Item - 2022.TE32.44

The Toronto and East York Community Council:  

1. Authorized the continuation of the closure of the south sidewalk and a three-metre-wide portion of the eastbound curb lane on Mercer Street, between Blue Jays Way and a point 62 metres east from June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023.

2. Authorized the continuation of the closure of a one-metre-wide portion of the most northerly westbound curb lane on the first lane south of Mercer Street, east of Blue Jays Way, between Blue Jays Way Mercer Street and a point 62 metres east, from June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023.

3. Continued to designate the public lane system bounded by Blue Jays Way, Mercer Street, John Street and Wellington Street West as one-way eastbound/northbound.

4. Directed the applicant to pressure wash (or sweep during winter weather conditions) the construction site and adjacent sidewalks and roadways daily, or more frequently as needed to be cleared of any construction debris and made safe.

5. Directed the applicant to continue ensuring that the existing sidewalks or the proposed pedestrian walkways have proper enhanced lighting to ensure safety and visibility at all times of the day and night.

6. Directed 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.

7. Directed the applicant to continue installing appropriate signage and converging mirrors to ensure that pedestrians, cyclists and motorists safety is considered at all times.

8. Directed 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.

9. Directed the applicant to continue providing 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.

10. Directed the applicant to continue installing cane detection within the covered and protected walkway to guide pedestrians who are visually impaired.

11. Directed 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.

12. Directed 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.

13. Directed that Mercer Street and the public lane system bounded by Blue Jays Way, Mercer Street, John Street and Wellington Street West be returned to pre-construction traffic and parking regulations when the project is completed.

This staff report is about a matter that Community Council has delegated authority from City Council to make a final decision.

BJW Residences Limited Partnership is constructing a 47-storey residential development building at 99 Blue Jays Way. The site is located on the southeast corner of Blue Jays Way and Mercer Street. A three-metre-wide portion of the eastbound curb lane on Mercer Street, between Blue Jays Way and a point 62 metres east, and a one-metre-wide portion of the westbound curb lane on the first lane south of Mercer Street, are currently closed to accommodate construction staging operations for the development.

Toronto and East York Community Council, at its meeting on December 2, 2020, approved the subject construction staging areas on Mercer Street and on the first lane south of Mercer Street from December 3, 2020 to May 31, 2022. At the time that the initial report was prepared, a permit period of only 18 months was supported by Transportation Services due to planned Capital Work by Toronto Water. The developer is requesting an extension of the duration of the construction staging area as construction is ongoing, and the Capital Work is not scheduled to commence until June 2023.

Transportation Services is requesting authorization to extend the duration of the construction staging areas on Mercer Street and on the first lane south of Mercer Street for an additional 12 months, from June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023, to allow for the construction of the development to be completed.