Residents oppose Danforth condo height
A group of residents who live near a proposed East Danforth condominium development say the height in the rezoning application is too tall and have submitted a petition to the city underscoring their concern.
A community meeting for the eight-storey development at 2301 and 2315 Danforth Avenue between Morton Road and Patricia Drive, the site of the former Wise Guys bar, was held March 7, but the group of residents say in a letter to city staff that they are not satisfied with what was presented with the meeting. The letter resubmits a petition signed by 21 residents of wards 31 and 32 that was first submitted to the city in November.
“Our primary concern remains that the height of 27 metres is too high and should be rejected. A reduction in height and a corresponding reduction in the number of units would be preferable to enhance the acceptability of the proposal,” reads the letter, signed by Charles Braive and fellow friends of Danforth East. “We note that no one at the March 7 meeting spoke in favour of the proposed height except the proponent. We do not believe that the development of the whole Danforth ‘Avenue’ in this manner and size is beneficial or desirable.”
The city is in the process of studying the Danforth area in an avenue study, a process that will end with guidelines for how new buildings should look so that they will fit into the character of the neighbourhood. Until that study is done, the city studies other developments in the area for context and considers the impact on adjacent neighbourhoods.
This group believes that the areas that have been studied are not sufficient for context and should not be used to justify allowing the 27-metre height.
An earlier letter to the city from this same group called the proposed building a “monolith” and said it would cast large shadows on the Danforth and surrounding homes.
The developer, Marlin Spring Investment, submitted in its application a sun and shadow study that shows how the shadows would look in comparison to existing and approved buildings in the area, asking at the March 7 meeting that those concerned with potential shade refer to the document.
