City council January 10th Traffic Calming - Quebec Ave. between Dundas St. W. and Annette St.

 

Speed limit on Quebec Ave. between Dundas St. W. and Annette St. to be reduced to 30  km/? 

from city STAFF REPORT...

The purpose of this report is to describe the results of an investigation into a request for speed humps on Quebec Avenue. A staff assessment concludes that the criteria for installing speed humps are met on Quebec Avenue, between Dundas Street West and Annette Street.

ISSUE BACKGROUND
In response to a petition submitted to the former Ward 13 Councillor, from residents on
Quebec Avenue, Transportation Services staff investigated the need for traffic calming on
Quebec Avenue, between Dundas Street West and Annette Street. The request for traffic
calming was due to residents concerns with vehicular speeds on this section of
Quebec Avenue. Subsequently, Transportation Services staff attended a public meeting
with the present Ward Councillor and area residents to discuss options, including
installing precast concrete islands. However, the consensus of the meeting was that the
residents still prefer the installation of speed humps.
COMMENTS
Quebec Avenue, between Annette Street and Dundas Street West, is classified as a twoway local road located in the residential community west of Keele Street and south of
Dundas Street West. Sidewalk exists on both sides of the street. The posted speed limit
on Quebec Avenue is 40 km/h. Stop controls are located on Quebec Avenue at Dundas
Street West and at Annette Street.
Parking within the subject area is prohibited on the west side of Quebec Avenue while
parking is allowed for a maximum of one hour between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on the
east side of Quebec Avenue within the subject area. In addition, permit parking is
allowed overnight on the east side.


To address the petition for traffic calming, speed and volume studies were conducted
mid-block on Quebec Avenue between Dundas Street West and Annette Street, during
the week of September 18, 2010.
We applied this data to the City of Toronto Traffic Calming Policy. According to the
policy, the principle criteria for installing speed humps are vehicle speed and volume.
Other environmental factors are considered, such as road width, pedestrian facilities and
grade. The proposal was evaluated under these technical criteria, with the results
summarized in Appendix B. Applying the study data to the Traffic Claming Warrant
shows that Quebec Avenue, between Dundas Street West and Annette Street, satisfies the
criteria for speed humps.Quebec Avenue between Annette Street and Dundas Street West – Traffic Calming
We emphasise that installing speed humps results in slower operating speeds for all
vehicles, including emergency service vehicles, and can result in increased response
times in the event of an emergency.
The City of Toronto Traffic Calming Policy requires that the City Clerk formally survey
residents directly affected by installing speed humps on Quebec Avenue. Under the
policy, we must receive a minimum response rate of 51 per cent, of which at least 60 per
cent of respondents must respond in favour of installing speed humps.
Subject to approval by Community Council of the recommendations outlined above, the
City Clerk will survey residents on Quebec Avenue, between Dundas Street West and
Annette Street. If the survey shows support for installing speed humps, Transportation
Services will schedule installation according to relative need and competing priorities.
No alterations to parking regulations are required. The number of existing on-street
parking spaces is not affected by the installation, with no significant negative impact on
winter services, street cleaning or garbage collection; however, as indicated previously, it
will reduce emergency vehicle speeds on a street designated as a primary response route.
Consultation with emergency services (Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services) is
required to ensure that the design and layout of traffic calming proposals do not
negatively affect their operations. Although we generally advise emergency services of
our intentions, we do not always receive a formal response; however, in the past Toronto
Fire Services has provided the following general statement regarding speed hump
installation.
“…Toronto Fire Service is supportive of initiatives that improve the life safety of
our citizens. Our concern is that the physical calming measures being proposed
may negatively impact emergency response to the area.
The vertical restrictions imposed by speed humps have a much greater affect on
large fire vehicles than smaller passenger vehicles. Response time increases with
every obstacle a fire vehicle encounters en route from the fire station to the
incident. Although the increase at each hump may only be seconds, the
cumulative effect can be a significant amount of time that could result in
increased property damage, unnecessary injury or loss of life.
Speed humps are generally hard on large, heavy vehicles (fire vehicles) and
increase the potential to suffer mechanical damage. This in turn can lead to a
vehicle being placed out of service for considerable periods of time. Aside from
the costs associated with repairs, there is a decrease in the resources available to
respond to other emergency situations.”

Sides of buildings along west Annette St.

From Clendenan Ave on this author has noted a rather interesting feature created by the wide difference of building types and the setbacks used on the various lots on both the north and south sides of the street.

Coupled with Annette streets wide roadway and rather long vista view to Jane St. The sides of many buildings can be seen. A wide variety of buildings facades and design choices can be seen, much of this variety can contributed to the first use of the building.

Here are a few of building sides.





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 



 

 

 

 

 

Mandated civil planning to create artificial architectural detailing

 

 

The street level component of a  proposed condo development on Annette St.  is set  to end up  a rather bland infill under the  design requirements of the City of Toronto.

Looking  at the image above it can be  clearly seen the developers are designing under the city  requirement to build into the building an element that aligns the  portion of the building that runs parallel with the height of the existing buildings on either side of the new building to create a sight line that unifies the running height along the street-scape.

While this is an important consideration for some new infill buildings, such as where a historical building  would be diminished in view or scale. Requiring the rule to be applied to all construction extremely limits designers and builders ability to build for use and needs to the people who are actually going to live in the building.

As more people in the city choose condo living, why not explore the opportunistic appeal of condo living, designing and creating buildings that mold in the new fabric created by the people though the their use of their community.

Below is an image of the a contemporary housing project by IKEA - the furniture company, which also builds housing. This project in Scotland, does not work to align window height,or maintain traditional fenestration coverage. It does not conform to roof design norms in the area  but it does add and fit into the areas older group of buildings, being designed to bring new visual entrance  views for both the roadway turn and the buildings connection to its area.

As the greater amount of Junction residential stock changes from buildings of two and two and half story houses to a greater volume of condos in the next 5 to 7 years, attention and a change will be necessarily in the communities directions to its elected persons to develop a a greater interest in urban participatory design or the community will end up with artificial build environment.  [1.a predication extrapolated  from the number of condo development under consideration and available lots for condos}

 

[caption id="attachment_9369" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Contemporary Housing · IKEA Scotland · Newcastle Architect Studios"][/caption]

Going to miss this building

...when the condos arise, this 60's or 70's electrical TTC station.

 

Volta Lofts is a new condo project by Terra Firma Homes currently in preconstruction at 588 Annette St in Toronto. Available condos start in the high $300,000's. The project has a total of 19 units

Beresford Ave & Annette St.,  19 units, 812 to 1064 Square Feet

from the developer text and rendering,

From the builder: 

The Bauhaus movement redefined architectural beauty. Built on the notion that less is more, it did away with excess ornamentation, introducing the world to the splendour of clean lines. This focus on simplicity and functionality is woven into Volta Lofts’ DNA. Iconic limestone, heritage brick and glazed floor-to-ceiling windows blend tradition with modernist architecture. Artifacts from the original Beresford Substation decorate the lobby, giving a nod to local heritage. And rooftop solar panels work in tandem with insulated concrete forms to create an energy-efficient home that’s good for the planet as well as the pocketbook.  From the high $300,000's



 

JDD hardware Annette St. is renovating, good show

 

For a few days driving along Annette Srt., the brown paper covered windows of the JDD hardware indicated to this author that the store was closed  for good, gone lost to the community. But no... walking by the store a day or two ago the renovation sign was seen, they are just doing a  renovation. Great as local small independently run hardware stores are the coolest thong a community can have.

[caption id="attachment_8854" align="aligncenter" width="359" caption="516 Annette Street at Runnymede Road Toronto, Ontario M6P 1S3 (416) 767-7757"][/caption]

 

Just hope that the renovation does not mean the lost of all the great stuff in the windows.

 

New eating establishment at Annette St & Quebec Ave

Work has been proceeding for a few months On the building at Annette St & Quebec Ave that for many years held a family Ukrainian grocery store and student lunch service. After serving the community as the grocery the building which it went though a number of short lived efforts.

Now if the rumors are correct the building will house some type of cafe or restaurant, which is wonderful as this could be part of the resurgence of this area of Annette  St. becoming a local stop spot again.

200 Annette Street - Czechoslovak Church SOLD

The Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec (“the Convention”)  has sold the  200 Annette Street Church which they acquired at the closure of Annette St. Baptist Church at nominal value.  The property was loaned to the Czechoslovak Church since 1980.

Initial report form people who have spoken to the new owners report there intend to rent the church out to many different users, such as church groups, the blog has emailed the new owners to confirm this.

Annette St receives new flower and tree containers

Annette St continues to gets upgrades as new planters are installed by breaking apart the old one, leaving the tree in situ. They then  form a new container around the bedding area of the new living tree.

Design Not for the community

These three houses just below Annette St, near Jane Ave. seem to struggle and fight with  one another, with the older dark brick house losing. The two houses indicated by the red arrows were smaller houses "up-scaled" by some entity, while the smaller brick - very interesting brick - the older of the three is in near original exterior built state.

Closer up the house with the green second story when viewed from the sidewalk clearly shows many signs of it's former self completely giving it no composure at all.  The question that can be asked here is -  is it  necessary to deconstruct the community built form just to get a large house, or could each of these conversions have been adaptable to the community milieu created by the built stock.

Jerome Ave unusuals

David Wencer pointed out this house to this author yesterday built by John Turner at 20 Jermone St. It is a wonderful house entirely faced in terra cotta. You can view the another house Mr Turner built for himself at 2549 Dundas St. West.

Mr Turner was also the designer and builder of the Annette St Bapist Church at 200 Annette St. [1. Diana Fancher] which now is  the Czechoslovak Baptist Church and is currently for sale. [2. april 1st 2009 still for sale]

Right next door to the Mr Turner's terra cotta house is a house currently being postmordernized.

Another former shop is being renovated on Annette.

Another former shop is being renovated on Annette.  I’m not sure what the final purpose of this particular project is but we have dozens of shops like this throughout the Junction which provide an excellent opportunity to create a work/live environment.

The wide open main floor with high ceilings can create an excellent office for professional services, studio space or specialty shop.  The second floor offers a nice living space and if properly renovated a third floor can offer additional living space and an outdoor patio.

Let’s hope the urban wave causes more examples of work/live buildings.

Posted by Martin Lennox

200 Annette St. Czechoslovak Baptist Church a conditional bid was placed on it this past week

Blogto is reporting the Czechoslovak Baptist Church is about to sell and has  a conditional bid was placed on it this past week {link to blogto article}

Exclusive photos of the tower structure of Annette Street Baptist Church

On Sept. 23, 2008  the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec (“the Convention”) decided to sell  200 Annette Street which they acquired at the closure of Annette St. Baptist Church at nominal value.  The property was loaned to the Czechoslovak Church since 1980,  who have decided not to continue the usage of the building.

The Convention is stating they have been  unsuccessful in finding an alternate use of the property.

The site is approximately 9,700 square feet.

[caption id="attachment_2236" align="alignright" width="500" caption="Inside the church viewed from front of the church - the tower  is the square outcrop from the building shell to the left of the people standing just inside the front doors."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2237" align="alignright" width="500" caption="1st view as you climb from the 1st floor (in use finished section) into the second level"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2238" align="alignright" width="500" caption="Looking into the roof structure of the front tower from the second level"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2239" align="alignright" width="281" caption="Construction detail south east corner of the front tower"][/caption]

Photo credit - Junctioneer

200 Annette St. Czechoslovak Baptist Church

A PRELIMINARY PROJECT REVIEW application has been taken out  for 200 Annette St. Czechoslovak Baptist Church, in an effort to to change the use to a Dance Studio with accessory uses from a place of worship.



data - City of Toronto

Link to the blogs originial post about the sale Czechoslovak Baptist Church for sale, what will happen?

Posted by Robert

Czechoslovak Baptist Church for sale, what will happen?

 

 

from the sales sheet - Development Opportunities

link to agents site about the sale [opens in new window]

The site offers an opportunity to convert the existing building to residential lofts or create traditional townhouses. Current zoning is R2 Z0.6 which permits places of worship, as well as a variety of residential building types including detached, semidetached, row housing, and apartments to a maximum of 0.6 times the lot area. The City of Toronto Official Plan designates the Property as ‘Neighbourhood’. The existing building is ‘Listed’ on the City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties.

Czechoslovak Baptist Church  link to chrch web site in Czech

Victoria Royce Presbyterian Church stained glass coming down

The Victoria Royce Presbyterian Church stained glass windows are coming down this week and are destined for another church, we are told by the company removing the glass. The Junction loses a real important artifact that helped set the grammar of ornament on Annette St. Yet at least it's going into another church.

A tip came in from blog reader Hamish so we scooted right over there. Here are some images of the removal.



Picture Credit - Robert



An update will be posted, once we can get more info.

wow! what is about to happen here

Many people in the community believe these 3 buildings are now owned by the same person probably by the person who has long owned the variety store that has until recently housed in the most westward building, and is now in the corner building.





With the removal of the the variety store and the video store long gone, the tarp covered roof suggests something must be about to happen. This building is important to many in the community, especially the corner building which has always formed the characteristic part of this intersection.

Update from comment

...there was a minor fire in the upper level of this building some months ago, and firefighters accessed it through the roof (ie cut into it). The tarp has been there ever since. wow!

Posted by Robert