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A guide to six key Bloor West housing developments

More than a dozen condo and purpose-built rental developments have been proposed for the four-kilometre stretch along Bloor West from Jane to Dufferin. The buildings will squeeze into mid-century tower-in-the-park complexes, replace a beloved cinema and high school and completely transform major intersections.

At the moment, none of the proposed projects have designated affordable housing but that could change when inclusionary zoning, which forces developers to price a percentage of units at below market rent, takes effect. While some residents are thrilled the new high-rises will increase housing stock in a coveted neighbourhood, many are concerned about density and displacement. We break down six major developments coming soon to the neighbourhood.

Plazacorp at Bloor West and Jane

Location: 2452 Bloor West, the current site of the historic Humber Cinemas.

Storeys: 14, plus  nearly 5,000-square-metres of retail space

Number of units: 244 with 90 one bedrooms, 129 two bedrooms and 25 three bedrooms.

Status: The developer’s application is currently under review by the Ontario Municipal Board.

What the community thinks: Residents are upset the proposed development would demolish the Humber Cinemas, which opened in 1948. They’re also concerned about adding density to already crammed Jane Station.

Benefits: More than 50 per cent of the units are two- and three-bedrooms, which would make it desirable to young families.

Minto Group at Bloor West between Pacific and Oakmount

Location: 111 Pacific, the current home of two rental high-rises and one rental mid-rise, which are slated to remain on the site.   

Storeys: 33, 29, eight and two blocks of three-storey townhouses  

Number of units: 768 rental, which will double the number of units on the site.

Status: The city’s planning department is conducting the High Park Apartment Neighbourhood Area Character Study to create a guide for future infill development. City staff will release their final reports based on its findings.

What the community thinks: Last February, a group of tenants and homeowners formed the High Park Community Alliance to officially oppose the development, which they believe is too dense and will cause overcrowding in local schools.

Benefits: More rental housing.  

High Park Village by GWL Realty Advisors at High Park and Pacific

Location: 35 High Park, north of Bloor between Pacific and High Park, the current home of four large rental buildings, which are slated to remain on the site two blocks of townhouses, comprising 20 units, would be demolished.

Storeys: 39, 34, 29 and eight

Number of units: 1,031 new rental units

Status: As with the development at 111 Pacific, city staff will wait to make their final report until after the High Park Apartment Neighbourhood Area Character Study is completed.

What the community thinks: The High Park Community Alliance is also opposed to this development, citing concerns over density and loss of green space. During community consultation meetings last May, t-shirts branded with the words “Say no to double density” were being sold.

Benefits: It would add much needed rental housing the city’s overall vacancy rate in 2017 was 1.1 per cent.

GrenadierSquare3.jpg

Construction has already started on GWL Realty Advisors’s development at Bloor and High Park.

Grenadier Square by GWL Realty Advisors at Bloor and High Park

Location: 51 Quebec, home to two rental high-rises. Two blocks of townhouses were demolished during construction.  

Storeys: Two 25-storey high-rises and 16 townhouses.

Number of units: 528 rental units with 12 studios, 268 one bedrooms, 246 two bedrooms and two three bedrooms.

Status: The city’s planning department will give the developer the official go-ahead shortly. Construction has already started.

What the community thinks: The developer reduced the height to 25 storeys after residents expressed concerns over the original proposed height of 31-storeys.  

Benefits: The two new towers are designed to be LEED Gold certified, with sustainable features like rain water retention and green roofs.

Choice Properties REIT at Bloor and Dundas

Location: 2280 Dundas West, home to a Loblaws, LCBO, KalTire, Coffee Time, a huge parking lot and the Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Catholic School.

Storeys: TBD

Number of units: TBD

Status: The developer is working closely with the community to design a mixed-use hub containing a range of high- and mid-rise housing as well as affordable rental and a new Catholic secondary school on the site. They will submit their initial application to the city this winter with development approval not expected until 2019.

What the community thinks: During an open house last year, residents said they wanted the development to have homes for families and seniors, affordable rental housing, live/work units and co-working spaces.

Benefits: Current designs show around 20 per cent of the four-hectare site allocated to parkland.

Bloor & Dufferin at Bloor and Dufferin by Capital Developments and Metropia

Location: 1141 Bloor West, the site of Bloor Collegiate Institute and the former Kent Senior Public School.

Storeys: 47, 44, 30, 25, two 11-storey and six-storey with retail and office space plus a new public park.

Number of units: 2,219 units with 70 bachelors, 1,210 one bedrooms, 794 two bedrooms and 145 three bedrooms.

Status: The developers are working on a preliminary report to present to community council and asking for feedback.

What the community thinks: At a packed community consultation meeting on February 7, many residents expressed concern over the density of the site and the pressure it would add to Dufferin Station. Many also worried these developments would drive up rent in neighbouring properties and displace low-income residents.  

Benefits: While Bloor Collegiate would be demolished, the Kent School would be transformed into a multi-purpose community centre.

samanthae@nowtoronto.com | @SamEdwardsTO

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