Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Leslie Barns on October 24, 2011 at 7:59am

Hi Susan.  Thanks for the post.

 

I am concerned as well.  Quite concerned.  By my numbers, well over 1,000 people will take residence all within one block.  I'd like to know what averages there are for:

 

- people per unit in such a condo environment

- parking spots needed per unit

 

Here are some posted numbers on units per building, and one estimate:

Showcase Lofts: 230

Worklofts: 153

Flatiron Lofts: 106

The Carlaw: 340

Northwest Carlaw & Dundas: 100 *estimate (the wedge all the way back to the Woods building was sold recently)

Total: 929 units

 

Those are the ones that aren't even built yet.  These don't take into consideration the Printing Factory Lofts, nor the associated houses on Boston Ave.  

 

Are there any other buildings or potential deals I have missed?  I'm concerned about:

 

- TTC

- parking

- traffic (Carlaw is one lane, Dundas is one lane)

- City services (water, sewage)

- green space

- wind (it has already picked up down Carlaw...visit Lolabar's patio in early evening.  It's huge gusty)

- light (these buildings are indeed very tall, and are squeezing out what light there is)

 

Paula Fletcher's office should be asked what their stance is on with all of this.  

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Marla Good on October 24, 2011 at 10:38am

This has came up at the community involvement meetings I've attended for some of these developments. Some of this is mentioned in the thread for the Showcase lofts.

 

As Paula explained, the city has a "mandate for density", which is why these are being approved and going forward with only a nod to considering the concerns of the existing residents of this area. That part of the process comes after they've already been designed and many approvals are in place. The zoning by-laws take most of these issues into consderation, which is how the inclusion of zip cars and bike lockers and such at these developments allows for more units - though they're just lip-service, really. They all meet all of the existing or modified codes and have had all of their studies done, and have green space and offer up their Section 37 funds to make it all better, or at least more palatable.

 

But yes, Paula and Denise Graham need to hear about this, of course - it's just that it's rather too late. After years and years of this, I'm worn to a nub (and house-shopping).

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by thunderbird on October 24, 2011 at 10:43am

Agreed that this is a problem.  The westbound Queen and Carlton streetcars are already packed at rush hour by the time they reach Carlaw.  (Time to extend the Dundas line?)  Approaching the developers sounds like one good route.  (Do they deal with transport issues?  They should...)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leslie Barns on October 24, 2011 at 11:23am

Sounds like a "mandate for failure".  How can they have such a mandate while negating business in the neighbourhood?  Oh right, it's to bail the City out of the problems the City got themselves into.  Of course, that means put the brunt on the citizens.  Like an indirect tax.  

 

So the 3 Zip cars now is the excuse for all these mid-rise buildings up Carlaw.  Wonderful.  

 

Well, it sounds like we're going to be bringing this up on a regular basis until it's dealt with.  Extending Dundas, while it IS a public transit option, would need another station to go to.  Also, from Broadview, it would block the single lane going East.  So that would increase traffic.

 

Wow.  It's so ugly and problems literally not too far off.  The King car has those problems with Liberty Village, do they not?  

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Naomi Eaton on October 24, 2011 at 12:05pm

At least Pape St. is being enlarged.  It isn't much but it's something.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leslie Barns on October 24, 2011 at 12:08pm

Pape & Dundas?  It's a residential street.  Barely wide enough for parking + 2 cars side-by-each.  I guess with that "widening", they can then start installing 12 storey buildings down there as well.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kyle on October 24, 2011 at 12:47pm

Different take: I'm looking forward to this development. Density increases pedestrian foot traffic, which helps increase safety for those walking through the area, especially at night. It also means more shoppers for local businesses, which increases their viability. 

As someone who rides the 501 Queen each day, I share everyone's concerns about transit. There absolutely needs to be improvements to the 501 and 506 service to accommodate the thousands of new neighbours moving into the hood. The city and the province need to continue to hear from us about increasing service and dealing with the crowding issues, especially at rush hour. Hoping that having more people in the hood helps lend numbers to our voice calling for improvements to this service.

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Marla Good on October 24, 2011 at 1:04pm

Kyle, I disagree. Over the past three years, many businesses haven't been able to sustain themselves along Queen, because the foot traffic during traditional store hours has diminished, and they've needed to get creative to stay in the black. The turnover from businesses that existed for many years to some that last only two or three, on the surface, looks positive because they're pretty good-looking - but in reality, the daily use of storefronts is not what it was. The neighbourhood is now full of house-poor people who've changed their spending habits toward more consumables, and I, for one, miss "retro row".

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Trish Krause on October 24, 2011 at 2:43pm

Yep - time marches on.  The 'hood isn't what it was when we bought 11 years ago.  But some of the chages are for the best and I'm trying not to focus on the 'oh woe is us' scenario.  I think development is inevitable.  Given the current thinking at city hall re: just get in your car and drive -- hard to believe they will be interested in helping with smart transit solutions in this area, regardless of the increasing density.  But it doesn't hurt to try -- so get on the phone to Mayor Ford.  I'm told this is his number (416) 397-3673. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kyle on October 24, 2011 at 3:58pm

@Marla, I miss some of those retro stores as well but I suspect the movement of the film studios and increase in rents owe more to their loss of 9-5 foot traffic than the influx of new residents. I'm sure some of the new homeowners may fall into the category of house poor, but those moving into the condo units don't necessarily fall into that category. I've got to think that a store owner on Queen is going to welcome 1,000+ new residents to the area, some of whom will become customers.

 

@Trish, agree that it doesn't hurt to try. All of my emails to the mayor get returned with standard form letters but the more we push, the better.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leslie Barns on October 24, 2011 at 6:00pm

So we can forego the taxes paid for policing then?  Or do people in the neighbourhood continue to hear gunshots?  I had some happen outside my house not a month ago.  I continue to call the police about drug issues.  Pusateri's is closed down, yet Tasty Chicken has accolades from our politicians and police force.  

 

What local shops up Carlaw are getting increased visibility?  You mean the vacant spot that's been papered up for years at the Garment Factory?  The only other retail that applies to everybody (non-printing/industry locations) would be a coffee shop on the west side.  There is no retail.  All this business you talk about, is down on Queen.  Ah right, that takes us back to the Queen's Bar, Tasty Chicken, and the Pawn Shop.  Meanwhile, we see new buildings on Queen Street, a major street in the City, restricted to what...5 floors?  I am certain that if the SE corner of Pape & Queen was 12 floors, we'd be hearing a lot more from the neighbourhood.  

 

And there's a lot more going on here besides TTC.  If that was the case, this would be Ajax.  

 

Transit City is gone.  So Leslievillains are supposed to drive across the bridge to work, because streetcars are full?  I thought the TTC belongs to the people of Toronto.  See, the way business works is like this:  If there's a demand for more service, then there's the associated income to drive that increase in service.  Oh right, it's a union that's "owning" the TTC these days.   

 

This is a beginning of a long process.  I don't see anybody in office listening.  Of course by then they'll be living off the City boob, like most politicians.  This will be a problem for years to come, until we get the Port Lands to add to all this.  Of course Paula Fletcher's office was all over that.  We couldn't possibly have Rob Ford's plans go in down there, but have them go in at Carlaw & Dundas.  This indeed will prove interesting.  

 

mayor_ford@toronto.ca

Kyle said:

Different take: I'm looking forward to this development. Density increases pedestrian foot traffic, which helps increase safety for those walking through the area, especially at night. It also means more shoppers for local businesses, which increases their viability. 

As someone who rides the 501 Queen each day, I share everyone's concerns about transit. There absolutely needs to be improvements to the 501 and 506 service to accommodate the thousands of new neighbours moving into the hood. The city and the province need to continue to hear from us about increasing service and dealing with the crowding issues, especially at rush hour. Hoping that having more people in the hood helps lend numbers to our voice calling for improvements to this service.

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Susan Wood on October 25, 2011 at 4:10pm

Thank you for all the great responses.

I am not against sharing our neighbourhood, but how can we make it functional? How can we increase TTC service to this area? More buses on queen, or bus service that goes past Dundas and broadview? I wonder how residents in the beaches feel about this congestion and perhaps a leslieville/beaches voice might be more persuasive to the TTC.

And does anyone know if the neighbourhood has been changed from manufacturing/business to residential? A number of these developments say "live/work" but I'm not sure what type of business will be on the 9th floor of a 600sq condo on carlaw and can anyone comment on the general success of businesses that are located on the ground floor of these developments?

 

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page