The Mid-Rise Grey Zone

This is what the massing of the development at 1327-1339 Queen East will look like if the the OMB allows the developer to go ahead with a 26.3 metre building plus 3.8 metre mechanical penthouse.  The Mid-Rise Guidelines to the east and the west of this area only allow for a 20 metre building on this site.  The existing zoning only allows for a maximum height of 12 metres.

How does Rockport’s architect, Roland Rom Colthoff, justify a height that exceeds the guidelines by more than two-storeys?

 

"There's a real burden on the development of a relatively small site to try and achieve something. All the projects we've done, we've breached the height. Typically the goal is to get 8-storeys on the site on a 20-metre right of way (and) the argument being that we would have had a mechanical penthouse regardless, in addition to the 6-storey height, and if we can prove through the planning principles that Jack [Winberg], mentioned as well, that there's no impact - that you don't have any additional shadow, if there are no additional overlook impacts - why not have that additional area, have those additional residences on the street contributing to that vital street economy?  I don't know how you do it, but I suggest that you take the guidelines as the mean and try and think about a grey zone on either side of that where there’s a limited amount of projections the principal ones being the elevator and stairs."  Roland Rom Colthoff, 

Director RAW Architects and designer of the project at 1327-1339 Queen St. East 

quoted from City of Toronto’s videotaped April 24th roundtable discussion on  Mid-Rise Buildings: Growing Toronto's Neighbourhoods

If you think Leslieville's future development should be based on vision and not on a grey zone that impacts shadow and overlook please help by donating today.