Kippendavie Beach condos approved

City, residents and developer reach deal
Toronto council approves Kippendavie Ave project
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier April 14.)

These homes will be demolished to pave way for at least 60 condo units on Kippendavie Ave. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier file photo.

The city approved a settlement for the Beach development at 66-76 Kippendavie Avenue.
Developer Worsley Urban Partners first proposed the condo project in 2009 but due to council’s lack of a decision in a timely matter, the developer appealed directly to the Ontario Municipal Board.
So this new settlement was an 11th hour deal considering 1 board pre-hearing looming April 19.
The city, Kew Beach Neighbourhood Association, Toronto District School Board and the developer met with a city-funded mediator on April 6 and came away with a settlement, which was approved by council without debate on April 12.
Beach Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon said that all parties compromised to reach this agreement.
“I am happy everyone can get on with their lives and have worked really hard especially the community,” she said hours April 12 vote to approve the project. “But I am worried about the size and the (area basement) flooding.”

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No decision on Kippendavie

After months of deferrals, community council makes no ruling
Condo proposal will go to city council then OMB
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier March 23. UPDATE.)

Artist rendering of Kippendavie proposal.

Despite months of deferrals and a six hour debate, Toronto and East York Community Council still didn’t make a decision on a controversial condo proposal at 66 to 76 Kippendavie Avenue. It voted instead to refer the issue to city council without recommendation.
Leading up to the vote, it was unclear what would happen as council members had differing views on the project. Chair Gord Perks wanted to take city staff’s advice and approve the 65 unit project while Beach rep Mary-Margaret McMahon recommended rejecting it.
In the end, the body followed Councillor Janet Davis’s advice to punt the ball to April 12 city council meeting. But time is not on the city’s side as an Ontario Municipal Board hearing on the project has been scheduled for April 19.
Following the advice of councillors Pam McConnell and Paula Fletcher the city will hire a third party mediator to work on reaching a settlement on the outstanding issues between the residents and the developer, including reducing the unit count to 54 and requiring $10 million in insurance to cover any impacts on adjacent homes during construction, before council meets.

Lower garbage fees for condos

City aims to increase diversion rate in multi-res buildings
Kris Scheuer
(Written July 29 for Town Crier.)

City aims to get more apartment and condo dwellers diverting waste from landfill. Photo by Karolyn Coorsh/Town Crier.

In an attempt to reverse the flow of apartments turning to private garbage collection, the city has introduced a new waste collection fee for multi-residential buildings.
The new fee system, which kicked in July 1, is supposed to be less complex and cheaper for residential buildings than the old city system that started two years ago.
Since July 1, 2008 when the city launched a waste collection fee based on volume, 375 apartment and condos have chosen to go off the public system and sign up with the private sector instead.

Yonge Eglinton redevelopment site

Dozens of homes vacated to pave way redevelopment
Meanwhile a ghost town has emerged as old houses stay empty
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Feb 24 for Town Crier.)

Empty homes await demolition if redevelopment approved. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Right in the heart of North Toronto on Duplex and Berwick Avenues sits a ghost town of sorts.
Almost two-dozen old houses sit vacant at 54 to 74 Berwick and 191 to 211 Duplex.
There is no mystery as to why these homes are empty. The entire site is part of a redevelopment application that would see the houses demolished if the project is approved. The proposal is for 20, 3-storey town houses fronting onto Duplex Avenue and a 17-storey condo tower with 215 units facing Berwick Avenue.
None the less, as this site is just one block south of Eglinton Avenue and a street west of Yonge Street it is an oddity to have so many houses standing empty.
It’s a mere two-minute walk from one of the city’s busiest intersections and across from the Minto towers, around the corner from high rise office buildings, the Eglinton subway, banks, shops restaurants and an indoor mall with a movie theatre.

Don Mills condo plan rejected by city

Plan for multiple condos and $17 mil rec centre rejected by city
Developer will take case to the Ontario Municipal Board
(Originally written Oct. 2 for Town Crier.)
By Kris Scheuer and Karolyn Coorsh

SIMONE GABBAY of Don Mills Friends called the offer made by Cadillac Fairview a bribe. Photo by Kris Scheuer.

The deal is off the table. 
Cadillac Fairview has withdrawn its offer to build a $17 million community centre after council rejected the developer’s application to build a series of residential condos near Lawrence Ave. East and Don Mills Rd.
The community centre was proposed as an added benefit to phase 2 of Cadillac Fairview’s plan to redevelop the Don Mills Centre. 
The condominium buildings would range from 12-26 storeys, and bring a total of 1,387 units to the neighbourhood. 
Councillors voted 17-16 to reject the settlement offer at council on Oct. 1, also defeating the application itself.
Area councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong ultimately voted against it, saying the residential plans are too dense, an opinion the city planners working on the application shared. 
“I don’t agree that we should look at this as simply getting a community centre,” he said during council debate on the matter. “This is first and foremost a planning application that will define Don Mills for years to come so we need to get it right.”

1 Bloor condo buyers get money back

Deposits held in trust will be refunded with interest
Many unit purchasers gave deposits in 2007 for now defunct project
By Kris Scheuer
(I wrote this for Town Crier Sept 3. Click here for UPDATE.)

Realtor Garth Juriansz in front of vacant site at 1 Bloor East. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

All purchasers of condo units at the proposed tower at 1 Bloor St. East should start to see their money back any day now.
Anna Cass of Royal LePage Your Community Realty told the Town Crier on Sept. 1 around 3:30 she received confirmation of the refunds about an hour earlier that day.
“The cheques just went in the mail,” said Cass, who purchased a unit herself and sold condos to numerous clients at the then-proposed 80-storey tower at Yonge and Bloor. “I spoke to the people who do the refunds.”
On Aug. 18 Bazis International announced they are selling the property at the southeast corner of one of Toronto’s busiest intersections. Great Gulf is buying the site with a closing date around Sept. 16.
Bazis had originally planned to build the tallest residential tower in Toronto. That project is now defunct, so lawyers working for Bazis International will be processing refunds after each purchaser signs release forms.
Cass said as a condo unit purchaser, she wasn’t concerned that her deposit wouldn’t be returned.
Re/Max Realtron agent Garth Juriansz agrees refunds were always secure.
“Getting their money back was never a question,” said Juriansz, who purchased a condo and sold 20 units for 1 Bloor.
That’s because the Ontario Condominium Act stipulates purchasers deposits must be held in trust accumulating interest, said Juriansz.
Lawyer Chris Jaglowitz also emailed to say the same thing.
“I was concerned my clients wouldn’t get their money back in time to do something else with it,” said realtor Juriansz.
“They want to use their money to invest or buy something else.” 
The law firm Robins Appleby and Taub is in the process of issuing refunds to all purchasers who sign a release form first.
For more on this developing story, please click here for update.