CITY CLERK
Clause embodied in Report No. 7 of the Toronto East York Community Council, as
adopted by the Council of the City of Toronto at its meeting held on July 22, 23 and 24,
2003.
13
Establishment of Construction Staging Area 180 Queen Street West
(Trinity-Spadina, Ward 20)
(City Council on July 22, 23 and 24, 2003, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)
The Toronto East York Community Council recommends the adoption of the report
(July 7, 2003) from the Director, Transportation Services, District 1
Purpose:
To establish an on-street construction staging area to facilitate the Ellis Don
Construction/ Adason Properties Limited development at Premises No. 180 Queen Street West.
Financial Implications and Impact Statement :
All costs associated with this proposal will be borne by the developer.
Recommendations :
It is recommended that:
(1)
Simcoe Street be closed from Queen Street West to Pullan Place, for the establishment of
a construction staging area at Premises No. 180 Queen Street West;
(2)
the east half of Simcoe Street, from Pullan Place to Michael Sweet Avenue, be
temporarily re-opened to facilitate construction vehicle egress from the proposed staging
area at Premises No. 180 Queen Street West;
(3)
Simcoe Street revert to its existing operational condition at the conclusion of construction
activities at Premises No. 180 Queen Street West: and
(4)
the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to
implement the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that may be
required.
Toronto City Council
July 22, 23 and 24, 2003
2
Toronto East York Community Council
Report No. 7, Clause No. 13
Comments:
Transportation Services has received an application from Ellis Don Construction Ltd. on behalf
of Adason Properties Limited and The Canada Life Assurance Company for permission to close
Simcoe Street, between Queen Street West and Pullan Place through the erection of temporary
construction hoarding in connection with the establishment of a construction staging area to
facilitate the construction of a proposed 15-storey building. The proposed building will have
four levels of below grade construction with a three-storey below grade parking facility within it,
which ties into the existing below grade parking facility of the Canada Life building at Premises
No. 180 A Simcoe Street, under Pullan Place. It will be physically impossible for the
construction of the proposed 15-storey building to be undertaken from private property.
Additionally, considering the location of this site, the only suitable location to establish a
construction staging area is within Simcoe Street, abutting the east side of the site.
Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 937, grants authority to the Commissioner of Works and
Emergency Services to issue full or partial road closure permits for periods of up to thirty-days in
connection with private construction. Considering that this proposed closures is to be in effect
for at least twenty-three months, we are advising Community Council of the intended street
closure.
This site is bounded to the north by Pullan Place, to the east by Simcoe Street, to the south by
Queen Street West, and to the west by the REX Hotel at Premises No. 194 Queen Street West.
Simcoe Street from Queen Street West to Pullan Place, functions as a two-way street with a
pavement width of approximately 7.2 metres and provides access to Pullan Place, a named public
lane which exits onto St. Patrick Street north of Queen Street West, as well as the surface
parking area to the rear of Campbell House, Premises No. 160 Queen Street West, a historical
building on the north side of Queen Street West, between University Avenue and Simcoe Street.
Standing is presently prohibited on both sides of this section of Simcoe Street, and therefore, this
proposal would not eliminate any available on-street parking. The section of Simcoe Street,
from Pullan Place to Michael Sweet Avenue was closed in 1998.
If the proposed construction staging area on Simcoe Street is approved, this street will be closed
and these accesses will be temporarily eliminated. In this regard, The Canada Life Assurance
Company has notified and secured letters of approval from the owners of both Campbell House
and The Rex Hotel regarding this proposal. Ward Councillor Olivia Chow’s office has also been
made aware of this proposal.
The proposed construction areas would be used to facilitate the hoisting of structural steel,
concrete and all other construction materials necessary for the completion of this project by the
on-site tower crane. In considering that the staging area is critical to this project, and that no onsite option or other on-street option is available, Ellis Don Construction Ltd. and Adason
Properties have requested that consideration be given to establishing a construction staging area
on Simcoe Street, from Queen Street West Street to Pullan Place. A large construction vehicle
entering the Simcoe Street staging area from Queen Street West will not physically be able to
execute a left turn onto Pullan Place, as there is an insufficient turning radius. Given the
proximity of University Avenue to Simcoe Street, it would not be safe to back trucks out onto
Queen Street West from the staging area. Accordingly, the only other viable option for
Toronto City Council
July 22, 23 and 24, 2003
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Toronto East York Community Council
Report No. 7, Clause No. 13
construction vehicle egress from the site is northbound on Simcoe Street to Dundas Street West.
It will therefore be necessary to permit construction vehicles exiting the proposed construction
staging area to enter the section of Simcoe Street stopped-up and closed under By-Law
No. 318-1998, for the duration of construction at Canada Life.
Construction of Premises No. 180 Queen Street West is scheduled to commence as soon as
possible and is scheduled to be completed in May 2005. Adason Properties Limited have
advised however that the staging area may be required during construction that is proposed at
Premises No. 180 B Simcoe Street. Transportation Services will also monitor this site and the
surrounding area and report back to Community Council regarding any operational modifications
that may become necessary.
As with any construction site, some disruption/inconvenience to the immediate area is normal. It
is noted, however, that every effort will be made to minimize this disruption. With respect to
noise, the applicant is required to comply with the provisions of Chapter 241 (Noise) of the City
of Toronto Municipal Code.
Contact:
Eric Jensen, Work Zone/Street Events Traffic Co-ordinator, District 1 – Central Area
Telephone: (416) 392-7712, Fax: (416) 392-0816, E-mail: ejensen@city.toronto.on.ca
_________
(Attachments referred to in the foregoing report were forwarded to all Members of the Toronto
East York Community Council with the agenda for its meeting on July 8, 2003, and copies are
on file in the office of the City Clerk.)