Item - 2021.TE23.57

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the continuation of the closure of the west sidewalk and a three-metre-wide portion of the southbound curb lane on Yonge Street, between Bloor Street West and a point 66 metres south, from September 1, 2020  to December 31, 2021.

2. City Council authorize the continuation of the closure of the south sidewalk and a 1.2-metre-wide portion of the eastbound curb lane on Bloor Street West, between Yonge Street and a point 49 metres west, from September 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. City Council direct that Bloor Street West and Yonge Street be returned to its pre-construction traffic regulations and lane configurations when the project is completed.

As the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates transit service on Yonge Street and Bloor Street West, City Council approval of this report is required.

Mizrahi Developments is constructing a mixed-use development at 1 Bloor Street West. 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. City Council, at its meeting on October 2, 3 and 4, 2017, authorized the subject construction staging areas from October 9, 2017 to October 31, 2019. An extension of the construction staging areas on Yonge Street and Bloor Street West for an additional ten months from November 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020 was authorized by City Council at its meeting on November 26 and 27, 2019. The developer has requested an additional extension of the duration of the construction staging areas on both Bloor Street West and Yonge Street, as the site has experienced a number of construction delays related to permits and COVID-19.  

Transportation Services is recommending an extension of the construction staging areas on Yonge Street and Bloor Street West until December 31, 2021, to facilitate the construction of the eight-storey high podium and lower levels of the tower (Phase 2).