Item - 2021.TE24.43

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the continuation of the of the closure of the south sidewalk and a 2.8 metre wide portion of the eastbound curb lane on Bloor Street East, between a point 26 metres west of Sherbourne Street and a point 41 metres further west and provision of a temporary pedestrian walkway within the closed portion of the eastbound curb lane, from March 9, 2020 to January 31, 2022. 

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. City Council direct that Bloor Street East be returned to its pre-construction traffic and parking regulations when the project is complete.

10. City Council direct the applicant to meet with the Manager, Construction Coordination and Traffic Mitigation, Transportation Services, adjacent neighbours and the Bloor East Neighbourhood Association to review accessibility and traffic around the site, and directed the the applicant and Transportation Services staff to make changes as required to address any outstanding concerns.

11.  City Council direct the applicant to establish a construction management working group that meets monthly and to invite local stakeholders including Transportation Services, Municipal Licensing and Standards, and Toronto Buildings staff, adjacent neighbours, and the Bloor East Neighbourhood Association.

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

SkyGrid Construction Incorporated is constructing a 54-storey residential building and a 10-storey hotel building at 387-403 Bloor Street East. The development site will have frontage on both Bloor Street East and Selby Street. The site is located on the south side of Bloor Street East, one property east of Sherbourne Street. The sidewalk and a portion of the eastbound curb lane on the south side of Bloor Street East fronting the site are currently closed to accommodate construction staging operations for the development.

City Council, at its meeting on February 26, 2019, approved the subject construction staging area on Bloor Street East, from March 5, 2019 to March 5, 2020.  However, at the time the developer indicated they would require the staging area for a total of 34 months. Subsequently, City Council, at its meeting on June 29 and 30, 2020 approved extending the duration of the construction staging area an additional 12 months, until March 8, 2021. 

The developer has requested an additional extension of the duration of the construction staging area on Bloor Street East, in order to complete the construction of the development. Based on the information provided by the developer, the site has experienced a number of construction delays due to labour shortages and availability of materials due to COVID-19.

Transportation Services is requesting authorization to extend the duration of the construction staging area on Bloor Street East until January 31, 2023, in order to complete the construction of the development.