Garment District Neighbourhood Association
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Construction Management Plans

1/17/2022

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THESE ARE THE CMP PLANS, dated April 2020 and labelled DRAFT.
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The LPAT Decision

1/1/2022

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The LPAT decision, dated May 20, 2020 is HERE.
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A Settlement re 450 Richmond West

3/31/2020

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450 Richmond West wedged between the Woodsworth and the Morgan

​Around mid-February, when the GDNA and other Parties were preparing witness lists for the April hearing, we were told by the City Planner (quietly ... she asked us to come to City Hall) that the City and the Developer had reached a possible settlement.  A meeting between the Developer and affected neighbourhood residents was also being scheduled but the infamous COVID-19 put an end to those plans. 

Nevertheless, the City’s recommendation towards a settlement was adopted at the February 26th meeting of City Council and details were made public (link to the minutes HERE).

Updated architectural plans are not on the City website yet, but are available as attachment #2 to the minutes of the City Council meeting above, also downloadable HERE.
 
Apart from changes to the architectural plans, the GDNA is pleased with these clauses which were added to the settlement:
- City Council require that as a condition of approval for a Site Plan Control application related to this proposed development, the applicant strike a construction management working group, including the Garment District Neighbourhood Association, and any other interested community stakeholders, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, City Planning Staff, and any other City Staff as necessary.
- City Council require, as part of a Site Plan Control application related to this proposal, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the Applicant to explore measures to maintain and enhance the existing character of Graffiti Alley through the design of the rear of the subject site, in consultation with the Ward Councillor.
- City Council require the applicant to provide art on construction hoarding in accordance with the City's START (Street Art Toronto) program.

 
The Tribunal office is now dotting “i”s and crossing “t”s and has scheduled a Settlement Hearing to be heard by Telephone Conference Call on April 8th to which all the Parties have been invited.  

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LPAT Hearing Scheduled for April 2020

5/5/2019

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HERE ... details about the Pre-Hearing Conference and the Procedural Order related to PL171261.

The GDNA will attend the hearing for this file with Party status.  Issues relate to:
Curbside Activity
  • Does the proposal represent good planning, having regard to the impact of curbside activity (courier delivery and passenger pick-up / drop-off) on Richmond Street West given:
    • The existence of the bike lane immediately adjacent?
    • The use of such services by residents of the building?
    • The nature of the bend in the road for motorists proceeding westward on Richmond Street West from Spadina Avenue?
    • Reference to TOCore policy 8.27?
  • The Transportation Impact Study assumes that the service vehicle parking space at the rear of the building will accommodate “Courier vans/trucks; and Delivery vans/cars”. How can the proposal be improved to take into account the fact that such vehicles may be directed to access the building from Richmond Street due to its municipal address?
Graffiti Alley
  • Does the proposal take into account the popularity of Rush Lane (aka Graffiti Alley) as a tourist destination with the potential for pedestrian/vehicular conflicts?
  • Does the proposal adequately respond to the status of laneways in the King-Spadina HCD Plan (section 9.3)? Does the proposal respect the cultural heritage values, attributes and character inherent in this celebrated alley?
  • Is the location of the Type C loading space appropriate?
  • Does the proposal consider the current configuration of the laneway and pedestrian traffic in the laneway and the impact of these elements on the ability of garbage trucks and moving vans to safely service the site?
  • Is the location and size of the double parking space for “car share small car” appropriate?
Construction
  • Does the proposal demonstrate adequate capacity for staging construction in view of limitations imposed by:
    • The bend in Richmond Street West just east of the site
    • The presence of the bike lane on the north side of Richmond Street West  
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Pre-hearing has been scheduled

8/25/2018

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Details related to this pre-hearing conference event can be found here.
The first activity moving towards an OMB (now re-named LPAT – Local Planning Appeal Tribunal) hearing is ​the pre-hearing.  The pre-hearing is a forum at which the duration and date of the eventual hearing is established.  Much of that determination depends on what roles the various "players" will play at the hearing.  At the pre-hearing, "players" seek status as either a party or a participant.  Party status allows one to present witnesses and to cross-examine witnesses called by the other parties at the hearing proper.  It also requires a commitment in terms of time (one is required to appear throughout the hearing which may last weeks) and cost (mostly for printed documentation and display boards). Participants need only appear at an agreed date/time and may incur little or no expense.  They say their bit and may need to answer questions on cross-examination.  Party status obviously allows one to participate more fully in the hearing’s outcome.  Issues not raised by the City can be championed and issues dear to the hearts of participants can be supported.  At the very least, party status satisfies this maxim … if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu (quote thanks to Chris Glover).
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What the City thinks about this proposal

7/22/2018

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City Planning presented this 34-page report at the July 4th session of Toronto and East York Community Council
The GDNA also submitted comments to be attached to this file.
This application has been appealed to LPAT (Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ... the new identity of the OMB) but will be heard under the "old rules" which administer appeals submitted prior to the April 3, 2018 cut-off date.  No pre-hearing date has yet been set.  
From the GDNA's perspective, we cannot see how the developers can actually build this condo.  Side walls will be flush with the Morgan at 438 Richmond and with the Woodsworth (formerly the James) at 452 Richmond, assuming it is completed first.  The City SURELY will not permit the removal of a lane of traffic from Richmond, especially given that the section from Spadina to Brant is subject to a safety review per this item at the July 4th session of the TEYCC item (see point #4).  And the GDNA will fight tooth and nail to protect Rush Lane (Graffiti Alley) from construction activity.
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Update as of April 15, 2018

4/15/2018

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Developers for this proposal have appealed to the OMB ... case # PL171261.  To date, no pre-hearing has been scheduled and the City has produced neither a "Preliminary Report" nor a "Request for Direction" report. 

However, the GDNA will alert Members and Friends (those on our mailing list) when a report becomes available or a pre-hearing date is scheduled.  Plans are also in progress for an "OMB Workshop" at which residents can learn about their options for participating at an OMB hearing.  Join the GDNA or subscribe to our mailing list to keep informed regarding this initiative.
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Here we go again

8/8/2017

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Supporting Documentation, accessed via the sidebar, is now online.
We still have not received an OMB decision about Brad Lamb's "James" development next door at 452. But obviously the developers of this one at 450 seem to favour his design. However all the issues the GDNA had with the former are relevant to this new proposal:
  • Where are taxis, Uber vehicles, Wheel-Trans and personal friends supposed to pick up or drop off passengers?
  • Where do vehicles servicing today’s purchasing practices (Canada Post, UPS, pizza delivery, Grocery Gateway, etc.), fuelled by the growing trend towards online shopping, stop for the 5 to 10 minutes it takes to complete a delivery?
  • Where do trade (Bell Canada, HVAC providers, elevator maintenance) vehicles park while they take minutes if not hours to provide service to a building?
And, as for Community Services and Facilities ...
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South face on Richmond
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North face on Rush Lane
UrbanToronto.ca describes the proposal here.
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Advance Notice

7/9/2017

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Councillor Cressy's office has given us advance notice of a new rezoning application submitted for this site, currently a parking lot located between the "James" on one side and the "Morgan" on the other, with Rush Lane at the backdoor and a bike lane at the front door.  We have no idea what is planned ... the materials are not yet posted (as of July 9th) but the link in the sidebar will work once they are.
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    Re-zoning application #
    12 279689 STE 20 OZ
      

    ​OMB case #
    ​PL171261

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