New condo Development proposal at Main & Danforth, The Beach Metro does a good article here...
http://www.beachmetro.com/2018/01/08/city-hosts-public-meeting-proposed-main-danforth-tower/
An east-end Toronto community group has concerns about how a proposed 30-storey high-rise condo at 286 Main Street just south of Danforth could impact everything from local green space to daily commutes.
“The big concerns [are] parking, traffic, and can the TTC handle all these riders going on it, because it’s not just that development, there’s the ones that are in progress [and] the ones down the road,” said Peter Woodcock, a volunteer with the Friends of Stephenson Park community group who also works for local city councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon. “The TTC is already crowded.”
Tribute Communities and Greybrook Realty Partners are proposing a 30-storey mixed-use tower, including 301 condo units, for the lots encompassing 286-292 Main Street. In a report, city staff have previously called the proposal “inappropriate” for the area, citing concerns with density.
Council has directed planning staff to undertake a study of the area surrounding the Main and Danforth intersection before deciding the fate of the high-rise application.
Meanwhile, the Stephenson Park group is also worried about how increased density in the immediate area might affect the park they are named after. “Our park isn’t a big park,” he explained. “If all of a sudden if you put up however many more residents and everybody starts using this one little green space you know that’s a little worrisome.”
However, Woodcock suggests there is broad support for development along the Danforth in general. “I think most people are keen for development along the Danforth, especially out this way,” the Westlake Avenue resident said. “It’s very underdeveloped. We’ve got empty storefronts.”
The scale of the proposal has nonetheless generated discussion within the community, he suggested. “This is the first time anything quite as big has been proposed,” he said.
The group and others will have a chance to share such comments at a community meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Hope United Church on the northwest corner of Main Street and Danforth Avenue. Ward 32 Coun. Mary-Margaret McMahon, city staff, and the development applicant will be on hand to field questions and present information, Daniel Woolfson, a senior city planner for the Toronto and East York District, said. “We will be talking about the concerns that planning staff have,” said Woolfson. “We’ll also be introducing the concept behind the Main Street Planning Study,” he added, referring to the area study that will be completed before staff make a decision about the 286-292 Main Street application.
The specific borders of the study area will be revealed, and staff will explain why city council asked staff to move forward with the study. Already, the city is conducting the Danforth Avenue Planning Study to guide future development along the Danforth between Coxwell and Victoria Park Avenues, but that study only looks at specific properties fronting Danforth and so does not include 286-292 Main Street.
Construction Update for November 6th, 2014
We are into the home stretch now as some of you may have seen. We are a week or so out for completion of construction.
The street grinding on the south side of the Danforth just started yesterday. They will need 2-3 days for grinding, then adjustments, then the final paving happens.
The date for the street sign re-installations is still TBD as they are looking at newly designed black poles with multiple signs on each so the street is not cluttered with different poles.
Street furniture will go back, with the addition of perhaps 5 extra benches on the strip. This has yet to be confirmed for sure.
Bike rings will be re-installed, and again as per my last update, if you want more bike rings, each resident can apply to the city with a desired location.
The trees are all planted, and I never did get a real answer re the Norway Maples, other than those trees have done well in Toronto street plantings. The one and only existing tree railing on the south side of Danforth just East of Woodbine is just an idea. It will not be the final look. This one is black, and realistically they will be looking at something that is not painted and that is not aluminium. Paint chips off, and aluminium rusts. The attached photo give you the idea of the patina finish that they will have. They will still have 3 sides. The Sedum that you see planted in that one example is also just an idea... it is often used on green roofs, and is a great ground cover, so it may be used in further plantings. So we will just have to wait and see what they will come up with. Of course, final dates for that installation are not confirmed.
I will continue to keep my ear to the ground and will stay in touch with the city for any new information, but the meetings are now finished for this project.
If you live in Danforth Village... you know about the construction. I've been attending the Danforth Construction Liason Committee to stay up to date on the improvements for the Danforth Village Area.
Work has begun on the north side of the Danforth at Woodbine and will proceed East. This section should be complete by September 25th! They will grind and pave the road at the end of October. The contractor is currently on site repairing road cuts, which has to be done first so the road is useable, then they grind and re-pave all at once.
Urban Forestry have begun planting new trees! They will be using three different types of species; 1) Locus: is one of the heartiest trees, salt and disease resistant, 2) Elm: using a new strain of Elm, they do well and are disease resistant, and 3) Maple – Norway, Silver and Crimson. They will apparently plant all year round, so we should get them all in before long.
Urban Forestry will water, weed and mulch the trees. They will begin by doing this weekly or bi-weekly when the trees are first planted.
No update as to how they are going to finish the planting just yet... railings or boarders like Gerrard, so stay tuned. Also there are a few trees still in concrete containers that have not been lowered into the ground. The initial plan was to not have any concrete planters. Some must remain in the concrete planters due to utilities that run underneath, but I'll know after the next Danforth Construction Liason Committee meeting.
Stay tuned.
Great Blog from Toronto Neighbourhood Guides on the Danforth Village Pop-up Project.
http://www.torontoneighbourhoods.net/blog/2014/07/danforth-village-pop-up-shops-prove-to-be-a-big-success
These Pop-up shops are great, and they are slowly, one by one, improving Danforth Village. They are beautifying the street, and providing places where the local community in Danforth Village can shop, dine, or just browse. Either way, this is a win-win situation for the Danforth commercial strip, which will only make our Danforth Village an even better place to be.
Danforth constuction timetable is a rough guideline to the work being done on our main street. These improvements will make the Danforth Village so much better looking. We've needed the improvements here for a while, and It's finally happening. The new sidewalks, more trees, and new grade level planters will make the Danforth so much prettier. This is all wonderful for our Danforth Village neighbourhood. Can't wait to see it when it's all done!
Corinne McCabe 
