By AMARACHI AMADIKE, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A Toronto and East York Committee of Adjustment hearing date has officially been set for this month to consider the renovation proposal of the building at 2273-2275 Queen St. E. in the Beach.
The virtual hearing will take place on Jan. 18 at 9:30 a.m.
This hearing is part of an ongoing difference of opinion regarding modifications to the building between the owners of its two units.
Ed Wilson has lived in the east unit of the building for more than 40 years, and he’s concerned the proposal will alter the duplex building’s front façade and impact his access to sunlight in the back.
Rabbi Sholom Lezell is proposing the changes to the building’s west side to expand his synagogue and Jewish school at the location.
The last time the dispute was before the Committee of Adjustment was in 2021 when the hearing was deferred after Lezell asked for more time to address the proposed changes to the building.
“I’m told some form of this proposal is likely to be passed by the committee,” said Wilson in an email to Beach Metro Community News recently. “However, the committee can attach conditions to their approvals.”
According to Wilson, the new proposal, which has one less floor, is a scaled back version of the initial plan.
One major objection he had with the original design was the change to the front facade. The new proposal, however, does a better job at preserving the original Price Brothers appearance that is very familiar in the Beach area.
Although much effort has been put into the redesigning of plans for the front of the building, Wilson still has some issues with the additions made on Lezell’s side of the building.
The east side of the building (owned by Wilson) will have the original veranda and gable design that is well known to Queen Street East, while the west side (Lezells property) will feature a modern, glass finish where a balcony currently lies. From the street, members of the community will be able to look directly into the new lobby of a Jewish Community Centre–Chabad Beaches.
“The glazing in of the veranda together with the forward positioning of the upper addition will destroy the symmetry and look of the building and make it unrecognizable as an example of the Price Brothers duplex,” said Wilson.
Wilson’s hope is that the Committee of Adjustment adheres to the Kew Beach Precinct Urban Design Guidelines which states that the sub area, located between Woodbine Avenue and Glen Manor Drive, is the “commercial and retail heart of the Beach”.
It suggests that “rows of original Price Brothers buildings at the east end of this precinct are important for their cultural value and should be preserved”.
Residents who want to participate in the hearing can register in advance at https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/committee-of-adjustment/process-participation/
The deadline to register to take part or to send a written submission regarding the proposal to the CoA is Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 4:30 p.m. Written submissions (in pdf format), including your name and address, to the Committee of Adjustment must be emailed to coa.tey@toronto.ca no later than 4:30 pm on Wednesday, Jan. 11.
Amarachi Amadike is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for Beach Metro Community News. His reporting is funded by the Government of Canada through its Local Journalism Initiative.
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