URGENT! 3 Condos before Community Council on July 4th could radically change the character of The Junction
You should be aware that 3 Condo developments are before Community Council on July 4th; one in Etobicoke and two in Toronto-East York, as well as one before OMB on the 3rd on Keele at Vine.
You may also know that The Junction Historical Conservation District has been approved for study and has been moved to the top of the list due to the number of intensification projects that are being proposed. Dundas West, between Humberside and Runnymede is a designated Character Area, one of the last mostly intact Character Areas left in Toronto, and as such it is “protected” with a set of guidelines for proposed developments. One guideline is the limit of six storeys. The proposed condos are 8-9 storeys PLUS additional storeys for “rooftop amenities” and elevator machine rooms. The typical height for buildings along Dundas is 3 storeys with a few 1 and 2 storey buildings thrown in. 8 or 9 storeys will dwarf the neighbouring builds, many of which are designated for their Historical significance.
Proposed buildings are supposed to fit in to the fabric of their surroundings. The proposed condos are mostly glass and ignoring the setback above 3 storeys. The developers in their rush to get these projects through council have incomplete proposals and in cases misleading information. Junction House touts itself as being in The Junction Triangle, an area East of the tracks, not in The Junction. It also intends to have a large neon billboard on the roof, “The Junction House, Gateway to the Junction”.
We know intensification is necessary and inevitable, but it should not be at any cost.
Please help save the Heritage value of our neighbourhood and the walk-ability of Dundas Street by asking Council to DEFER any decisions made on these intensification projects until a Historical study can be completed. As it stands, each project is being judged in a vacuum without the combined effect of all projects together. Our schools are full. Our traffic is gridlocked at rush hour. These issues need to be considered. If passed, the precedence will be set and the many other projects that are being proposed will be rubber stamped.
PLEASE FIND ATTACHED THREE LETTERS TO THE COMMUNITY COUNCILS ASKING FOR DEFERRALS. Please copy each into separate emails and fill in the email address and subject line from the letters. Feel free to add any personal feels you may have or write your own, add your name and address and send to the respective councils before the 3rd of July. By clicking on the links separately attached, you may sign up to speak at the council meeting.
Thank you for your help to save the character of our neighbourhood.
Jim Baxter
Director, The Junction HCD
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