September 29th, 2006
Heritage news from Council this week
Posted by Josh Hume
The past few days have been busy ones for heritage matters in Toronto. During this week’s Council marathon, a few issues were brought to the table:
48 Abell Ave.
The Toronto Star reported Thursday on Councillor Adam Giambrone’s efforts to save 48 Abell Ave., a warehouse along the trendy Queen West West strip that developers intend to demolish and turn into a 17-storey condo building. If Council votes to give the warehouse heritage status, it may save the building, which is currently a haven for artists and musicians to live and work. Council will likely vote on the matter this week.
From the Toronto Star:
The vote could undo a move by the city’s Heritage Preservations Services staff, which withdrew a recommendation for heritage designation in June due to the high costs of restoration.
“This building is one of the few industrial buildings left in the area. It’s a link to the past,” [Giambroni] said. The cost of restoration is not the city’s problem, he said. “Our problem is, once you bulldoze a heritage building, it never comes back.”
Queen Street West heritage district
In related news, CBC.ca reports that Council was set to debate this week on the proposed designation of Queen Street West between University Avenue and Bathurst Street as a heritage district. Many store and property owners have voiced their objection, arguing that much of Queen West’s character is essentially modern and that designation would affect the dynamic nature of the neighborhood.
Brian Gallaugher, the City’s heritage preservation coordinator, disagreed, saying, “just because there are modern incursions in an area doesn’t mean it’s not a conservation district. As long it has a significant level of heritage resource it can be a district. And this one has it.”
John Street Roundhouse
Also during this week’s session, Council approved a plan to to convert a section of the John Street Roundhouse into a railway museum. Much of the roundhouse is already occupied by the Steam Whistle Brewery, but a significant section has been left fallow, giving the City an opportunity to make good on the its ‘Official Plan’ mandate that “the re-use of buildings with architectural or historic importance will be considered when selecting buildings to accommodate public functions.”
From the CNW wire:
“The revitalization of the historic John Street Roundhouse is the realization of a long held goal of the City of Toronto,” said Mayor David Miller. “The proposed agreement will ensure that this national historic site will endure as a monument to Toronto’s industrial past, will continue to enrich Toronto’s architectural fabric and provide a lasting legacy for future generations.”
photo by Sam Javanrouh
Categories
Toronto-2006, Development, Heritage Preservation, Streetscape
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Comments
Adam Giambrone’s assertions about 48 Abell are bogus. There are lots of industrial buildings still left in the area, especially to the south; the well known “Carpet Factory” buildings. It has more to do with the fact that the area residents there are pasionate and involved enough to make he listen. Too bad he doesnt have the same sense of community preservation elsewhere in his ward. sd
Comment by scott d
September 29, 2006 @ 10:39 am
I don’t think you could have found a more appropriate picture.
Comment by Michael
September 29, 2006 @ 12:14 pm
I thought it was well accepted that 48 Abell was a dump; I remember reading that the replacement building had low(er)-rent spaces allocated for a larger number of artistique tenants than currently live in Abell.
Comment by Joe Clark
September 29, 2006 @ 4:53 pm