We were the first to report on the purchase of the old Humber Odeon theatre (originally by the Wynn family), and the subsequent purchase of that entire block by a single purchaser, Claude Bitton, who has subsequently bought other properties in the Village (the former TD bank at Bloor/Windermere, and the medical building immediately east of the Runnymede Library). Most of those properties have remained empty or under-utilized since then, which has raised concerns and questions by many in the area, whose worries range from potential over-development to under-use of a vital retail strip.

We will continue to watch what is happening here, and will provide updates soon.

 

SEP 4: MEETING MR. BITTON (Updated Sep. 10/08)

Visitors to this website, and subscribers to our newsletter know that we have been puzzled and concerned about the large-scale acquisitions along Bloor (the Humber Block, the medical building at 2150 Bloor) by a Claude Bitton -- about whom we had been unable to find information, whether through Councillor Saundercook, Tridel, or others.  Our concern wasn't over the acquisitions, or possible development plans themselves, but around the apparent lack of information about the purchases or purchaser or his plans.

As well, the increasing shabbiness of the Humber block (a half-empty block, "featuring" an increasingly grimy theatre, and Billy Bob's windows egg-splatterd for weeks), as well as the loss of doctors' offices in 2150 Bloor (so close to the Grenadier Retirement Home), were all cause for concern.

Another serious issue, was the problem of dealing with the Tridel site in isolation, when it's clear that we all need to know how both the Tridel and Bitton properties will be developed, in order to deal with common issues.

Fortunately, at the Sep. 4 Working Group meeting for the Tridel/2500 Bloor site, Mr. Bitton, with several others from his company showed up as observers of the process. We met and talked with Mr. Bitton, both at the meeting, and subsequently. He does plan to attend the subsequent Working Group meetings, and professes interest in the public process.

BLOOR DEVELOPMENTS (Newsletter #186, June 17/08)

Earlier this year, we noted that the "Humber Odeon block" of Bloor had been acquired by a single buyer. The still-mysterious new owner, Claude Bitton, was a former partner with the Wynn family (as Wynn Bitton Inc.) in the original development proposal for the theatre site. Since then, he has apparently taken sole possession not only of the former Odeon site and all the properties west to Riverview Gardens, but he's also active on the east side of the Village as well.

The two story medical building at 2150 Bloor St. W. (immediately east of the Runnymede Library) was recently purchased by the same Mr. Bitton. At this point, we don't know the ownership or sales status of properties constituting the remainder of that block that runs east to Kennedy Park Rd, but it also appears ripe for redevelopment.

Mr. Bitton's plans for the Humber block and for 2150 remain unknown - as do his background and development history. Enquiries made to Councillor Saundercook about Mr. Bitton and these properties have revealed nothing. Despite the fact that it was the Councillor's office who first informed us of the buyer's name, the response we recently received from Mr. Saundercook was that "All of the information currently available was conveyed at the community meeting which my staff attended on April 30th." [The reference is to the BWVRA public meeting; see links below] However, no information at all about the buyer or his potential plans in fact were conveyed at that meeting. The Councillor knows more than he seems willing to pass on.

(It should be noted that to this point, no new development application has been filed; the only proposal with the City is the original condominium plan for the Odeon Humber site).

In the short term, the prospects for Bitton-on-Bloor are not encouraging. The Humber block remains half-closed.  Billy Bob's and the Fan have now both closed their doors, although as we had expected, it appears that a new tenant will be leasing the location - at least until the block is torn down. To the west, the Old Mill car dealership will be moving to Jane/St. Clair in early 2009; the fate of its large property is still unknown, as is the future of the tenants of the office building located at 2490 Bloor, who have been told they MAY have to vacate by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the medical future of 2150 appears shaky. Although there are banners advertising space for lease, some existing medical practices have had to leave, and we have heard that potential new tenants who have responded to the advertised availability have declined, based on quoted rental charges. A medical building without medical tenants is not feasible. The ground floor pharmacy's viability depends on those medical tenants, and the residents of the Grenadier retirement home a block to the east, depend on both the pharmacy and the medical offices in the building. This is not an encouraging scenario.

What will be happening along Bloor and when, and how can the community be involved? Those were some of the questions we asked in our April 27 newsletter (see below), and ones which were raised in the 2005 Bloor West Village Urban Design Study, which world19 participated in. (The study is available here, but note that it is a 9mb PDF file).

In February, Etobicoke-York Community Council (EYCC) requested city staff to review that Study, and report back to EYCC regarding "how the study may be applied by City staff to redevelopment projects in the area, including the car dealership site west of Jane Street on Bloor Street West."

At the June 10th EYCC meeting the Information Report was received for information purposes only.

We will continue to pursue this issue, and promote public information and involvement in what may become major changes along Bloor Street.

 

Many questions hang over the not-yet-announced development of the “Humber block” on Bloor St. As first noted by world19 (see later on this page), and little discussed elsewhere, the original development plan for the site of the old Humber Theatre (a 10 story condo) is likely off the table, as a new, and still unidentified owner has bought that property from the notorious Wynn family, as well as the entire block from the theatre west to Riverview Gardens.

We have heard new rumours about the purchaser/developer, but have not been able to confirm information.  Meanwhile, retail and other businesses on that block whose continuation there is obviously temporary, are languishing. (The large, former Blockbuster / Fabricland outlet still stands empty; Billy Bob’s remains dark, although the basement sports bar is still open, and of course, the old movie theatre continues to look shabby).

At the same time, rumours that the Old Mill car dealership property has been sold for development appear to be true: they are moving to Jane & St. Clair in early 2009.

Clearly something is happening but nobody knows what or when. The situation raises many questions including: 

• What are the responsibilities of a developer to the community?  And when do they kick in?

• What is the role of the city in managing the relationship?  Are existing city policies effective in this regard?

• How can communities partner with developers and help to steer the change process?

Some food for thought…  Perhaps these are some of things that could be discussed at the upcoming BWVRA meeting (see the Events listing below, April 30)

 

An update to our previous newsletter which noted that the entire block from the old Odeon Humber west had been purchased for development.  We have subsequently spoken with members of the Bloor West Village BIA, Councillor Saundercook's office, and the owner of Billy Bob's/The Fan, as well as other business owners and operators in the area. Interestingly, while we had been hearing stories of the large purchase for a few weeks, a number of parties "in the know" seemed to have just then learned about the deal.

 

We now know that the Wynns are no longer in the picture. Councillor Saundercook's office identified the new owner as Claude Bitton. He is still a bit of a mystery; even the Councillor's office professed little knowledge about him or his background.

 

Those we spoke to agreed with our assumptions: that the developer will likely scrap plans for the already approved condominium on the Humber site, and instead prepare an application for a development using the entire block. Interestingly, everyone we spoke with suggested it might take "five years" before any construction started. The unanimity of the estimate puzzled us, and made us wonder: Does that mean five more years of the now shabby frontage of the old theatre?

 

In fact we wonder what it means for the state of that stretch of Bloor for the next five years. There's lots of talk on the street of businesses carrying on - of five year leases and so on. But we wonder if it will all get worse before it gets better.

 

What does it all mean?  In the long run, it's all about change. The Humber Odeon site was always particularly problematic in terms of access and traffic flow. What will the new bigger (and better?) proposal bring?  Only time will tell.  But it's coming soon to a theatre near you...

 

A correction:

In our last newsletter, we noted that we had been hearing from various sources that Billy Bob's/The Fan would be closing last week. The upstairs (Billy Bob's) did close the next day, but The Fan (the sports bar in the basement) remains open and the owner, Danny Smardenka said he expects the upstairs (Billy Bob's) to re-open soon.