Laura Hull –
Neighbours near Sherbourne and Seaton Streets have denounced the hasty approval of two new high-rise towers at 191-201 Sherbourne Street. The group says that neither the city nor the developer Fitzrovia adequately consulted the community.
The group had petitioned Mayor Olivia Chow’s office and city councillors, asking that the matter be deferred until the October 9 City Council session “to allow for information dissemination within the community, communal discussion, interactions with elected officials, media engagement, and the development of a communal strategy.”
However, on July 24, City Council approved the application, while asking Fitzrovia to “continue dialogue with existing tenants and nearby residents with respect to outstanding public realm and traffic management concerns.”
Fitzrovia plans to build two infill residential towers beside existing rental buildings: a 49-storey tower on Sherbourne Street and a 47-storey tower along Shuter and Seaton Streets. They would contain 863 new residential units, as well as retail and community space, according to the proposal.
When Fitzrovia presented the project at a community meeting early last September, as the bridge reported, Ward 13 Councillor Chris Moise was very supportive. Eight board members listed on Fitzrovia’s website, including CEO Adrian Rocca, his spouse, and both his parents had donated a total of $13,200 to Moise’s election campaign, according to his campaign finance form.
The September meeting “was the extent of public engagement,” said Colin Perkel, a current resident of the 191-201 Sherbourne buildings. “Then suddenly [this year], we’ve discovered that on July 10th, Community Council is taking up the matter, staff have recommended approval, and Community Council is set to endorse it.”
“We made deputations at the [July 10] meeting, but it was pretty obvious that the die was cast. None of the councillors asked a single question or made a single comment” on the community presentations, he added.
City staff’s draft recommendation and Fitzrovia’s proposed zoning by-law amendments were made available on June 21, just 20 days before the July 10 Community Council meeting, which discussed the project and approved sending it to the full council.
The community group, joined by No Demovictions and others, held a press conference in front of City Hall on July 22. But two days later – only two weeks after the Community Council endorsement – City Council approved the project.
“People are angry. They feel dismissed and unheard,” said Perkel. “We feel like the wool has been pulled over our eyes.”
Neighbours at a press conference held on Monday, July 22 in front of City Hall. Photo: Laura Hull
The group had requested that Moise, who is the chair of the community council, dissociate himself from the issue given his connection to Fitzrovia.
“Unfortunately, the councillor decided not to recuse himself,” said community activist Walied Khogali Ali at the press conference. “How does that work in a country that deeply cares about accountability and transparency? Conflict of interest in decision-making is not what the residents of Toronto deserve.”
In an earlier statement to the bridge, Moise said, “I always ensure that City Planning staff are present during any meeting that I or my staff have with any developer, to ensure transparency, integrity, and fairness.”
“This development is currently not in the interest of current homeowners or residents of the buildings, only the developer,” according to Seaton Street resident Serguei Zernov, who established the 191-201-sherbourne.ca website on the project and hosts the petition, “Politicians, bureaucracy and bureaucrats have created incentives and frameworks for businesses to operate in such a way where only they benefit.”
“The buildings are going to create a lot of problems,” said Zernov. “There will be a lot of increased traffic on Seaton Street which can’t handle that, and issues with shadows, induced winds, insufficient infrastructure, drainage, and other problems.”
According to documents in the Application Information Centre on the city’s website, Fitzrovia has submitted many amendments to Toronto’s Official Development Plan and zoning by-laws. Some changes would increase allowed building heights and density while reducing the number of required parking spots and bike parking spaces and making accessible parking spots more difficult to use.
“We fully support purpose-built rentals, but this is an upscale luxury rental building for a very niche segment of the market,” said Perkel. “There’s no acknowledgement at all of the neighbourhood these towers would be in.”
“We’ve lived here for a long time. This is a home to many,” said Pat Perkel. “I think investors look at tenants as turnover commodities, but these rentals are homes.”
