61, 63 and 67 community meeting with Councillor Saundercook

On Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 8pm, Councillor Saundercook is hosting a community meeting regarding the development proposal for 61, 63 and 67 Vine Avenue.  The meeting will take place in the second floor Window room of the Annette Community Centre, 333 Annette Street.

The developer plans to demolish the 3 existing buildings and replace them with 5 townhouses.

During the June 17, 2010 Etobicoke-York committee of adjustment meeting your JRA requested this meeting as part of the negotiations.  The consent to sever the existing lots and several variance requests were granted by the panel with the stipulation that the developer in conjunction with the local councillor consult with the community regarding the design of the townhouses.

The developer’s committee of adjustment application proposed a modern looking, flat roof structure.  The facade material included metal cladding with large glass windows incorporated with brick and concrete.  Your JRA felt this design did not respect or reinforce the existing physical character of the neighbourhood.

Please come out and join the discussion and help shape our great neighbourhood.

Martin L.  JRA Vice-Chair

61, 63 and 67 Vine Ave - tight/tall townhouses?

[caption id="attachment_4633" align="aligncenter" width="473" caption="This tight and tall townhouse building, which is on Jane St, could be the type put up by the new owner of the Vine Ave lots"][/caption]

61, 63 and 67 Vine were sold recently, and as all three houses on the lots are in what many people would consider terrible condition, it can be speculated the new owner will be redeveloping the lots.  It also has occurred to the blog the lots may have been purchased by the owner of the building and large lot that is 51 Vine Ave. (As the city offices are currently closed it is not possible to check the records as to the new owner as of yet)

Yet what type of houses would be most wanted by a small lot infill developer? Probably their 1st concern would be to maximize the number of house on the combined lots. Attached townhouses have been built in the area to gain maximum unit counts, such as the one pictured above.

Using the most height allowed would be another choice they would probably make as the new house would have to compete with other new townhouse developments in the area where the houses are built with a fully usable 3rd floor.

Whatever happens with the current houses and the lots, let’s hope they have not been purchased as a holding investment.