Ace Hotel Community Meeting November 17, 2015

Ace Hotel

Ace Hotel Community Meeting November 17, 2015

12/22/2015

The room was packed with residents from the community and about a row of “experts” attending for the developer, there to defend the hotel’s plans whenever there was a question and there were many. Issues for the community include the narrow lane way between the hotel and Brant Park Lofts, the close proximity of the two buildings, traffic congestion concerns (entrance to the hotel will be from both Brant and Camden), noise pollution from the roof top bar, and the proposed height which is more than double the permitted height.

In follow-up with city planning afterwards: the city appears to have given up trying to enforce the permitted 23 meter height, considers it “out of date,” and now has a “vision” to limit mid-rises to 35 to 40 meters. The Ace plan is for 49.8 meters. The hotel will have no parking. We were disingenuously told at the meeting that many guests would be arriving by bicycle!

Please express your concerns to the city planner for the file, Avery Carr, at 416-392-0423 and our City Counselor, Joe Cressy at 416-392-4044.

1 Comment

Doug Taylor link

1/31/2016 04:18:38 pm

Because I live on Camden Street, I am directly affected by the proposal for the Ace Hotel at Camden and Brant Streets. I do not feel negative about the hotel, as architecturally its red-brick exterior fits well with the heritage buildings in our neighbourhood. As a local historian, I consider this important. However, I have serious reservations about the height of the building and believe that most of the objections raised by residents in the area would disappear if the height of the structure were reduced. The proposal states that it is 13-storeys, but it will be taller than the condominium Brant Park, which has eleven floors. As proposed, the Ace Hotel will tower over the surrounding buildings.

The proposal also states that there will be 130 rooms within the 13-story structure. Reducing the height of the Ace Hotel to comply with the city’s by-laws means fewer guests. If the number of guests is reduced, less traffic will be generated and there will be less noise on the street. Also, a shorter building will have less shadow effect on St. Andrew’s Playground during the morning hours. The park is presently under consideration for redevelopment, and it will be a pity if the 13-story Ace Hotel negatively affects this jewel of a green space.

I realize that the taller the hotel, the greater the profitability for its owners. However, during one of the meetings at Metro Hall, a representative of the hotel stated that the Camden Street site was chosen because it is in a quiet neighbourhood, tucked away from the busy traffic of the surrounding arterial streets. If the project proceeds as planned, the hotel will destroy the aspects that originally made the site desirable. Compromise is important if the Ace Hotel is to be accepted by the neighbourhood, and its restaurant and bar facilities patronized by the residents living near it.

It is sincerely hoped that the city will address these concerns, respect its own bylaws, and limit the hotel’s height. Ignoring the bylaws and allowing developers to increase the height of their buildings is not a sensible solution to creating liveable neighbourhoods.

Doug Taylor, 50 Camden Street

Ace Hotel Community Meeting November 17, 2015

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