Beaches Condo Takes Another Step Forward

By Penny Munoz

Despite strong opposition from residents of the Beaches, a six-storey condominium development has been approved to go up at the northeast corner of Queen Street and Woodbine Avenue.

Like most proposals in the Beaches, developer Queen EMPC Six Ltd’s development was met with a series of concerns regarding whether the design was appropriate for the community and if retail space would complicate traffic.

Protests from a group of Beach residents’ associations and the City of Toronto included concerns over Queen EMPC Six’s plans, suggesting that the condo development was in violation of Queen Street design guidelines because it would block views of the historic Kew Beach fire hall. The City-led Visioning Study that created these design guidelines is backed by the Greater Beach Neighbourhood Association who maintains that people should be able to see the fire hall from all four corners of Queen and Woodbine.

Ontario Municipal Board member Blair Taylor found that there is no statutory planning document that upholds the four-corner view, but did establish that the development should follow the view guidelines of a site-specific bylaw from 1994.

In accordance with Taylor’s rulings, Queen EMPC Six will need to change its balcony designs to befit the guidelines, as well as eliminate the second-floor retail component. Taylor also deemed the proposed corner façade inappropriate for the neighbourhood because of what appears to be white marble on the condo.

The guidelines encourage the construction of highly prominent buildings to act as landmarks at the intersection which is referred to as the gateway to the Beaches. Currently, the intersection is occupied by an older, two-storey building with retail at street level and residential above.

Though a six-storey building will definitely alter the appearance of the neighbourhood, there are already several condominium projects in the area springing up. Just west of Queen and Woodbine is a six-storey development that is already under construction. On the southwest corner of the intersection there’s a five-storey, mixed-use building with covered balconies, and there is an older three-storey, mixed-use building on the southeast corner.

Feature image via Google Street View