Item - 2020.TE20.29

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the closure of a 5 metre wide portion of the northbound curb lane and east sidewalk on Balmuto Street, between a point 29 metres south of Bloor Street West and a point 12 metres further south, from November 30, 2020 to November 30, 2022.

2. City Council rescind the existing designated commercial loading zone on the west side of Balmuto Street, between a point 25.5 metres south of Bloor Street West and a point 11.5 metres further south.

3. City Council rescind the existing designated on-street accessible parking space on the west side of Balmuto Street, between a point 37 metres south of Bloor Street West and a point 20 metres further south.

4. City Council rescind the existing parking prohibition in effect from 6:30 p.m. of one day to 8:00 a.m. of the next following day, Monday to Friday, from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Saturday and at all times Sunday on the east side of Balmuto Street, between Bloor Street West and a point 57 metres south.

5. City Council rescind the existing stopping prohibition in effect from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday to Friday on the east side of Balmuto Street, between Bloor Street West and a point 57 metres south.

6. City Council rescind the existing standing prohibition in effect from, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday and from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday on the east side of Balmuto Street, between Bloor Street West and a point 57 metres south of Bloor Street.

7. City Council prohibit stopping, at all times, on both sides of Balmuto Street, between Bloor Street West and a point 57 metres south.

8. City Council direct the applicant to continue posting a 24-hour monitored construction hotline number on the hoarding board, which must be prominently placed and legible from 20 metres and on all elevations from the construction site.

9. City Council direct the applicant to continue providing and installing public art, including mural artwork, onto every elevation of the hoarding board with adequate spotlighting for night-time illumination, at their sole cost, to the satisfaction of the Ward Councillor.

10. City Council direct the applicant to continue sweeping the construction site daily and nightly, or more frequently as needed to be cleared of any construction debris and made safe.

11. City Council direct the applicant to continue pressure washing the construction site and adjacent sidewalks and roadways weekly, or more frequently as needed to be cleared of any construction debris and made safe.

12. City Council direct the applicant to continue ensuring that the existing sidewalks or the proposed pedestrian walkway have proper lighting to ensure safety and visibility at all times of the day and night.

13. City Council direct the applicant to continue consulting and communicating all construction, parking and road occupancy impacts with local business improvement areas and resident associations in advance of any physical road modifications.

14. City Council direct the applicant to provide a sufficient number of traffic control persons as determined by the Work Zone Traffic Coordinator and Toronto Police Construction Liaison Officer, on a daily basis to control construction vehicle access and egress to and from the site and maintain a safe environment for the public.

15. City Council direct the applicant to provide a sufficient number of pay-duty Police Officers as determined by the Work Zone Traffic Coordinator and Toronto Police Construction Liaison Officer, during large scale concrete pours and large scale material deliveries to control vehicle access and egress to and from the site and maintain a safe environment for the public.

16. City Council direct the applicant to continue installing appropriate signage and converging mirrors to ensure that pedestrians, cyclists and motorists safety is considered at all times.

17. City Council direct that Balmuto Street be returned to its pre-construction traffic and parking regulations and lane configurations when the project is completed.

18. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services, to issue a Temporary Street Occupation permit to Mizrahi Development Group (The One) Inc. for the period of November 30, 2020 to November 30, 2022 for a portion of Balmuto Street, from a point 29 metres south of Bloor Street West and a point 12 metres further south, without Mizrahi Development Group (The One) Inc. having to comply with certain requirements of the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 743, Streets and Sidewalks, Use of, as more generally described in the report from the Acting Director, Traffic Management, Transportation Services (dated October 19, 2020) and, where the approval conflicts with Chapter 743, Streets and Sidewalks, Use of, the approval of the General Manager, Transportation Services shall prevail to the extent of the conflict.

19. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services, to negotiate, enter into and execute and indemnity agreement with Mizrahi Development Group (The One) Inc. to address the City's interests with respect to any and all temporary street occupations and closures on Balmuto Street on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Transportation Services, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

20. City Council direct that Recommendation 1 to 18, inclusive, above, be subject to Mizrahi Development Group (The One) Inc. entering into the indemnity agreement in Recommendation 19 above.

Since this report contains recommendations that do not comply with City policy or by-laws, City Council approval of this report is required.

Mizrahi Development Group (The One) Inc. (the "developer") is constructing a mixed-use development at 1 Bloor Street West (Mizrahi Project). The site is located on the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Bloor Street West. The development will consist of an eight-storey high retail podium and an 86-storey high residential tower.

Construction staging operations for the development are currently taking place within the road right-of-way on the south side of Bloor Street West and on the west side of Yonge Street. Phase 1 of construction involved excavation, piling and shoring operations and building to the ground level, which is now complete. The current construction staging areas on Bloor Street West and Yonge Street are unable to accommodate the requirements for the delivery of concrete to the site.  Therefore, Transportation Services, in consultation with the area Councillor and the developer have reviewed numerous options for the supply of concrete to the site.  After reviewing the benefits and impacts of each of the options, Transportation Services is proposing a construction staging area on the east side of Balmuto Street south of Bloor Street West.  

Transportation Services is requesting authorization to temporarily close a portion of the northbound curb lane and east sidewalk on Balmuto Street from a point 29 metres south of Bloor Street West to a point 12 metres further south for 24 months (i.e. from November 30, 2020 to November 30, 2022), in order to facilitate the construction of the eight-storey high podium (Phase 2A) and 86 storey high residential tower (Phase 2B).

Transportation Services is also requesting the authority for the General Manger of Transportation Services to issue a Temporary Street Occupation permit for Balmuto Street to the developer, notwithstanding that not all the criteria within the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 743, Streets and Sidewalks, Use of, for so doing would be met.