Category Archives: 180 Sudbury St

Document: Finalizing Construction Costs for 239 Affordable Rental Homes

In May of 2009 The Affordable Housing Committee discussed providing additional funding to help cover construction costs due to new planning requirements (see Section 37) St. Clare’s was recommended to receive additional funding in the amount of 1.5 Million dollars to help cover, among other things, the requirements for workshop spaces for artists.

This not only shows that St. Clare’s had full knowledge of their obligation but it also shows how and (how much) funds were obtained to help construct spaces that since, have not been made available to Live/Work Artists.

Excerpts:

At its meeting on February 23-25, 2009, Council was informed that a number of approved affordable housing developments might require additional financial assistance once their tender prices were known. Three such developments have recently completed construction tendering processes and have confirmed their final construction pricing.

The construction of these three developments will create approximately 600 person years of employment and upon completion provide housing for up to 374 Toronto residents.

The affordable housing developments are:
Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre – 194 Dowling Avenue: 29 homes
St. Clair West Affordable Housing Group – 1120 Ossington Avenue: 20 homes
St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society – 48 Abell Avenue (now known by new address of 180 Sudbury Street): 190 homes 

St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society

48 Abell Street (now known as 180 Sudbury Street) (190 homes) Ward 18 Davenport

Since the original Council approval of this development, additional costs have arisen as a result of new planning requirements which were not anticipated by the group at the time of their original proposal. These include contributing to the cost of a road extension, requirements for workshop space for artists, an enclosed mechanical penthouse, and step- backs on the first five floors of the building. These changes have increased the size of the building by 8,200 square feet. As well, capital requirements have increased due to the rise in the interest rate for fixed, long-term financing. It is recommended that the St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society be provided with $497,242 from the Development Charges Reserve Fund and $1,002,758 from the Capital Revolving Reserve Fund to meet their requirements. 

APPENDIX

The chart below summarizes the additional funding proposed by this report as well as the funding and other contributions previously allocated to the three projects in May 2007.

Summary of Existing and Recommended Funding 

Proponent name

Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre

St. Clair West Affordable Housing Group

St. Clair Multifaith Housing Society

Project address

194 Dowling Ave.

1120 Ossington Ave.

48 Abell Ave. (now 180 Sudbury St.)

Ward number

14

17

18

Number of units

29

20

190

Affordable Housing Program funding, approved May 2007

$2,030,000

(29 units x $70,000)

$1,400,000

(20 units x $70,000)

$13,300,000

(190 units x $70,000)

City contributions (fees and charges waivers, net present value of property taxes for term of agreements) approved May 2007

$918,416

$594,337

$3,031,869

Recommended Development Charges Reserve – Shelters/Housing funding (new funding)

$150,624

$97,475

$497,242

Recommended Capital Revolving Reserve Fund for Affordable Housing funding (new funding)

$1,389,376

$577,525

$1,002,758

Totals

$4,488,416

$2,669,337

$17,831,869

Here is the full document: Finalizing Construction Costs for 239 Affordable Rental Homes

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Corwyn Lund: Word Count – Editorial

Surrounding the construction site of the property formally known as 48 Abell St is an installation by Artist Corwyn Lund entitled “Word Count”

Demolished in winter 2012, this former three-story warehouse had served for decades as studios and unsanctioned affordable housing for artists, its redevelopment is supposed to mark a new era in live/work spaces for Toronto artists, given what is occurring at Phase 1 of this project it’s doubtful the vision for the future will match the reality.

The exhibit was supposed to have run April 25th to June 30, a few short days after it’s installation piece of the hoarding containing sections of this project were removed to make way for construction, but there’s a beauty in that because it speaks to the reality of the fate of artists in this once thriving artistic community.

There’s a section on the south-side wall that speaks with great optimism and gratefulness for his new home at 180 Sudbury St with a nod toward Section 37 agreements that made it all possible.  It’s unfortunate the same agreement that made live/work units possible and provided a home was not fully realized as workshop space in the building has not been provided, leaving the potential for a thriving artist community at 180 Sudbury just out of grasp.

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The full text full text of Word Count is available here.

St. Clare’s Workshop Space Letter – Dated August 20, 2013

On August 20, 2013 Live/Work Tenants received an email from Kim Hinton outlining an offer for workshop space at 180 Sudbury St, the offer contained within does not comply with the Section 37 Agreement and does not indicate St. Clare’s is willing to work with tenants or the city towards implementing the community benefits as outlined.

In addition to the email correspondence all Live/Work Tenants had a written letter delivered to their Mailboxes, this letter was also posted in common area bulletin boards.  Too see the full letter click here:  St. Clares Workshop Letter dated August 20th, 2013 – Please note the meeting mentioned to be occurring on August 28, 2013 was postponed as Councillor Ana Bailao was no longer available.  The meeting was to be rescheduled to occur on either September 4, 2013 or September 13, 2013 – at the time of this posting that meeting has not been rescheduled or announced.

Here’s Ms. Hinton’s aforementioned email to tenants on August 20, 2013:

Hello,

Here are the details of the offer of space as requested.

The offer of space is as follows:

The space being offered is the space currently occupied by Sketch. They have another location that they will be moving to in the fall. We are sorry to see them go, but pleased to have the opportunity to offer this visible above ground space with windows to the artists of 180 Sudbury.

We will invite the artists in the building to meet and will send out details in advance. We will prepare the terms of a space use agreement for them to review, which will be provided at the meeting.  This agreement will be similar to the one we currently have with Sketch, with the same “at cost” contribution for the space($2,000/month) and the same requirement for insurance.  It will have a minimum term of one year. St. Clare’s will need to be satisfied that artists signing the agreement are able to meet the obligations of such an agreement.

We will give the artists 30 days to consider the agreement and have right of first refusal. After this time we will need to offer the space to another compatible organization for the same terms, because it is not an option for the space not to produce an income.

If, after we have offered this space and there is no uptake, we will consider our obligation to offer this space fulfilled until the space is available again, at which time we will once again give the artists right of first refusal.

Regardless of whether artists decide to enter into an agreement with us for the space currently used by Sketch, the offer of the free concourse level space will remain until further notice.  We will still encourage other organizations who have space agreements with us to share the space when they are not using it, but we will not require it.

Thank you,

Kim Hinton
Director, Community Development
St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society
kim@stclares.ca
Office 416-961-2444 ext. 7226
Cell 647-382-0439
Fax 416-323-0164