Broadway Area Residents’ Association (BARA) emailed its members a comprehensive update on the proposed redevelopment of 2-20 Glazebrook Ave, located adjacent to the Esso station at Bayview & Broadway.
It outlined the collaborative efforts between the City of Toronto, the Glazebrook site developer, and Councillor Jaye Robinson to settle on the final size and scale of the new building, which was approved by the City Council after revisions. (Full settlement is here.)
Despite the outcome differing from community preferences, Councillor Robinson’s involvement facilitated improvements to the settlement, including a reduction in building height and the addition of public green space through the acquisition of a neighbouring property.
The letter described BARA’s active engagement throughout the approval process, expressing frustrations with the limitations of influence faced by residents’ associations in such settlements. It highlighted the potential recourse of contesting the proposal before the Ontario Land Tribunal but acknowledged the historical tendency of the tribunal to favour developers’ wishes. BARA underscored their ongoing frustrations with the influence of developers and city staff in overriding community concerns and obtaining approval for development plans. It also addressed the frustration with the provincial government’s rewrite of the city’s Official Plan, which shifted guidelines towards high-rise developments.
Despite the challenges, BARA’s involvement resulted in significant concessions, including reductions in building density, increased setbacks, removal of wrapped balconies, and street-level concessions. It also emphasized the importance of ongoing community support through participation in public meetings, receiving updates, and financial contributions to enable BARA’s continued advocacy efforts.
- 2-20 Glazebrook Settlement Achievements
- The total building height reduced by three floors – an 8% reduction.
- The total density of the building (Gross Floor Area) has been reduced by 12%, and the setbacks of the tower section have increased.
- Wrapped balconies facing west, north, and east were removed.
- Street-level concessions from the developer concerning how the Bayview Ave frontage (retail space) will align and mesh with the proposed adjoining building immediately to the north (on the current site of the Esso gas station – that proposal is still in progress).
- Setbacks along the sidewalks were significantly increased
- Twice as many trees as initially proposed will be planted on the Glazebrook Ave frontage.
- Additional underground visitor parking spaces than originally proposed to reduce cars parking on neighbourhood streets.
- Broadway Ave green space, which Councillor Jaye Robinson negotiated, is an essential win in and of itself, will also help form a buffer against further “development creep” westward along Broadway.
For more information, and how to support BARA moving forward, please visit: bara.dcms.site
