Toronto Theo Condos | 27.74m | 8s | Condoman | Standard Practice

[AlbertC]

Half a block east of Donlands subway station, and currently an auto repair place.

http://app.toronto.ca/DevelopmentAp...icationsList.do?action=init&folderRsn=3705057

1030 DANFORTH AVE
Ward 29 - Tor & E.York District

Proposed development of an 8-storey mixed-use building comprised of residential uses, and retail uses at grade.The proposed development consists of 53 residential units and 604.1 square metres of non-residential gross floor area for a total gross floor area of 5,190.6 square metres and a density of 4.88 FSI. A total of 42 vehicular parking spaces are proposed.

 

[mjl08]

Nice to hear. The Danforth between Donlands and Greenwood needs some TLC.

 

[Skeezix]

That area does need some investment. And this site currently constitutes blight. Will be interesting to see if this gets approved at that height. It is close to a subway station. However, there is low-density residential behind it on Strathmore, which will raise issues of compatibility, overlook and shadow. The only other tall building in the area is TCHC's Greenwood Towers (which appears to be 14 storeys), but it occupies the entire width of the block between Danforth and Strathmore, and it doesn't appear to have any adjacent single-family homes.

I wonder if they are proposing to have vehicular access from the lane in the rear. It's not a wide lane.

 

[Ex-Montreal Girl]

Nice to hear. The Danforth between Donlands and Greenwood needs some TLC.

Agree. What with the LCBO and Beer Store buildings and lots, and the Greenwood Towers, and that other place on the south side, a car rental place turned garden center turned car rental place, it's pretty much a bleak couple of blocks -- at ground level anyway. (I would argue that Square Boy also makes it bleak but it has tremendous possibilities so I wouldn't touch it except to spiff it up and restore its American Graffiti lines.)

But I also agree that 8-storeys is pushing it.

 

[Skeezix]

That's a good description of the problems with this stretch.

I went into Square Boy for the first time ever a few months ago. Felt like getting take-out from a restaurant in 1975. It was great.

Hard to know about the 8-storeys without seeing the plans, but I can only imagine the single family homes at the rear will be a problem. I also hope that the City spends as much time focused on the design, the quality of materials, the ground floor animation and the layout/functionality of the ground floor, as they inevitably will on the height.

 

[Ex-Montreal Girl]

That's a good description of the problems with this stretch.

I went into Square Boy for the first time ever a few months ago. Felt like getting take-out from a restaurant in 1975. It was great.

Hard to know about the 8-storeys without seeing the plans, but I can only imagine the single family homes at the rear will be a problem. I also hope that the City spends as much time focused on the design, the quality of materials, the ground floor animation and the layout/functionality of the ground floor, as they inevitably will on the height.

Off topic I know but I wish their fries were handcut. They suck. And only get the "homeburger."

I haven't been there in a couple of years because the husband is supposed to cut back on the cholesterol. They are a cash only business. I once sat on a Saturday afternoon and calculated that they were making a minimum of $10K a week. When I kidded the guys behind the cash about that, they told me that they were paying $25K a month in rent. I was surprised because I thought they owned it.

 

[mjl08]

Agree. What with the LCBO and Beer Store buildings and lots, and the Greenwood Towers, and that other place on the south side, a car rental place turned garden center turned car rental place, it's pretty much a bleak couple of blocks -- at ground level anyway. (I would argue that Square Boy also makes it bleak but it has tremendous possibilities so I wouldn't touch it except to spiff it up and restore its American Graffiti lines.)

But I also agree that 8-storeys is pushing it.

I find Jones to Donlands, where Square Boy is, to be ok. A lot of foot traffic, a Starbucks, and local haunts (Square Boy, Masellis Grocery, The Only Cafe). Meanwhile Donlands to Greenwood has the seedy LCBO, Beer Store and off-track betting parlor - sort of a 'blight trifecta'. I grew up in the shadows of TCHC Greenwood Towers and because it's a seniors home there were never any real issues.

 

[grey]

Between The Only Cafe, Jean's Vegetarian Kitchen, and The Wren, this area is actually a pretty cool spot in (ugly) disguise and I don't think it's a leap to expect to see track bikes with narrow handle bars tied to every bike post in the not-too-distant future.

 

[mjl08]

Between The Only Cafe, Jean's Vegetarian Kitchen, and The Wren, this area is actually a pretty cool spot in (ugly) disguise.

Sauce, The Borough, Red Rocket Coffee, etc. The strip between Greenwood and Linsmore has definitely seen a lot of development. I also give credit to the growing Ethiopian community. They are a socially liberal community that has licensed establishments and patios along the strip.

 

[Skeezix]

I grew up in the shadows of TCHC Greenwood Towers and because it's a seniors home there were never any real issues.

The problem with Greenwood Towers isn't the residents, but rather what it does to the streetscape.

 

[Skeezix]

All the businesses listed as examples (the Borough, Red Rocket, etc.) are great amenities for the strip, and a sign of good things to come. But none of them are located between Donlands and Greenwood. EMG's point above is well taken - this particular stretch has some problems associated with it (although there are undoubtedly some good businesses between Donlands and Greenwood). Improvements on nearby sections of the Danforth can only help, and I don't doubt that grey's prediction about bike posts will come to pass. But today this is not the greatest "block" on the Danforth.

 

[Skeezix]

A friend flipped me the latest NRU, which has a rendering of this project:

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

Yikes

 

[mjl08]

Yikes

Not very inspiring, but it certainly beats this:

 

[mjl08]

Any updates on the application?