Monday, April 28, 2008

old Benjamin Moore & Co on Lloyd Ave.

LLoyd Ave redevelopment from paint plant to housing

Picture credit - junctioneer 2008

[Revised] After reading the application status and directions report from the city, (posted by the 1st commenter below) we decided to enlarge this post. It showcases some of the problems associated with redevelopment that if allowed to continue, with some considered thought, could hurt the mixed use benefits of living in the Toronto's west urban core.

In the past year, much has changed on Lloyd Avenue, due to the complete demolition of the original Benjamin Moore Toronto plant. We were surprised to see the recent boarding up of the row of houses on the north side of Mulock Avenue, which backed onto the Benjamin Moore plant. (Really we should not have been surprised.) The zoning sign indicates the developer intends to put up three buildings which differ from what was originally stated on the sign. With the developer’s second proposal one of the buildings will have an employment use, (great) while the others will be residential. Ok, this area needs both additional residential and more industrial employment buildings, but just as important it needs to retain the viability of the current industrial employers such the NRI factory and the Canada Bread bakery. These companies are really important to the community, not only for the hundreds of jobs they provide, but also for the goods they produce, and in the case NRI the materials they recycle. They also, and this may seem of little importance to some you, they provide a continued manufacturing presence in a community that has always benefited from a strong industrial and residential mix.

Maybe what is needed here is the equivalent of the signs placed on the streets around developments near airports indicating that there will be noise if you choose to buy your house here. We would suggest a sign stating something like - there are industries that may affect the way you live here, and that it's part of an urban lifestyle. Isn't it the responsibility of the province and the city to seek to solve the problems surrounding this area? This can be done by looking to put by-laws into place that would protect industry, and assist the developer in regenerating the area. A neighborhood that, although having had a continued and much needed industrial presence, has had its residential area wind up in bad shape, both in the condition of the housing and of the community.

Thanks to the commenter for pointing us to the city's development PDF, see the 1st comment for the link.

1 comment:

  1. www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2007/ey/bgrd/backgroundfile-6074.pdf

    i think there are drawings of the original proposed development on pp 15-17?

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