A Car-Free Condo in Toronto! « BikingToronto Forum

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Posted by joe 3 years ago. There are 15 posts. The latest reply is from crystal.
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joe
Admin
Posted 3 years ago #
Cool story for a new condo being planned for the University & Dundas area:
- 'Car-free' condo: 42 storeys, no parking
  
  The condominium would go up on the site of the century-old Royal Canadian Military Institute on University Ave. near Dundas St., which would be demolished, with elements of its facade preserved at the base and a thin tower above.
  
  "If you look at the evidence of what sells downtown, the majority of units under 750 square feet in the downtown core sell without parking,'' said Stephen Deveaux, a vice-president with the developer, Tribute Communities. Parking spots typically add $20,000 or more to the cost of a downtown condo.
  
  Deveaux called the project, which still needs approval from full city council, an opportunity to design and market an "environmentally progressive building." With so many jobs and handy transit nearby, the units will sell, Deveaux said.
Scarr
Member
Posted 3 years ago #

If I was not firmly situated in a house I'd seriously consider this. Location being part of the deal sealer there, but also just on principle.
Duncan
Moderator
Posted 3 years ago #
1. a plan that provides for only nine car-share rental spots, plus 315 spaces for bicycles.
With 315 units that only means one bicycle per unit. Ideally, this parking would need to be covered and secured, and I guess visitors on bikes or couples/families would have to share or park elsewhere. Hopefully, having no vehicle parking spaces wouldn't be the only selling point of this condo.

Duncan's City Ride - That's my blog about cycling in the city of Toronto, natch!
lOCk
Member
Posted 3 years ago #

Statistically, less than 2% of Canadians describe the bike as their primary mode of transport. Even if 20% of the dwellers were cyclists, and DINKs (double income, no kids) w/two bikes per unit, they might only need space for less than 200 bikes...
tks
lOCk
Member
Posted 3 years ago #

What is disturbing is the mindset of city planners (By-Laws?) where the report mentions:

It also stated that, "exempting the project from the city's parking standards would create a negative precedent that undermines the integrity of the parking provisions of the zoning bylaw."

tks
AuntMaureen
Member
Posted 3 years ago #

My concern would be the pressure this would put on the existing available parking in that area. With 315 more units, where are all their visitors going to park? The restaurants, clubs, shops, etc in the area will be hearing about how impossible parking has become. Also, I hope the new owners of those units weren't hoping to have overnight guests with cars.
lOCk
Member
Posted 3 years ago #

The planet really is doomed, isn't it...
Duncan
Moderator
Posted 3 years ago #

Yes, we must protect the "integrity" of parking!

Duncan's City Ride - That's my blog about cycling in the city of Toronto, natch!
Duncan
Moderator
Posted 3 years ago #

Also, this isn't a condo for cyclists, it is a condo for people who use car sharing, public transit, their feet and possibly even bicycles. I'm sure there's a lot more people who rely on public transit as their primary method of transportation over bicycles.

Duncan's City Ride - That's my blog about cycling in the city of Toronto, natch!
joe
Admin
Posted 3 years ago #
Article in the Globe:
- Car-free condo in step with green-friendly habits of downtown dwellers
  
  The 42-storey condo will stand on University Avenue near Dundas at the current site of the Royal Canadian Military Institute (which will get new, bigger digs on the premises). It is a few steps from the St. Patrick subway station and minutes from restaurants, banks, galleries, theatres and shopping plazas. “There's no better place in the city to market a building with no parking,” says Stephen Deveaux, a vice-president of developer Tribute Communities.
  
  The company plans to do just that, telling prospective residents “unapologetically” that the building has no parking because, living there, they won't need it. As Mr. Deveaux puts it, “It really is geared to the person who works, lives and plays in the city of Toronto and is not likely to want a car.”
  
  Those who really feel they need one – for weekend trips, supermarket shopping or whatever – can rent one of the auto-sharing cars or keep their own car in one of the many parking lots in the area on monthly lease. But the whole focus of the place will be on walkable – and bikeable – city living. The building will have no less than 315 parking spots for bicycles.
  
  The building will be mostly bachelor and one-bedroom suites designed for singles and couples with no need to drive children around town. Building without parking spots will make the condos cheaper; spots can add $30,000 or more to the cost of each unit.
  
  It all makes great good sense in a city that is trying to get people out of their cars whenever possible, promoting walking, biking and transit use as a green alternative. The city's parking-place requirements are out of step with the trend in downtown and other high-density areas for residents to do without an automobile.
Finally... a developer that "gets it"... and will probably be the first of many condo developments to have limited or no parking at all.
Militant MTBer
Member
Posted 3 years ago #

The Globe stated:

"Building without parking spots will make the condos cheaper; spots can add $30,000 or more to the cost of each unit."

The cost, to the developer, will be cheaper, yes. The cost to condo owners may be cheaper, as far as condo fees will be concerned, as there will be less area to clean and maintain as with a large parking garage in existing condos. Any condo that already has parking spots don't add to the overall expense of your condo as one has the option of purchasing, or not, a parking space for their condo. Such as mine. And I don't own one. The article makes it sound as though a parking space is inclusive. They're not.

I do like the idea of bike parking. We have it here at Harbour Square. We have a large room off the lobby area in the North building and a couple open areas in the parking garage. I never have taken a tally of how many spaces that are available for bikes, but there is a waiting list for them.

They tell me that I have ADD. They just don't underst...Hey look! A Chicken!!
Duncan
Moderator
Posted 3 years ago #

@MilitantMTBer

Thanks for the info. I'm still a renter, and this is useful info for sure.

As for those on the waiting list for bicycling parking in your building, what do they do? Are you allowed to bring bicycles in your elevators? Or do they just rely on ring and posts and some luck?

I'm moving in a few months, and bicycle parking is one of the big things I'm looking for as my bikes currently take up a lot of space in my apartment.

Duncan's City Ride - That's my blog about cycling in the city of Toronto, natch!
Militant MTBer
Member
Posted 3 years ago #

Duncan asked:

"As for those on the waiting list for bicycling parking in your building, what do they do? Are you allowed to bring bicycles in your elevators?"

Yes. I have seen it done. They ask that you carry the bike over the carpeted areas. Pfft! I've seen dirtier shoe bottoms make a far greater mess.

They tell me that I have ADD. They just don't underst...Hey look! A Chicken!!
lOCk
Member
Posted 3 years ago #

Apr 24, 1991 - Even auto manufacturers are beginning to realize the need to reduce city traffic. Pehr Gyllenhammar, head of Volvo, recently said, "We must keep cars out of the cities. We will have to accept a virtual ban on private cars using city centers."
crystal
Member
Posted 11 months ago #

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