Public meeting on demolition and conversion plans for Glen Everest-Kingston roads rental buildings slated

By AMARACHI AMADIKE, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A public meeting to discuss the demolition and conversion of 68 rental units in low-rise residential buildings at 54-62 Glen Everest Rd. is set to take place at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan 19.

The buildings back on to the south side of Kingston Road, east of Glen Everest Road and opposite the Scarborough War Memorial at the Danforth Avenue and Kingston Road split. A proposal by Altree Developments to redevelop the site will see a new 12-storey residential building with 414 units at the location.

The public meeting will be held at the Scarborough Civic Centre (150 Borough Dr.) where Scarborough Community Council will receive community input about the demolition and rental relocation proposal before making recommendations for Toronto Council.

According to the architectural plans submitted by Kohn Partnership Architects Inc, the new 12-storey building will have a Gross Floor Area of 32,901 square metres, providing 292 vehicle parking spaces as well as 282 long-term bicycle parking spots for tenants.

The new building will consist of 25 studio apartments; 27 one-bedroom units; 59 one-bedroom units with dens; 97 two-bedroom units; 103 two-bedroom units with dens; and 35 three-bedroom units. The remaining 68 units in the new building will be rental replacements for the current residents of 54-62 Glen Everest Rd. who are gearing up to lose their apartments to the proposed demolition.

These replacement units will comprise of two studio apartments; 25 one-bedroom units; 40 two-bedroom units; and one three-bedroom unit. The developer is proposing tenant relocation and assistance in order to mitigate hardships current tenants will likely face once the demolition of their homes has been approved.

During Altree’s demolition approval process last year for a property on Kingston Road in Birch Cliff, the developer promised to compensate outgoing Lenmore Court tenants with the equivalent of three months rent and provide them with moving expenses. Tenants were also guaranteed their right to return to the new building upon its completion and issued upfront rental gap payments.

City of Toronto Planner Andrew Cohrs told Beach Metro Community News that Altree will be handling the 54-62 Glen Everest development in a similar fashion when it comes to the displaced rental tenants.

“It’s the same situation,” said Cohrs. “We require what’s called a Tenant Relocation Assistance Implementation Plan. So that includes a number of things in addition to the requirements from the Residential Tenancies Act.”

According to Cohrs, tenants currently living in studio or one-bedroom apartments will receive a $1,500 payment for moving out and another for moving back to the replacement unit.

Individuals in two and three-bedroom apartments will receive $2,500. Tenants will be getting a six months notice to move out.

Although the current rental units at 54-62 Glen Everest Rd. are set to be replaced, it is expected that not many of the current renters will be returning to the new building upon its completion as this project is expected to take three to five years to complete.

However, Cohrs said that Altree will provide tenants with a leasing agent that they can use to “find new apartments and coordinate references” in order to make their transition easier.

There will also be a special needs payment equivalent to four-times a tenants rent which will be provided for individuals with mental or physical conditions that require extra assistance as well as seniors over the age of 65.

“This is our standard practice and we feel like it does a pretty good job of lessening the hardships tenants will face,” said Cohrs.

Similar to Altree’s demolition approval at Lenmore Court, conversations surrounding tenant compensation are expected to be a major focus of debate at the Jan. 19 public meeting.

Anyone interested in hearing more about this development but is unable to make it to the Scarborough Civic Centre can live stream the consultation meeting at www.youtube.com/TorontoCityCouncilLive

Those who wish to voice their opinions on the proposal must register by email to scc@toronto.ca (or by phone at 416-397-4579) before the noon deadline on Thursday, Jan. 18.

For more information regarding the proposal, contact City Planner Andrew Cohrs at 416-392-4730 or by email at Andrew.Cohrs@toronto.ca

– 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.