Contentious luxury complex to finally start construction

After a heated Ontario Municipal Board hearing and a change in developers, 20 controversial, luxury townhouses at Bayview Avenue and the Bridle Path are scheduled to start being built this month. 

The lots — 2425 and 2427 Bayview Ave. — were bought by Stone Manor Developments in 2006, who proposed 20 three-storey, townhouses for the site.

It was a decision that caused uproar among residents at the time, with representatives citing loss of privacy, decreased greenspace and considerable change to the character of the area as their main concerns.

The case went to the Ontario Municpal Board.

Both the York Mills Ratepayers Association and the newly-formed Edwards Gardens Ratepayers Association hired a lawyer to represent them, but the OMB ruled in favour of Stone Manor. Stone Manor later made an internal decision to reduce the number of townhouses to 16 units. In October 2010, the site was sold to Hush Homes.

Hush president, Naheel Suleman, said they plan to increase the number of units to the original 20, but the decision needs to be re-approved by the OMB. He said he’s expecting the approval to come through soon and the company plans to start building this month.

David Bawden, president of the York Mills Ratepayers Association isn’t happy with the development, but says there is not much the residents can do.

“We’ve come to the point where, if the OMB said it, we’re saddled with it,” he said.

“We’re not going to take it through the process again because it would just be a waste of money.” Bawden said he was not aware the building would start this month and there has not been any communication between Hush and the community to his knowledge.

Suleman said he thinks the issue was “resolved long ago,” and he is not aware of any recent complaints from residents in the area. 

Bawden says the residents have no plans to actively oppose the issue.

“I’m discouraged this is going to happen at all,” he said. “We’re in for it now.” 

Article exclusive to STREETS OF TORONTO