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smallspy said:
A new mainline platform on the north side of the mainline was always planned as part of the expansion of that part of the corridor to three tracks.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
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Platform 27 said:
I think Georgetown's GO platforms are already north of the mainline. Only VIA stops on the south side, right?
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ShonTron said:
That's correct. Even the two through round trips to Kitchener go through GO's station-yard on the north side.
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To clarify for all, the plan is to establish a new north side platform between the mainline and the storage yard tracks. The third mainline would extend from that platform west to Silver.
 
Jan 22
Etobicoke North Station: All 3 tracks lay, but only track 2 is live as the other 2 waiting final alignment. The platform is now 12 cars long and work on going for the new north parking lot. More up on site.

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With Etobicoke North's platform moved to the north side (apparently permanently), is there to be a second platform there? Either on the south side, or long-term plans to make the new platform an island platform? Having a single platform for GO operations here seems a little short-sighted, considering that Malton and Brampton were given second platforms in the smaller Georgetown North project a few years ago.
 
There is a lot of redevelopment opportunity on the Crossways site as well as immediately north and south of the school that could see a much larger scope of direct connections than has previously been envisioned. I can see a lot of potential for a hotel as well as commercial space that would make several connections appealing for securing new tenants. Expect the new owners to be one of the larger property development firms with very ambitious long term plans. For example, the Bloor Street frontage could see two or more new towers. Screenshots from GoogleMaps.
 

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Bishop Morocco school is a complication to development on the south side of Bloor. The building and land actually belong to the TDSB, but is rented to the TCDSB for a $1 per year on a 99 year lease. I can't see either school board being willing to break that lease and make the land available for re-development through purchase or swap.
 
AnnetteMeetsJane said:
Bishop Morocco school is a complication to development on the south side of Bloor. The building and land actually belong to the TDSB, but is rented to the TCDSB for a $1 per year on a 99 year lease. I can't see either school board being willing to break that lease and make the land available for re-development through purchase or swap.
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Thanks for real information about the site to the south. I wonder if there are plans for the Zellers site to the south of the school?
 
Dundas West is a great site for redevelopment. North of Bloor I know there have been so many developments in the Junction and basically a whole new neighbourhood south of Davenport. Unfortunately there is a bit too much Nimbyism. Just look at the history of Giraffe condos (meant for the corner of Bloor and Dundas West, right next to the subway station). Even with transit connections to the subway, ARL, future GO RER, 504 King, 502 Dundas, etc, it got rejected by city council and the OMB over height concerns. This is despite being literally next door to the Crossways complex.
 
ShonTron said:
With Etobicoke North's platform moved to the north side (apparently permanently), is there to be a second platform there? Either on the south side, or long-term plans to make the new platform an island platform? Having a single platform for GO operations here seems a little short-sighted, considering that Malton and Brampton were given second platforms in the smaller Georgetown North project a few years ago.
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I have been told that the new platform is considered "temporary". The eventual fourth track will have to go on the north side, possibly shaving some width off the platform as the new service track alignment may constrain things.

This configuration actually makes sense if you assume that in this zone, the UPX will be using the south two tracks and a GO platform on the south side would mean GO trains would make their stop in the path of UPX trains. Whether a single platform with tracks on both sides will be sufficient for 2WAD, RER, SmartTrack, and/or HST is probably best left to future planning. I agree that the current arrangement feels like a corner cut, but maybe that's a good thing given that many details are still up in the air.

- Paul
 
aquateam said:
Dundas West is a great site for redevelopment. North of Bloor I know there have been so many developments in the Junction and basically a whole new neighbourhood south of Davenport. Unfortunately there is a bit too much Nimbyism. Just look at the history of Giraffe condos (meant for the corner of Bloor and Dundas West, right next to the subway station). Even with transit connections to the subway, ARL, future GO RER, 504 King, 502 Dundas, etc, it got rejected by city council and the OMB over height concerns. This is despite being literally next door to the Crossways complex.
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It looks like that was rejected for more reasons than simply height. Part of it was that the Avenues study was ongoing, and the developer wanted to be exempt from that.

Now we're 5 years later. Since then there's been another case in the area where the OMB found that the Avenues study ignored the connections in the area, the provincial growth plan, etc, and approved a 23 storey condo.

A new plan on the Giraffe site, with modifications, might very well get approved today.
 
aquateam said:
Dundas West is a great site for redevelopment. North of Bloor I know there have been so many developments in the Junction and basically a whole new neighbourhood south of Davenport. Unfortunately there is a bit too much Nimbyism. Just look at the history of Giraffe condos (meant for the corner of Bloor and Dundas West, right next to the subway station). Even with transit connections to the subway, ARL, future GO RER, 504 King, 502 Dundas, etc, it got rejected by city council and the OMB over height concerns. This is despite being literally next door to the Crossways complex.
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I agree that this is a prime corner for a large development, but that doesn't mean the sky is the limit (irony intended).

If the OMB backed away from this plan, it must have been plain excessive. Just how tall was this thing going to be? How much of a variance from the official plan was being sought?

I'm speculating that there may have been similar-facts proposals for other sites not too far away. The OMB does have to be careful about me-too claims from developers who own land close next to where an exception is granted. If they allow one exception, there may be a piling on. The other recent developments close to the Bloor GO station have been modest in height and maintain a scale of buildings, while definitely allowing more intense development. Can't let one guy get special treatment.

- Paul
 
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