Gordon Prentice at Large - Politics in Newmarket
Developer to give presentation on plans to transform Newmarket's historic downtown on Monday 17 June
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
The Forrest Group - the developers who are determined to wreck Newmarket's historic downtown by erecting a condo on the iconic Clock Tower site - will be addressing a special Committee of the Whole at 1.30pm on Monday 17 June in the Council Chamber, 395 Mulock Drive.
The agenda, which is yet to be posted on the Town's website, will appear here later today (Friday 14 June).
I find it astonishing that meetings to consider important and controversial matters are sprung on the public with next to no notice.
The developers are being enthusiastically backed by Jackie Playter, a member of Newmarket's Heritage Advisory Committee, whose letter of support for the Forrest Group is part of the agenda. She appears to be writing in a private capacity.
In April, the Heritage Advisory Committee voted overwhelmingly to reject the Forrest Group's proposal.
Seems to me that members of the public should be able to address the Committee of the Whole on Monday after the Forrest Group's presentation but I suspect that would be ruled out of order.
It will be fascinating to see if the developer's Project Manager, Chris Bobyk, makes a better fist of his presentation than he managed on 4 April when he unveiled his plans to Ward 5 residents and others at the Community Centre in Doug Duncan Drive. People were seriously unimpressed.
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
The Toronto Star’s Christopher Hume has extended my vocabulary, introducing me to the word “facadomy”.
This is where historic buildings are torn down in the name of progress but the façade is retained.
He tells me the City of Toronto has often been party to this “mutilation” but things may be changing. City officials have decided that knocking down heritage properties without permission is no longer OK.
“The owner of a heritage building at 267 Queen Street East and the contractor who demolished it earlier this year have been served with a summons that could see them fined $1 million and spend a year behind bars.”
Excellent. This is precisely what is needed.
Anyway… The story gets me thinking about facadomy in historic Newmarket.
The Forrest Group is currently working up plans to redevelop the Clock Tower site in Main Street South (see earlier posts below).
In January 2011 the Clock Tower Inn Retirement Residence was offered for sale at $3,275,000.
On 1 March 2011 it was snapped up for $2,340,000 by 2259613 Ontario Inc.
Also known as Main Street Clock Inc.
Also known as Robert Forrest.
Unfortunately for Bob, he doesn’t own all the land required for the monstrous new Condo he wants to plonk down in the middle of Main Street.
He needs to buy out Michael Bryan, the owner of the row of historic buildings next to the Clock Tower. Forrest wants to demolish the buildings but retain the facades.
My spies tell me a very substantial pot of cash has been dangled before Mr Bryan’s eyes but the deal is conditional on Newmarket granting all the necessary approvals.
And these should not be forthcoming. No way.
Main Street is not for sale. Not at any price.
Newmarket councillors should take their cue from the Town’s own Heritage Advisory Committee which rejected the plan last month, saying it was unable to support the proposed building's mass and height.
Councillors have already designated the downtown area a Heritage Conservation District (although the concomitant By Law awaits) and that means preserving irreplaceable heritage buildings - and renowned views and panoramas.
In its Ontario Heritage Toolkit, the Ministry of Culture specifically addresses this issue.
“The significance of a Heritage Conservation District often extends beyond its built heritage, structures, streets, landscape and other physical and spatial elements, to include important vistas and views between and towards buildings and spaces within the district.”
Alas, despite all these fine words and reams of policies, Councillors can still side with the developer if they so choose.The Town’s top planner, Rick Nethery, tells me
“Proposals that do not necessarily conform to all aspects of a Heritage Conservation District plan, whether it is in full force or not, can continue to be approved by Council if deemed appropriate.”
Seems to me this gives councillors – and those who advise them – carte blanche to do whatever they please.
And it also gives encouragement to Bob Forrest who clearly believes the Town’s Heritage Conservation policies present no obstacle to his plans and, with a nod and a wink, he can navigate his way through them.
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
Mariannville Developments bought the Glenway lands for $9,900,000 on 21 January 2010 from Glenway Country Club (1994) Limited.
The sellers probably thought they were getting a good deal since the former golf course lands are designated as open space in the Town’s Official Plan.
But if the land can be developed its value, quite literally, goes through the roof.
To recap. Marianville wants to build on the Glenway lands a high density residential block with 292 dwellings, 219 townhouses, 54 one storey bungalows, 165 single detached dwellings and a commercial block.
On 7 December 2012, Mariannville took out a loan for $100 million from the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. There is a charge for this sum attached to the Glenway land.
On Tuesday (21 May) Councillor Dave Kerwin quizzed the Glenway Preservation Association’s Dave Sovran about the purchase price but no figures were given. (see post below)
Dave tells me later it would be nice to know how much the land is worth.
I disclose Mariannville paid under $10 million for Glenway and he says it is “a fantastic buy”.
However, it is only a “fantastic buy” if the developers are allowed to build on the open space.
Otherwise it is a lemon.