897 King St W | ?m | 3 fl | U/C

TheRitsman · #1 Posted **Jan 9, 2021, 5:03 PM**

Noticed this yesterday when taking a trip to Wesdale. Seems a 1 storey building is being replaced with a 3 storey (addition of 2 floors) to include 4 bachelor's and a commercial space below. Trying to find site plans, or any info, didn't come up with anything. Didn't see anything on here about it either. Thought I'd share here since it is an increase in density. It is the building on street view between Comic Connection and Tri-Star

TheRitsman · #2 Posted **Feb 14, 2021, 9:43 PM**

Got my partner to snag a few photos while driving past:

ScreamingViking · #3 Posted **Feb 15, 2021, 11:25 PM**

Thanks! We noticed this for the first time last night driving into Westdale, which we don't do very often but often enough to be surprised to see it.

Crapht · #4 Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 4:04 PM**

This could end up being a real attractive looking place. Almost has a CoreUrban look and feel to it.

BaconPoutine · #5 Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 4:55 PM**

Nice little project. That whole stretch of King St through Westdale would benefit from the 1-storey buildings being built up to 3- or 4-storeys.

craftbeerdad · #6 Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 5:51 PM**

That's a terrific idea Bacon! Would really enhance the street scape and build upon the village feel of Westdale.

TheRitsman · #7 Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 6:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by craftbeerdad

That's a terrific idea Bacon! Would really enhance the street scape and build upon the village feel of Westdale.

I would love to see the Village-esque size of Westdale continue to the food basics, with maybe the Food Basics itself being redeveloped one day with the store staying on the first level. A nice square could be cool there as well.

Innsertnamehere · #8 Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 8:24 PM**

Getting rid of the extra parking in Westdale and creating a public square there would be great too. Lots of space for one there and retaining a fair bit of parking, especially if you cut out the 4 lane cross section of King St.

ShavedParmesanCheese · #9 Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 10:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Getting rid of the extra parking in Westdale and creating a public square there would be great too. Lots of space for one there and retaining a fair bit of parking, especially if you cut out the 4 lane cross section of King St.

That used to be the plan, actually. I wish I could find some photos but essentially the idea was to make the village a brief boulevard, where the parking lots were the lanes and there was a park in the middle. The streetcar tracks went right down the centre. Next time you're at the central library pop into the archives, the great big map they have on the wall includes it.

That whole place should be woonerf'd. Volunteering at the Aviary I would walk through the village at night in the summertime, and with all those patios it looked marvelous.

ScreamingViking · #10 Posted **Feb 17, 2021, 3:53 PM**

It really would be nice to see the centre of Westdale change. I think the businesses would not want to lose all that parking (nor the city, where parking revenue is concerned), and it would be a huge transformation to build right to King St., but it could be so much more.

Perhaps something similar to what ShavedParmesanCheese noted could still be possible... a wide boulevard with fountains or sculptures or something like that where the middle two lanes of King are, then three lanes on either side (one for traffic with parking on each side), and wider sidewalks/patios for the restaurants.

Or like Innsertnamehere suggests, cut the 4 lanes of King -- make it two, and reduce the size of the parking lots to add some greenspace or patios fronting the businesses. Or keep the 4 lanes and reserve the curb lanes for parking to make up for some of the lost spaces in the lots.

TheRitsman · #11 Posted **Mar 18, 2022, 11:09 PM**

Posted by Jason Thorne today:

TheHonestMaple · #12 Posted **Mar 18, 2022, 11:15 PM**

Not great, not terrible.

TheRitsman · #13 Posted **Mar 18, 2022, 11:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

Not great, not terrible.

I actually really like it. Gentle intensification while using what looks like real brick and is an improvement to what was there prior. We could use maybe 1000 more of these through the city.

HamiltonBoyInToronto · #14 Posted **Mar 19, 2022, 2:32 AM**

This looks good in person...we could use a thousand of these types of upgraded all over downtown ...especially on Barton and king st.

ScreamingViking · #15 Posted **Mar 19, 2022, 8:44 PM**

I like it.

Here's what used to be there: https://goo.gl/maps/uPbpJH4GSXBD8ZVp6

Damn right we could use a thousand of these. Replacing 1 and 2-storey buildings with 3 and 4 floor ones, or adding a couple of levels to them, will go a long way to increasing density along so many arterial roads in the city. It doesn't have to be all about towers, or even mid-rises on former commercial properties next to SFHs. I want to see plenty of those too but these smaller builds are very important if we want to keep the urban boundary relatively stable while growing as projected.

craftbeerdad · #16 Posted **Mar 20, 2022, 4:09 PM**

It's a lot better than the one proposed on King St. near No Frills and definitely an upgrade on what was there (although would have been cool if they kept the existing brick, but maybe that wasn't possible).

Would love to see hundreds more of these 3-6 floor missing middle buildings along main arteries (King, Cannon, Barton, Kenilworth). Breathing fresh vibrancy and people into neighbourhoods.

These could be built everywhere to increase density, and could be quite creative over time if people use their imagination and quality materials.

Sounds like a broken record, but "paging Core Urban, line one!"

TheHonestMaple · #17 Posted **Mar 20, 2022, 4:25 PM**

Anyone know where the thread is for the King Carling student residence development? The one being built right now between King and Carling, I think it's 803 King Street West.

TheRitsman · #18 Posted **Mar 20, 2022, 4:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

Anyone know where the thread is for the King Carling student residence development? The one being built right now between King and Carling, I think it's 803 King Street West.

I was going to make a post about that, but I can't find the thread either. According to the news it was 90 Carling St, but While I do remember talking about it here, I cannot find the thread or post for the life of me.

The Spec called is mixed income housing though, not a student residence: https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%...ncentives.html

Unless you're talking about something different.

TheHonestMaple · #19 Posted **Mar 20, 2022, 4:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

I was going to make a post about that, but I can't find the thread either. According to the news it was 90 Carling St, but While I do remember talking about it here, I cannot find the thread or post for the life of me.

The Spec called is mixed income housing though, not a student residence: https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%...ncentives.html

Unless you're talking about something different.

oh I thought it was a student residence for some reason. Yeah we probably should make a thread for it, construction is finally in full swing.

I know there is another for sure student residence building going in across the street. 804 King Street West. . Haven't seen much movement on that one though.

Crapht · #20 Posted **Mar 20, 2022, 5:04 PM**

That Carling property has started but I wouldn’t say it “in full swing” It’s been excavated and footing were poured but nothing has happened there for a few months. It’s just been sitting there.

This little project on King at Bond is lovely. Yes. 1000 more please.