Committee plays hard ball with Medallion Corporation over illegally converted parking lot

Politicians want to leverage Medallion Corporation’s desperation for additional parking to achieve some of the city’s housing goals in the Old East Village.

“We’ve exhausted all of our options searching for parking in this area. We understand that there was an issue,” Medallion Corporation’s Development Manager Luka Kot told councillors on the Planning and Environment Committee.

Medallion did not dispute a staff report that seven residences at the corner of King and Hewitt streets were incrementally demolished from 2009 to 2016 and, “illegally converted to surface parking to serve the [three] residential apartment buildings at 690, 696, 698, and 700 King St. and 400 Lyle St..”

A three-year temporary rezoning to permit the parking lot would accommodate tenants until a fourth building planned for the southwest corner of Dundas and Hewitt streets is constructed with 100 extra spots.

But several councillors saw an opportunity to apply some pressure on Medallion to break ground on its fourth tower as soon as possible.

“We have an urgent situation with housing and I want to ensure that the building permit is [issued by] next spring,” Coun. Susan Stevenson said.

Stevenson suggested just a one-year temporary rezoning.

The shorter term would give council leverage when Medallion returns for an extension next April.

“If you come back in a year and ask for an extension [but] no building permit has been submitted — my vote will be no,” warned Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis. “This is not going to exist in perpetuity as surface parking.”

Speaking directly to the representatives of Medallion Corporation, Lewis added that concerns raised by tenants about water interruptions in one of the buildings also need to be addressed.

“There are some serious question marks for me personally, but I’m willing to give a chance over the next year to get these things sorted out and move forward,” he said.

The deputy mayor then confirmed with civic administration that upgrades to the existing parking lot will be required to conform to municipal standards.

Last summer, city council reduced the minimum parking required for high rise apartment buildings to one spot for every two units.

By this new standard the 566 parking spots already approved for the three existing Medallion Corporation buildings should be sufficient for the 916 total units.

However, Stevenson explained that an interim parking solution will be necessary in the area until the rapid transit route is operating.

“I really don’t want to see the tenants punished for this,” she added.

Council will consider the one-year temporary rezoning at its April 4 meeting.