Status of proposed condo development sites on Kingston Road and foot of Woodbine Avenue have residents concerned

By AMARACHI AMADIKE

“They say that the best views come after the hardest climb. But they have never been enveloped in the peaceful utopia of the panoramic vistas from The View,” reads a statement on the official website of the developers responsible for 507-511 Kingston Rd. in the Beach.

However, following initial work which consisted of tearing down houses and digging out the slope on the south side of Kingston Road (just west of Lee Avenue), residents have been left with unfavourable views as construction of the site’s proposed eight-storey condo was seemingly halted.

Although some residents are showing signs of frustration about the lack of progress on the Condoman Developments’s site, there is very limited information available in regards to development timelines for the project.

The proposed building on the site was to be a nine-storey condo with 57 units and 72 parking spaces. The development site spaces stretches south from the sidewalk on Kingston Road, with a very steep but fenced-off drop, all the way to the north end of Wheeler Avenue. The difference is height from the end of Wheeler Avenue up to Kingston Road on the site is 9.5 metres (just over 31 feet).

Similarly to 507-511 Kingston Rd., the project at 73-83 Woodbine Ave. (on the east side close to the big curve) has caught the attention of residents due to the state of the site which has been left idle for an extended period.

Expected to provide 86 residential dwelling units to the neighbourhood, the Woodbine project has so far proven to be more of a nuisance to surrounding neighbours.

Sue Beres, a resident of the area, told Beach Metro Community News that reaching the site’s planners or developers to find information about the development or clean-up procedure has been impossible for her.

But according to Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford’s office, progress is being made.

“The zoning bylaw amendment for the site was approved by City Council in July 2024,” stated Councillor Bradford’s office in an email response to Beach Metro Community News.

However, due to the site’s location, council’s approval came with conditions as the developer was ordered to submit a revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report.

It is currently unclear when the updated report will be presented to Toronto Council.

“(Residents) want just an update on when the tearing down of the current houses will be, and a timeline of the project – start to finish – just so we can prepare,” said Beres. “Just respect for the community as a whole and its visitors. It looks like an abandoned wasteland and people just throw junk there now. It’s horrible.”

It wasn’t until the guardrails were knocked off during an Aug. 20 traffic accident at that corner where Lakeshore Boulevard East turns into Woodbine Avenue – a stretch notorious for accidents–that the City of Toronto felt it necessary to do a minor clean up around the site, she said.

Beres, who does not support the development due to congestion issues as well as the frequency of vehicle crashes at that location, says that on Wednesday, Sept. 4, the city sent workers to clear the guard rails and cones which were littered around the area.

Sue Beres took this photo in front of the crushed guardrail after an August traffic accident in front of the 73-83 Woodbine Ave. The city has since cleaned up the damage from the crash.

Recently, the site owners also cut the overgrown bushes which were spilling onto the sidewalk after being ordered to do so by the city.

“A couple of neighbours, including myself, used to cut the trees back so it didn’t look so horrible,” said Beres.

With Ontario’s housing market in a tumultuous state – Toronto being ground zero – issues with abandoned-looking projects will continue to arise across the city.

As many housing presale investors opt to relinquish their deposits as the housing market navigates the Bank of Canada’s changing interest rates which, as of Sept. 4, sits at 4.25 per cent, some developers are left with less incentive to complete projects as returns of investment appear grim.

According to a condo market analysis by Urbanation, The Greater Toronto Hamilton Area reported just 1,688 sales in quarter two of 2024. Year-over-year, this represents a 66 per cent decline – 70 per cent below the 20-year average.

Although the Ontario government is relentless in its belief that “more homes” will result in a more affordable cost of living for its residents, unsold units in the second quarter climbed to a “record high 25,893 units”, according to Urbanation.

Most of these unsold units are in the pre-construction phase.

Still, asking prices for newly built condos only dropped by 2.6 per cent in the last year. But with fewer investors closing their deals, Toronto residents are expected to, more frequently, notice seemingly abandoned – or slowly progressing – projects.

Residents looking to voice their opinions or concerns regarding unfinished projects have been encouraged to contact the city’s planning division or 311.

However, with Beres’ efforts to contact officials from the developer seemingly left unanswered – many others experiencing a similar silence following valid inquiries – residents are left with a sense of hopelessness in regards to getting their voices heard regarding the condition of these sites.