OMB gives green light to condos on Queen West
Critics say local artists are being pushed out
By Greg Macdonald - National Post
The Ontario Municipal Board approved the development of five high-rise condominium towers in a small area on Queen Street West near Dovercourt Road known as the “Triangle” yesterday.
The towers will be part of three main structures at 150 Sudbury St., 1171 Queen St. W. and 48 Abell St. that will form a triangle of residential units in what the OMB calls “one of the remaining opportunities for new development along Queen Street West.” Combined, the buildings could bring more than 2,000 new residents to the area.
The biggest structure will be built on 48 Abell St. It will consist of two large towers — one 18 storeys and the other 14 storeys. They will both connect to a four storey, brick-facade base, which will contain both residences and artists’ workshops. The base will surround mews that will contain cafes and galleries.
“We envision this as the cornerstone of the community,” said lawyer David Bronskill, who represents Verdiroc Development Corporation.
The plans also include as many as 190 affordable housing units in the Abell Street location’s southwest tower, pending funding approval.
There has been controversy over the area’s development. Local artists and residents are opposed to the destruction of the 48 Abell St. location, an industrial building built in the 1800s that has been converted into residences. It houses a variety of artists who create an energy and entity that drives the creative community in Toronto, said Councillor Adam Giambrone.
“We won’t be able to recreate that, no matter how much we try,” he said. “It wasn’t just their presence that was important, it was their dynamic.”
The area’s creative heritage will not be forgotten, Mr. Bronskill said. Some of the potential affordable housing units will be live-work studios for artists, and the brick facade will “recall” the original structure, he said.
But it won’t necessarily be as good as the spaces they have now, Mr. Giambrone said.
“It can’t just be affordable housing. The condos will have to have higher ceilings, natural light and big windows to replicate what they have now. It’s hard to put a kiln in a standard condo.”
Residents of the historic building - although not historic enough to be considered a heritage site by city council - agree that 48 Abell St. will be hard to replace.
Jessica Rose, who has been protesting the development, said she felt “very sad” when she heard the news.
“It was the perfect combination of community and physical attributes of the building. It’s the perfect place for an artist’s studio,” she said.
Others feel that their credibility and work are being exploited to market the new condos.
“The condos are selling on the merit of the artists in the area,” said Sabrina Saccoccio, who has lived in the building for about a year.
“Most of the artists won’t be able to afford these condos, and they’re effectively driving the creative community away.”
Mr. Giambrone said some good did come out of the OMB ruling.
“We have plans for a new park. Not a small park, either. The residents have never had access to something like this before. It will be good for the community,” he said.
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