The head of a residents’ association in the city’s Lytton Park neighbourhood says the community is “absolutely furious” the city tore down a century-old building that was being reviewed as a potential heritage property.
The building, located at 2444 Yonge Street, near Eglinton Avenue, was torn down over the weekend.
In a news release issued Sunday, Linda McCarthy, director of the Lytton Park Residents’ Organization, said the building was “one of the last beaux arts architecture examples of Bank of Montreal buildings in North Toronto.”
“It was identified as a heritage site in the Yonge Eglinton Secondary Plan. Although not yet listed on the City’s Inventory of Heritage Properties, City staff had identified the existing building to be of heritage interest with heritage value and they were officially reviewing it,” the news release read.
In 2014, a developer submitted a zoning bylaw amendment application on the property, proposing to build a five-storey commercial development at the site of the 110-year-old building.
In that application, the developer indicated that the project would include retaining and incorporating part of the existing Bank of Montreal building.
“For unknown reasons, the developer subsequently withdrew the application and the City closed the file. But just days ago, the owner submitted a demolition permit which was processed and issued January 18,” the news release read.
“Resident associations in the Yonge/Eglinton area, the City’s Planning and Heritage Preservation Services, along with the North Toronto Historical Society were astonished that approval to destroy the building could (have) happened under the radar. They were outraged that the demolition took place so quickly.”
Coun. Christin Carmichael Greb, who represents the ward of Eglinton-Lawrence, told CTV News Toronto that it appears there was a communication breakdown.
“It really shows the lack of communication between departments is a huge issue,” the Ward 16 councillor said Monday.
“The developer had the right to request it but if we had had enough time to speak to the developer (we would have been able to) explain to them, ‘Well there was a heritage review on it previously. Let’s stop, let’s take a hold and look at it.’”
