Anthony Marcusa –
Following public opposition, the Toronto and East York Community Council on January 14 denied permission for a 48-storey mixed-use building in the heart of the Church and Wellseley community, at 506 to 516 Church Street.
Graywood Developments first proposed a 15-storey building at the location in 2020. In 2022, it was reenvisioned as 14 storeys before more than tripling in size in a 2024 application.
The application was refused in part because of the height, which would require an amendment to zoning bylaws. Community advocates expressed concerns about the loss of small businesses and cultural space as well as affordability in the area. Ward 13 City Councilor Chris Moise supported the opposition.
“This is important to the Church-Wellesley community,” said Moise. “This proposal development will really change the landscape of the community in a negative way.”
The site currently hosts Crews and Tangos, a popular drag bar, and an adjacent parking lot. Crews and Tangos has been the subject of closing rumours during the application process, but Graywood said the bar could return once construction is complete, though the late-night club would be located under a residential tower.
“Graywood’s new application is disrespectful to community concerns and 2SLGBTQI businesses in the Village,” Toronto Centre MPP Kristin Wong-Tam said in a statement. “It looked as though Graywood was trying to take advantage of changes Doug Ford made to the Planning Act, which took it from bad to worse through legislation like Bill 23.”
The bill, passed in late 2022, reduces municipalities’ ability to control developments.
The limbo of Crews and Tangos reflects an ongoing threat to the neighbourhood by developers looking to significantly build up the area. At a site comprising six properties on the northwest corner of Church and Wellesley, ONE Properties has secured approval of a 28-storey building after its application for 43 storeys was denied. At the northeast side of the same intersection, KingSett Capital has yet to have its proposed 28-storey condo approved.
“There are so many places to build,” said Connie Langille, president of the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association. “Every developer feels like they’ve bought a property and it’s a golden ticket. But it’s a fantasy.”
Langille, among many others in the area, worry that new developments contribute to higher housing costs and push people out of the neighbourhood. The Village has changed in recent years as popular businesses on Church Street have closed.
“The impact of change will be on more than just the people that live there,” said Langille. “We’ll lose the heritage of the place. It’s still a landmark, it’s still a destination of choice, there’s a historic precedent that needs to be preserved.”
While the Graywood application is stalled for now, increased creep in the area presents a constant threat with each new proposal that exceeds expectations or requires special approval setting a new precedent for taller buildings.
At 33 Maitland, Carlyle Communities recently amended a building proposal, applying for a 61-storey condo, up from the 49-storey building proposed in 2022. At 68 Wellesley Street East, where a busy Pizza Pizza currently resides, the Community Council recommended refusal of the application in March 2024, but a new proposal is expected.
KingSett is “a very powerful developer,” Langille said. “Everyone has shareholders, and they all want to see the biggest return.”
She says the neighbourhood association will continue to push back against development that would alter the character of the Village, and try to ensure that people who want to stay in the area can afford it. She encourages residents to stay active and make sure they vote.
“We’re not going to go without a fight,” Langille added. “The provincial government seems to have a lot to do with local issues in Toronto. In February, we need to have a strong voice to say ‘goodbye, Doug’. I don’t know any government that would interfere like he does.”
