Toronto axes condo proposal that threatened closure of beloved bar
A controversial condominium proposal has been shot down by the City of Toronto, marking just the latest chapter in a drawn-out saga centred around a beloved bar in the city’s Church-Wellesley Village area.
The long-fought battle to save local bar and nightlife staple Crews & Tangos was restarted in October 2024 when Graywood Developments proposed a 48-storey condo tower in place of a previously-approved plan to replace the block of 506 through 516 Church Street with a 14-storey building.
Graywood’s application, seeking roughly three times the approved height for the site, was a gamble in a part of the city known for its community engagement, especially given the blowback the developer faced for a much smaller proposal four years earlier.
The plan calls for the partial retention of the existing 2.5-storey building at 508 and 510 Church Street home to Crews & Tangos, which is designated as a heritage property under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
Cancelled Toronto condo that threatened local bar is back at over 3 times the height https://t.co/wc1d1G6RkD
— blogTO (@blogTO) October 24, 2024
On the heels of the submission, an in-person community consultation was hosted by City staff on November 21, 2024, where over 50 local residents came together to voice serious concerns about the development.
After attendees were given a presentation on the project, staff led a question-and-answer period where numerous issues were discussed.
Issues raised by local residents included the tower’s height and incongruity with the surrounding Church Wellesley Village, with related concerns like shadows on the public realm and Paul Kane House Parkette, support for intensification on the site, and an increase in vehicle traffic.
Some noted a desire for larger units to accommodate families and rental options, while others noted that the nightclubs that populate the area could conflict with residential uses above if no noise mitigation measures are worked into the proposal.
Locals also noted the implications of the loss of an existing small business and cultural space, as well as specific concerns about the proposal’s lack of fine-grain retail spaces capable of supporting 2SLGBTQ+ small businesses.
Area residents were also not too pleased with the tower’s design, and requested that the developer go back to the drawing board “to create a landmark in the Church Wellesley Village.”
Unsurprisingly, the sizeable increase over previous plans and many issues raised by area residents have resulted in this project’s refusal by the City.
On December 18, the Director of Community Planning for Toronto and East York District issued a refusal report regarding the proposed zoning by-law and Official Plan amendments, stating that “The proposed built form and massing does not conform with the Church Street Village Character Area policies of Site and Area Specific Policy 382 in the Official Plan.”
The refusal was rubber-stamped during a January 14 meeting of Toronto and East York District Community Council.
While it’s a setback in the project’s planning, it’s likely one that was expected by the project team, and certainly not the end of this proposal.
Graywood can appeal the decision to the Ontario Land Tribunal, which has overruled many such decisions over the years, or resulted in negotiated plans between the City and developers.