Villaways Redevelopment -Some Suggestions

This message contains suggestions that the TCHC and Tridel might consider for development of this new community space along Leslie above the Don Valley East slope.

First, a change of name and creation of a new name association. The "ways" in this part of North York identifies townhouse complexes. Some are condo corps; some are social housing. Some are just private rentals. The current and negative association of the Villaways for many neighbourhood residents is found in this 2009 Rapdict.org site link. According to this writeup the Villaways represents to its youth one of the four corners of social housing in/near the west portion of Ward 33.

A naming contest or search for a historical reference? _ surprisingly, current names of streets and areas do not reflect any of the names associated with the area's early settlement.

Second, change DVE parkland / trail access from steep stairs to a sloping walkway. One of the attractive/selling features of this neighbourhood is Don Valley East and the trail that runs south to Don Mills Road past the Henry Farm and north to Steeles past the wetlands and Alamosa Tennis courts. On a weekend day, you find a busy pathway with walkers/strollers, skaters and bicyclists of all ages and backgrounds_ people can get away from the city in the valley.

Currently, the Villaways access is a set of steep stairs down the west end. A good challenge for most. A difficult one for someone carrying a bicycle . Maybe, a potentially dangerous hazard and something to remove.

Beside and outside the Villaways (south side) is a sloping pathway from Leslie to the the DVE trailway that needs extensive rehabilitation. Upgrading this pathway could be a community benefit . Water erosion appears to have damaged this public access route. (The other valley pathways nearby are at the Leslie-Sheppard intersection although there is a foot-worn path, created over the years opposite Marowyne that few use or know about_ a steep climb or descent).

Some thought and work is necessary to reduce the slope angle from Leslie to the existing trail_ maybe making a switchback rather than a straight descent_ something like we see on the north entrance off off Leslie near Sheppard. You need a way to walk a bicycle without carrying it.

More direct/shortened access points (stairways) from Villaways tabletop could be built for residents to get to this rebuilt slope pathway.

Third, a community garden / picnic area in the valley on the old playground area Villaways Park at the base of the existing steep steps. There is a water supply line. While outside the Villaways property, this table land that had been a problematic playground could be revitalized as a place to grow food or take a summer meal. Access/use would be open to all area residents. The closest community garden is on the Peanut (Advent Lutheran Church).

Fourth, we should anticipate that what is good about the Villaways remains and enhanced. Social support systems such as the Children's Breakfast Club or Art Starts need community space in the new structures: " Villawayz is a neighbourhood with absolutely no access to community resources. Art Starts provides essential programming, teaching life and leadership skills while developing the creative capacities of to the spirited children and youth of Villawayz."

Preliminary calculations suggest that instead of a single TCHC 16 storey tower with 121 units of 3-4 bedrooms, two 8-storey low rise buildings appear feasible running along Leslie. More than minimal activity/meeting space needs to be available_ an attached single storey building.

Villaways Redevelopment - Hi Rise Impact on Views from Valley

We anticipate some large structures in the future along the west side of Leslie north of Sheppard.

The above cellphone photos provide 2 views from the Alamosa parkette (early spring) above the valley tennis courts_ one with the Nymark Medical Center and the other of Concord Park.

The Nymark photo is quite revealing since the building appeared so close through the leafless trees. Just imagine adding 12 or more stories.

The background dominance of the Concord Place condo towers (20 plus stories) is also telling about what developers can offer some suite buyers and how the valley attractiveness becomes less to those who actually use the parkland to escape from the feel of city life if only for a short time.

Today the river was high. The sounds of the rush of water took us away from life in the middle of a largely developed cityscape. Nature was close as we went by the wetlands. 

We must consider how top edge development on the Don Valley parkland slope will change forever the feeling of being in nature's space while sharing the experience with others_walking, jogging, biking, ... 

Villaways Redevelopment - One Vision of a Site Plan

Let's look at a replacement building for the TCHC townhouses and assume a 3 bedroom at 1000 sq ft (net within appt walls) and a 4 bedroom at 1150. Make a 10% allowance for common and utility areas on a floor.

We know that the ratio of 3br/4br is 3:1 and the total number of units is 121

Consider a set of 3 brs + 1 br and assume 2 sets per floor: you come out with about 10K sq ft or 929 Sq M for floor area required

Apply a well known Golden Rectangle ratio (b/h=1.62) and you get a building footprint of about 24M x 40M.

With 8 units / floor and the total number of floors = 121/8 or a minimum of 15 stories. You likely need a even number to handle activity rooms, admin and reception areas.

This could be one tower or 2 low rise 8 storey structures that could face along Leslie. A cutout with 2 low rises along Leslie front fits with lots of space around buildings.

From this calculation and the Villaways/Aria Tower Footprint plan, Tridel will not have to go higher than Aria on the condo towers to make a profit.

Villaways Redevelopment - April 14 Meeting Notes

This message provides neighbourhood attendee notes for the April 14 meeting at the Fairview Library with Councillor, TCHC and Tridel staff. Revitalization will create a mixed demographic community: condo ownership and TCHC housing rental under a P3 building project. It will satisfy the provincial guidelines for intensification close to existing subway lines.

Here's a link to the Bing Maps that starts at the Sheppard-Leslie intersection that you can follow up Leslie to see a bird's eye view of the Villaways

This project will be essentially a tower configuration: one for TCHC residents (first structure); 2 for Dell condos (likely in 2 phases). There is no proposed site plan currently and TCHC & Tridel are in the midst of a 6 month assessment process. A submission to the city will likely be this fall or late summer if there is a feasible project: a community meeting would follow and likely a project working group with community members. Soil testing has been done and Villaways residents have become aware of site revitalization and are participating in site improvements for future social housing (both physical and social). During the construction project existing residents will be re-located at no cost to them to other TCHC housing.

TCHC will share in condo profits and will own their new tower. There will be an ownership land transfer for the condos.

The site is about 6.5 acres or 2.63 hectares. We expect a significant density increase from current 121 TCHC townhouses (91- 3 bedroom units; balance - 4 bedroom units): equivalent units (size & number) must be built under Ontario law.

Before knowing more about the submission, a comparison to the Aria/Bloorview project can allow the neighbourhood to gain some insight and understanding with respect to the heights and open space that might arise.

From the Final Staff Report (Sept, 2005) we have the following Stats for Aria:
Highest Tower: 18 stories or 62.5 M.
Number of Dwelling Types (Tower) : 338 - One Bedroom, 312 - Two Bedroom = 650 Units
Number of Townhouses (3 bedroom): 45
Site Area: 4.33 Hectares
Total Residential GFA: 7.98 Hectares
Total Ground Floor Area: 1.02 Hectares
Site FSI: 1.84

Both Aria and Villaway sites are somewhat triangular in shape and abut TRCA lands of the Don Valley East. TRCA setback lines for the Villaways will influence the configuraiton.

The attached file (see above) has the Aria Tower Footprint superimposed on the existing Villaways site plan. Based on a similar FSI, and using the ratio of site areas (60.74%) we should expect a residential GFA of about 4.85 hectare that could translate into no more than 422 dwelling units or about 3.5 times the current number of TCHC households. That is, there are likely some traffic turning concerns on Leslie

The Aria heights are likely the maximum that Tridel should expect and should hopefully expect less, due to the site elevation differences. A glance at the Villaways Plan with the Aria Tower Footprints shows that the the Tridel designers should be able to create a feasible project in the Villaways site without any shadowing objections north to the Vineways and east to Grove Park. and Kingland subject of course to computer modelling analysis.

The CTC HQ building height just west of the Leslie station along Sheppard (see link below) will be 18 stories but the Villaway land elevation is higher.

While Leslie from Eglinton to Steele has no residential fronts, would a low-rise building (such as along Sheppard) or a townhouse face such as in the Rean area improve the streetscape?

As mentioned at the meeting this project could be the start of redevelopment on the west side of Leslie up to the Nymark Med Centre. If the Villaways are rezoned then there could be a domino effect.

The Willoways are rental townhouses. Townhouse complexes such as this are being approved for redevelopment in North York (eg., Valleywoods, east of DVP). It's also possible that the Nymark Medical Centre could be a redevelopment candidate since a better location for doctors and health service delivery would be closer to the Leslie station given the approved tower rezoning there and the approved CTC HQ buildings - see 2009 Staff Report. (A tweety bird says so.)