Item - 2019.EX11.6

The Executive Committee recommends that:  

1.  City Council direct CreateTO to lead and collaborate with City Real Estate Management, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Toronto Public Library, Housing Secretariat, and Toronto Parking Authority in Phase 2 of the Parkdale Hub feasibility study, which will include the development of the following:

- Schematic design;
- Heritage impact assessment;
- Construction phasing study;
- Operations and collaboration framework;
- Community engagement strategy;
- Programming model;
- Affordable housing model;
- Environmental studies; and
- Capital budget and financing model.
 

2.  City Council direct CreateTO to work with an architectural team to advance the schematic design for the Parkdale Hub site, with consideration to be given to the Conceptual Design and Massing Study shown in Attachment 4 to the report (December 5, 2019) from the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services and the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services, with a view to initiating a rezoning process for the site.

3.  City Council direct CreateTO to consult with community stakeholders, including Toronto Artscape Inc., in the development of Phase 2 of the Parkdale Hub feasibility study.  

4. City Council authorize the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services and the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services to proceed with Phase 2 of the Parkdale Hub feasibility study, within the overall budget of $0.461 million, from the following sources:

a.  $0.144 million from the Development Charges Reserve Fund for Subsidized Housing (XR2116), with a related increase to the 2020 Staff Recommended Operating Budget for Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, cost centre FH5417 in coordination with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat for Council consideration through the 2020 Budget process; and

b.  $0.318 million from the 2019-2028 Council Approved Capital Budget and Plan for Facilities, Real Estate, Environment and Energy under the Strategic Projects – Feasibility capital project account (CCA266-01).

5.  City Council, subject to the adoption of Recommendation 6 below, authorize the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services and the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services, as part of the 2020 Budget process, to provide additional funding for Phase 2 of the Parkdale Hub feasibility study, within an overall additional budget of $0.247 million, from the following sources:

a. up to $0.162 million from the Development Charges Reserve Fund for Subsidized Housing (XR2116), with a related increase to the 2020 Staff Recommended Operating Budget for Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, cost centre FH5417 in coordination with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat for Council consideration through the 2020 Budget process; and

b. up to $0.085 million from the 2019-2028 Council Approved Capital Budget and Plan for Facilities, Real Estate, Environment and Energy under the Strategic Projects – Feasibility capital project account (CCA266-01).

6.  City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and CreateTO to initiate negotiations to acquire the property specified in Confidential Attachment 1 (the "Additional Property") to the report (December 5, 2019) from the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services and the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services for affordable housing purposes as part of the Parkdale Hub project, on the basis that any resulting transaction will be subject to approval by Council with a report that identifies budgeted funds being available for such purposes.

7.  City Council direct CreateTO to examine opportunities to fund the acquisition of the Additional Property and to report back through the CreateTO Board on the feasibility of a strategic acquisition for the Parkdale Hub project no later than the second quarter of 2020, on the basis that any resulting transaction will be subject to approval by Council with a report that identifies budgeted funds being available for such purposes.

8.  City Council request CreateTO, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to explore opportunities for increasing the density of affordable housing on the City-owned lands that comprise the Parkdale Hub site as well as on the Additional Property.

9.  City Council authorize the public release of Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (December 5, 2019) from the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services and the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services following the completion of CreateTO's analysis on the Additional Property and the closing of any associated transaction(s).

10.  City Council request the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with CreateTO, and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to include 1303 Queen Street West in the next group of Housing Now properties to be considered by City Council in 2020.

11.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services and the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to follow the guiding principles of the Housing Now Initiative, adopted by City Council at its December 4, 5 and 13 meeting in consideration of CC1.3 "Housing Now", in the implementation of the Parkdale Hub project.

12.  City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to provide key planning principles and guidelines for the Parkdale Hub project in keeping with the objectives and guiding principles of the Housing Now Initiative.

13.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services and the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services to convene a working group to develop an Operations and Collaboration Framework as part of Phase 2 of the Parkdale Hub feasibility study, to ensure the successful collocation of municipal and community programs with the Parkdale Hub site. Such Working Group to be comprised of senior management from the following City Divisions and Agencies:

- Parks, Forestry and Recreation;
- Toronto Public Library;
- Social Development, Finance and Administration;
- Housing Secretariat;
- Economic Development and Culture;
- City Manager's Office;
- Legal Services;
- CreateTO; and
- Corporate Real Estate Management.
 

14.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services and the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services, in consultation with CreateTO, to report back to Executive Committee in the fourth quarter of 2020 with an update on Phase 2 of the Parkdale Hub feasibility study, including additional details on capital budget requirements and funding sources.

This report responds to City Council's request in 2017 for the three Deputy City Managers to convene an interdivisional agency table to determine the feasibility of a coordinated plan for City-owned properties located at 1313, 1303 Queen Street West and 220 Cowan Avenue. An interdivisional team of staff coordinated through the City-wide Real Estate Model has now completed the first phase of a feasibility study, which included due diligence investigations, vision development with stakeholder groups, community engagement and a high-level design study to identify possible approaches to redeveloping these properties, together with the Toronto Parking Authority surface parking lot at 1325 Queen Street West (collectively, the "Parkdale Hub site"), in a coordinated manner. This report provides an overview of the preliminary findings of the feasibility study and makes recommendations for next steps in advancing the Parkdale Hub project as a transformational City-building opportunity that maximizes social benefit and affordable housing.