in total, consisting of 3 buildings of 24, 12, and 8 storeys in height. Each building will have a 4 storey podium presence on Dufferin Street. The first two levels of the podium have 15 ft ceilings and will feature non-residential usage. This includes retail, artist studio space, and craft/employment space. The developer wants this new project to contribute to the area by creating retail and recreating work space. Their aim is creation of 66,000 sq/ft of employment space in the first two floors of the new buildings. There will be an initiative to control tenant prices to keep it affordable. They will also provide existing tenants an opportunity to return in the future. Some examples of employment are craft, wood work, metal, artisan work, etc. Fifty percent of the non-residential space will be dedicated to work space. The other half will be for retail and office space.
Each building will be separated, and the entire stretch of Dufferin will be broken up into sections. This will replicate smaller blocks and create smaller side streets. In turn this will provide for better pedestrian circulation. This will also facilitate properties to the west for future development. The current green space at the south end of the property will be improved and potential to turn in into a plaza. The podium will be setback 1.5-5 m from the current street line to allow greater pedestrian walk space. The podiums will also feature a gentle curved profile, with it curving outward with the widest point in the middle. Access to the rail path will also be available from the south end of the property for biking and other recreational usage. Store fronts windows will be lining Dufferin Street and feature retail as long as work studios for greater tenant exposure.
The is 2 levels of below grade parking, a total of 340 spaces planned. The number of parking spots is still in the works as traffic studies are ongoing. The towers are arranged in order of tallest to shortest, with the heights sloping downward (24, 12, 8) as you move further away from the rail line. The two tallest towers feature an angled profile. This was done to open up view corridors, ease on the massing presence, and decrease shadows on the area. The architect has presented thoughts of brick on the podium (red or black). The towers will be glass, pre-cast, and potential metal cladding. On top of each podium will be a green roof terrace for tenant recreation usage. The current numbers for unit sizes are: 170 bachelor, 111 one bedroom, 118 two bedroom. Concern was raised among the audience of the large amount of bachelor sized units and the type of people who will be living there and entering the area. The applicant responded by considerations will be made towards creating more family sized three bedroom units.
Although highly attractive and promising, this project presents a large set of challenges. The redevelopment of existing employment usage into residential usage will have to be approved and considered by the city planners. A challenge also exists by mixing employment space noise and residents in the buildings. A project of this size along with the similar sized one across the street, will be a huge strain on traffic congestion and public transit. Many residents expressed concern towards transit options as the 501 Queen streetcar and 29 Dufferin bus are already heavily used. Ward 18 councillor, Ana Bailao was in the audience and said that she is in talks with the TTC to improve transit service of those two busy lines.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roxxstarr/7291400000/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roxxstarr/7291401028/
