Concept Design & Community Feedback
A big thank you to our neighbours and the stakeholders who came out to our in-person community meeting on June 20, 2022. We had over 30 community members and stakeholders at our first community update meeting. During this meeting we reviewed the community feedback to date on our preliminary project objectives*, shared the emerging concept designs, and answered attendee questions.
*Please note that the project objectives survey will remain open for the next few weeks so that all attendees have the opportunity to participate.
Design Concept
Studio JCI is a young, up-and-coming firm in Toronto with an impressive portfolio. Below are some of the buildings that they’ve designed in Toronto and greater area.
Studio JCI presented their concept design for a tall residential building with retail/commercial/community uses at grade as well as non-residential uses in the second storey of the podium overlooking Weston Road. Below the proposed massing of the building.
Studio JCI’s design includes animated design along Weston Road that includes dedicated entrances for the residential, commercial, and community uses directly off Weston Road. We are exploring the possibility of accommodating an ‘urban format’ grocer on this site, which is a smaller more compact grocery store due to the limited size of the floor plate, requirements for access and loading, and other site constraints. We are incorporating loading and other back of house requirements to project for this use early on in the design process.
The design team is still in process of developing further design details, including the materials, colors, and articulation of the massing. Below are the precedents that the team is inspired by.
We look forward to providing further updates once the concept design is finalized.
What We Heard
Following our team’s presentation, we answered questions and received comments from the attendees. The focus of most questions was around public realm improvements, pride of place, inclusiveness and public safety. We appreciate everyone’s participation and helpful discussion. If you have any questions or comments for the team, please send them to us at 1830weston@castlepointnuma.com.
Public Realm
Community members are eager for immediate investment in the Weston Road right-of-way including planters, street trees, and other beautification projects.
As you may have noticed, we have upgraded the public realm in front of our future development site at 1844 Weston Road including painting murals along the south and east elevations of the building, installing new plants in the street planters, and partnering with Shakespeare in Action to provide interim pop-up community activations.
In the ultimate condition, we anticipate that the frontages in front of the proposed development will be beautified, landscaped and increased in area. Our design ensures that there will be a variety of uses at grade generating pedestrian traffic throughout the day and “eyes on the street”.
Pride of Place
Castlepoint is proud to work with community members and invest in Weston. That is why we have three projects in the community including Weston Park, 1798-1812 Weston Road, and this project. Our projects will transform Weston Road south of Lawrence Avenue. Our design teams are designing beautiful, interesting buildings that will contribute to the streetscape and pride of place. We are excited to continue working on the concept design for this project, and show the community our progress later this year.
Inclusiveness
Community members asked questions regarding the tenure of the future buildings, opportunities to support local business enterprise and job creation. We are committed to create a range of unit types to support families, seniors and other members of the community. We have not confirmed at this early stage regarding the tenure and specifically if we will be introducing some rental housing. We are committed to support animated ground floor uses, which will protect for opportunities for social enterprise/small businesses, urban format grocery store and spaces for community partners.
Public Safety
Several attendees spoke to the need to improve public safety in the community including providing youth programming, providing local employment opportunities, and by changing the public perception of Weston held by those who live outside the community. Castlepoint is committed to supporting Frontlines, which is a local youth organization that provides safe spaces for youth to learn and to advance employment skills. We are protecting for a community space in our development at 1830-1844 Weston Road. We are also protecting for a variety of sizes of commercial/retail uses at grade in order to ensure an active frontage along Weston Road. We investigate the possibility of requiring local hiring by our contractors as part of our construction crews once we further along in the approvals process. Castlepoint invests in Weston because we believe Weston is as a great neighbourhood with an engaged community, diverse cultural assets, and fantastic amenities including transit and green open spaces. We are confident that the rest of Toronto will see what we see, which has been here all along, when our first development is realized.
Again, we thank everyone for their participation! You are always welcome to send us your comments and feedback 1830weston@castlepointnuma.com.