500 Duplex
EPRA sparked a coalition to push back against a bad plan to attach two big buildings to the tower at 500 Duplex. They would have wrapped around two corners to create a great tall wall of tall building, and covered apartment windows and crowded the tower’s tenants. Lytton Park Residents’ Organization, Stanley Knowles Co-op and the Tenants’ Association joined us in this Coalition. We went to the Ontario Lands Tribunal for a lively mediation that gave everyone a far better result: there still will be ample air and light via ample inter-tower gaps. The new buildings have stepped down, and withdrawn from the sidewalk, leaving better room for trees and privacy.
Canada Square
EPRA took a big part in the alliance of residents’ associations and other local groups pushing for radically rethinking Oxford’s plan for the bus lands at Canada Square. With backing from our three local councillors, Colle, Matlow, and Robinson, our alliance caused City Council to vote for a re-think. The new, improved proposal increases the public park, spreads the stores and restaurants across all five towers, and preserves the northern slab-tower athwart the subway tracks. It also increases the indoor space for public meetings, and social and cultural activites, fivefold. It has been a good collaboration, a triangle of residents, the city, and the developer. Much further work is needed on the fine details. We have pushed for a park atop the subway trench to link to the future rail-deck park at Davisville Yards. EPRA will stay engaged for the long haul, and it welcomes ideas and support from all neighbours.
Towers at 60-90 Eglinton (Duplex to Henning)
EPRA went to mediation, allied with city, to reduce and trim the two towers proposed by Madison for Eglinton, west of Duplex. A compromise resulted; the developer received roughly half the gain in height they wanted. Much discussion concerned a good re-use for the old hydro building at the corner, and details of design at ground level.
Top of the Tree (north side of Montgomery, by the fire hall)
Back in 2008/9 EPRA campaigned hard against a development called Top of the Tree. The developer aimed to put a 29-storey building on the north side of Montgomery, west of the fire hall. EPRA figured that if the developer succeeded all the blocks between Eglinton Park and Yonge would soon flip to towers. We went to the OMB in alliance with the City and won. The developer folded his tent. Those houses however, remain assembled and have been vacant for several years. We anticipate a second round.
The Library Block Study
So many were the pressures on the whole city block with Northern District Library on it that with EPRA’s participation the city conducted a thorough study of the block: Orchard View with its many busy uses, the Stanley Knowles Co-op, the library itself, the Helendale side and the properties toward Yonge, coveted by developers.
At the time, two developers had rights to the land along Helendale. The study pushed hard for consolidation, and not two towers but one only, as did happen. One obstacle: the right of way behind the stores at Yonge. The solution: a passage slipping under the podium heading south.
Whitehaus (on Yonge at Montgomery)
The tower over that right of way, is now finished at Helendale and Yonge. EPRA signed on as a party to negotiations, and took part in a mediation sponsored by the OMB. We worked hard on details at ground level.
Montgomery Square / Postal Station K (corner of Montgomery and Yonge)
This was a dramatic campaign, with wide public participation. EPRA first learned that the federal government was planning to unload the postal station when we chanced on a crew taking soil samples on the site. We feared that a purchaser would demolish this local gem. The MP in Ottawa, Joe Oliver, failed to answer letter after letter from us. There were many rallies, and marches, and a petition hosted by a tireless neighbour in a wheelchair, that gathered 10,000 signatures. We were all vastly relieved when the buyer, Rockport, announced its intentions to preserve and restore the old postal building, and to design a tower that respected its shape.
Premium (Northwest corner of Yonge and Duplex)
36 Eglinton West a mirror-clad building that often proclaims “We have square feet.” For decades it had the same owner, Premium. In 2011, the owner announced that it intended to put up a 48-storey tower. EPRA went to the OMB in alliance with the city and with three other RA groups. The city asked for 25 storeys, and we agreed. The court awarded the owners 39. And them, for ten years, nothing happened.
Now, under new owners and a much more lenient Provincial government, the ambitions are back, this time, asking for 65 storeys! The matter was before the planners, where the councillor and the EPRA opposed the tall tower.
Midtown in Focus (a vision for the region)
In response to the many pressures on midtown Toronto, the three local councillors: Robinson, Stintz, and Matlow, asked for a comprehensive study all the way from Keewatin to the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, and from Bayview to Avenue Road.
There was energetic consultation among citizens and planners, producing two thorough reports, one, in 2015 addressing green spaces and designs for streets and walkways, and then in 2018, a second planning study laying out the heights and spacing and massing of the many towers. The city passed both reports, the first in 2015, the second in the summer of 2018.
Then, in October, with the Conservative victory in the Province, the minister of Housing rewrote the second report with well over 100 amendments, stripping out many of the numbers and weakening the language. Since then, towers have been aiming ever higher. EPRA and its allies are working hard to rein in this skyward stampede.
For background, see: Midtown in Focus
The BMO Site (Roselawn and Yonge)
A developer, Main and Main, acquired everything on the west side of Yonge north of the Anne Johnston Health Station — much of a deep city block. The site included the historic BMO building that was on the verge of heritage designation. On a Thursday, the developer acquired a demolition permit and on Friday we and other citizens did our best to pivot to protect the bank. However, at 7 AM on Saturday, the bulldozers showed up and by noon the bank was rubble.
We were furious. City planners turned down the proposed condominium, both bulky and ugly. The developers sold to new owners but kept an interest in the consortium that took the project on.
Then came a new plan, better-looking, but no less massive, featuring a 12-storey podium. That plan went to mediation, in which EPRA and Lytton Park Residents’ Organization both joined. There emerged a settlement, an improvement.
The Madison proposal (two towers on Eglinton between Duplex and Henning)
EPRA has engaged with this proposal from the start. We hoped to see a midrise, not a tower, at the foot of Henning and went to the OMB to fight the proposed 24-storey tower.
Unfortunately, we lost in court. When the developer acquired the Toronto Hydro properties and proposed a second tower, we took part in discussions with the councillor of the time. We listened to the planners about improvements to the design and agreed not to fight the model which included two towers, one 32 and the other 24 storeys and good re-use of the heritage Hydro building.
Later, however, the developer proposed to raise the towers to 39 and 34 storeys. We opposed these plans to add more height.
Eglinton Park Residents' Association 