What’s going on with the massive development where Honest Eds once stood?

November 13, 2024 Canuck

It’s been nearly eight years since Honest Ed’s closed its doors for good, and construction has become part of the scenery at Bloor Street W. and Bathurst Street.

In its place was set to be a massive development including hundreds of purpose-built rental units, dozens of new businesses and an overall space that nods to the history of the legacy block.

But as Toronto experiences a housing crisis, some are wondering what’s going on with the hundreds of affordable and purpose-built rental units that were supposed to be completed by now.

Mirvish Village’s lead developer, Westbank Corp., admits they’re running between 12 and 16 months behind schedule.

“There’s a number of reasons that this has taken longer than we’d originally anticipated,” said Ian Duke, head of the development group at Westbank, adding lengthy approvals and consultations are partly to blame.

“The pandemic threw us a curve ball and extended our schedule… We also made some design decisions that I think with a long-term view make a lot of sense and they will result in a more extraordinary project.”

Change in construction companies

Duke also said Westbank made the decision to switch construction companies to speed up the process.

In a statement, a spokesperson from EllisDon said, “Westbank and EllisDon mutually decided to part ways on this project in 2022. Unfortunately, the circumstances and actions that followed this decision are now the subject of ongoing legal proceedings and we are unable to comment further.”

Ian Duke is the head of the development group at Westbank, which is the lead developer of Mirvish Village. (Talia Ricci/CBC)

Duke says the purpose-built rentals will include 890 residential homes total, 366 of which will be affordable units. So far, about 90 units in one of the six residential buildings are occupied, he says.

“By the time we get to next summer, people will be able to come to Mirvish Village, stroll down Markham Street, and there will be restaurants open, and a lot more people living here.”

According to Westbank’s website, 24 heritage buildings will be conserved across the site.

“Markham Street will be restored and will be re-landscaped as a pedestrian-first street with vibrant restaurants, boutiques, generous patios, trees, public seating and a new public park,” the website says.

‘Taking far too long,’ says councillor

Dianne Saxe, Toronto city councillor for Ward 11 (University-Rosedale), says full occupancy can’t come soon enough.

“Getting those units finally available so people can live in them will be huge for the people who need the housing and also huge for the businesses and community all around,” she said.

Toronto city councillor Dianne Saxe says residents are anxiously waiting the hundreds of rental units that are part of the development amid a housing crisis. (Talia Ricci/CBC)

Saxe says while there are towers going up all over the city and in her ward, this development is “special” because it’s purpose-built rentals. “

“It’s meant to last, it’s more comfortable for the people who live in them. Purpose-built rental is what we need,” she said.

Saxe says there are many people waiting anxiously for the application process to open.

“It’s taking far too long, but it will be great when it’s done,” she said.

For its part, the city of Toronto said in a statement, “All of the development applications through the city were completed for the Mirvish Village site in August of 2022, with the issuance of final site plan approval, with some minor revisions completed in August 2023.”

Duke says next summer, the historic corner will look a lot different than this one.

“It was really cool when we bought the site. It was kind of a gem. So to see it come back to life — we’re super excited.”

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