Tag: 1860 Bayview

#Leaside #Bridlepath #Sunnybrook #Lawrencepark We're officially open! Come visit @TD_Canada's newest branch today! pic.twitter.com/GVa0Ib5nD7

— John Burdo (@JohnBurdo_TD) September 12, 2016

A new sign originating with Shoppers Drug Mart in the window of 1860 Bayview Ave now says the drugstore will open in the Spring of 2017. This is the same message that was communicated about Whole Foods from anecdotal sources in the South Bayview Bulldog June 15, 2016. It came from an employee of Whole Foods somewhere in Toronto who asked his superior when the 1860 store might open. The answer was “maybe April 2017.” In the Facebook forum Leaside Community contributor Hailey Eisen made note of the new opening date Sunday. It is the first more or less official — but incomplete — word from the developers, Trinity Inc and/or RioCan, the emerging owner, about the long delay.

PEOPLE DEEPLY PUZZLED

But it is the “Why?” of all this delay that is upsetting people. “Arrrgh!!! Stop playing with me, Whole Foods!!!! For the love of god, are they making their own bespoke drywall or something??” snarls Susan Pratt in a post on the FB bulletin board. In fact, it is clear both by the silence of all the principals, and by the projected delay of a full year, that something serious is going on that none of them want to talk about. It is not unreasonable to conclude that there has been a fairly sharp difference between the property principals and the grocery firm. We do not know what it is, nor do we expect any of the parties to say publicly any time soon. It would certainly be nice if they did. The inside scoop may be leaked by someone inside the organizations at some point.

DIFFICULT TIMES?

Many issues related to Whole Foods are known. In the U.S., it continues to deal with historic complaints about prices. And although people in South Bayview are affluent enough to shop at Whole Foods, there is a body of food buyers who don’t want what they sell. Many foods that may be of doubtful nutrition but are nonetheless enormously popular (like Coca Cola, prosciutto and veal bologna) can’t be found at WF. Keen competitors like Metro, Longo’s, Loblaws, Valumart, Sobey’s and Summerhill Market are stocked to the gunnels with these things. The competition for WF will be no bed of roses. Just some guesses on what is going on.

Three years ago it thrilled many South Bayview residents to hear that the lead tenant at the 1860 Bayview retail and commercial complex would be Whole Foods. Some really wanted to shop at Whole Foods but many were just glad that a big-name tenant had signed on. The centre was not a very popular project. Whole Foods occupancy meant that at least 1860 Bayview would not become local white elephant. Shoppers Drug Mart and TD  Bank signed on as well. Were they persuaded by the allure of Whole Foods? Well, the completion date came and went (Spring 2016 as the signs said). Nothing was offered by way of explanation from the developer Trinity Corp., nor by the owners, RioCan, the successful REIT that owns Sunnybrook Plaza, Leaside Centre at Eglinton and Laird and has its headquarters at Yonge and Eglinton. The one thing curious people can count on is that none of the principals care to talk about what’s happening behind the scenes. Such information as we have has been gained by chance or guileless chatting. An employee at an area Whole Foods makes an inquiry of superiors on behalf of a curious customer. When will the store open at 1860 Bayview?  Maybe April 2017, comes back the answer this time. Maybe, maybe not. Some WF employees suspect there is a “landlord-tenant” disagreement. Who knows?

A new banner sign on the east wall of the commercial and retail development at 1860 Bayview Ave. states clearly that Whole Foods, Shoppers Drug Mart and the TD Bank will be “coming soon” to the location. There is no date or season given. The sign was put up Monday after the removal of a sign that mentioned only Whole Foods and Shoppers. The new banner also shows the logo of RioCan, the huge REIT which owns Sunnybrook Plaza and has its headquarters in the Yonge Eglinton Centre. RioCan is in the process of buying 1860 Bayview from developer Trinity. The South Bayview Bulldog reported in March that the Whole Foods store and Shoppers Drug Mart had been delayed to at least the fall. This information was offered by the developer’s leasing office in response to our inquiry.

TRINITY

The developer, Trinity Development Group, has said throughout the construction of 1860 Bayview that it would open in “Spring 2016.”  In a technical sense, this is correct because the largely empty site has the doors unlocked and it is possible to drive through the upper level of the garage. A workman posting signs Saturday said he did not think the lower level of public parking was open. But none of the anchor tenants is open or even visible. No work on these large spaces is evident. The banner which hung on the east wall of the site saying that Whole Foods and Shoppers would open soon was noticed by residents who watch the site.

QUESTIONS

The apparent delay in the arrival of anchor tenants and the absence of activity has generated questions. Some people have claimed they have heard that Whole Foods had re-thought its decision to open here. But none of this has a source or authority to it. Still, the delay, as seen by residents, is unexplained. It is useful to note that the Whole Foods site in the U.S. shows a “Canada” heading under which stores in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario —Toronto (Bayview) — are mentioned in a single line of type. RioCan on track to acquire 1860 Bayview

See later post

The latest word out of the under-renovation Pusateri’s flagship store at 1539 Avenue Rd is that the owners hope to have it open again by late in the Spring of this year. That might mean May or early June. It was in August 2015 that a smoky fire hit the high-end grocery. Inspectors and workers are said to be busy making sure the new construction is all up to code. This opening date would place Pusateri’s on a collision course of sorts with Whole Foods in the new commercial centre at 1860 Bayview Ave (at Broadway Ave). Signs proclaim “Opening This Spring” and you may be sure the Whole Foods bosses hope this is true.

Norma Fisher at Facebook site Preserve Leaside has posted a link to a pdf that provides the official signage plan for the Whole Foods building. There are apparently 31 signs requested but it isn’t clear how many are lighted. Maybe as many as half. But the worst fears are that it will, as Norma says, be lit up like a Christmas tree. Among those with exterior signs: TD Bank, dentist office, insurance business and a 24- hour Shoppers Drug Mart. Norma wonders if the Shoppers on Bayview will close. They have said no but that was then. The implications of such a closure would impact the well-being of Bayview Ave. It is a large and rather unwieldy space that would be hard to fill.

Neighbors in north Leaside and the adjoining bits of Sherwood Park across Bayview Ave are apparently organizing to object to signage planned for the Whole Foods development at 1860 Bayview. The notice of a variance to signage on the corner has gone out. According to neighbor Geeta Thomas the sign facing Bayview will be more than double the permitted size. Then there is the question of night-time lighting. The property is in Ward 25 (Jaye Robinson) but across the street to the east and a block south are the wards of Jon Burnside (Ward 26) and Josh Matlow (Ward 22). The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 25, 2015

Those living nearby the development at Bayview and Broadway Aves. (1860 Bayview) will probably find this article from the Daily Commercial News to be of interest. The DCN is a trade publication and this account notes a number of construction details, some of which will be of general interest. It says there is a planned “green roof” for the site which will be installed on racks. Of course, the “future” nature of this feature leaves open the question of just when it might actually be a real garden. Perhaps when the stores open next year. Let’s hope so. Whole Foods will be the anchor business, The article also recalls the planned widening of Bayview Ave from five to six lanes at it nears the corner of Broadway.  Daily Commercial News 

It appears his work is done here as the big hammerhead crane is disassembled at the commercial construction site at 1860 Bayview at Broadway Ave. This is the site of the new Whole Foods store scheduled to open in 2016.

The commercial complex at 1860 Bayview Ave. had previously been scheduled for completion in the fall of this year. No such target is possible and Whole Foods is now saying it will open sometime in 2016. From the top, the corner of Bayview and Broadway and below it the structure of the corner and beside it a look into the underground garage. At the bottom, the view from Rappert Ave on the west. Approval of this project went to the Ontario Municipal Board in 2011 where residents were successful in keeping it at 17 metres. There will be 193 parking spaces in a two-level underground garage. Many will recall that this construction was made possible when General Motors went bankrupt and cancelled the Brennan’s Pontiac franchise.

The Sherwood Park Residents’ Association annual general meeting was held Wednesday night at The Sherwood, a residence for seniors, on Yonge St  north of Sherwood Ave. The meeting reviewed as many as five developments in the neighborhood including efforts by homeowners on Keewatin Avenue to stop multiple unit developments at 200-214 Keewatin which they feel will change the neighborhood’s density.

Councillor Jaye Robinson said she had spoken with the developer and directed him to stop sending letters to elderly residents. This  was being done, as she believed, to frighten them and cause them to move out. “I don’t know whether he will stop, but I told him to” Ms Robinson said.

The Councillor is head of the public works and infrastructure committee. She offered a cautious but positive response on whether there would be room on streets like Eglinton for all the amenities listed on planning wish lists: wide sidewalks, benches, trees, bicycle lanes and racks, street parking and multiple lanes of traffic. In all of this, congestion had to be avoided, she declared.

There was extended discussion of the Ontario Municipal Board and the view held at City Hall (and by herself) that Toronto would be better off without it. She noted however that Toronto is the creature of the Province, and has no leverage against the OMB. The Committee of Adjustment will shortly be supplemented with an appeal body of some type, presumably to deflect reference away from the OMB.

SPRA president Ben Daube offered a view that it was better to try to work with the developers than focus on the OMB. Among items updated for the meeting was 1860 Bayview where the new Whole Foods is being built. Residents of Rappert Ave. behind the development have approved the brick which will form a separating wall between their cul-de-sac and the shopping centre. The south wall of the development has been moved north permitting wider sidewalks and a better view east toward Bayview.