Controversial 'Towers of Spite' no longer a density dilemma for planning committee

The buildings are seen in this Google Streetview photo from July 2009 (Source: Google)

More than 20 years after it began, plans for the residential development often referred to as the Towers of Spite continue to pit the developer against homeowners in the Broughdale neighbourhood.

On Tuesday, the Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) considered an application by KAP Holdings to build a pair of three storey back-to-back cluster townhouses with 11 new residential units in addition to the existing three units at 2-4 Audrey Avenue and 186-188 Huron Street.

Arnon Kaplansky of KAP Holdings sparred with city hall and neighbours at various times over two decades as he pushed to build a higher density development on the site.

Not surprisingly, his latest proposal to add more residential units to the unique development near Western University, despite concerns from the Broughdale Neighbourhood Association that it would be incompatible with the neighbourhood.

“Just stop and say no,” said Marie Blosh of the Broughdale Neighbourhood Association. “This requires too many variances. It needs variances for front yard setback, for rear yard setback, for side yard setback.”

The property is primarily surrounded by single-family homes converted into student rentals, but the broader neighbourhood includes a mix of rentals and owner-occupied homes.

Neighbour Stephen Pitel warned that permitting the higher density development in the middle of the residential neighbourhood might set a precedent, “We're going to fundamentally change the nature of buildings inside the interior of a residential neighborhood by putting up this particular significant intensification.”

However, Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis wasn’t moved by the argument.

“I heard a little bit about the character of the neighborhood, and that we should intensify along Richmond. Yet, when we see applications come forward to intensify on Richmond, we hear the objections from the same neighborhood that we can't change anything on Richmond because we've got heritage properties there,” Lewis told colleagues on the committee.

Noting the need to address the local housing crisis, members of PEC were supportive of the application.

City council will make a final decision on September 24.