An iconic building in the Church-Wellesley Village — home to one of Toronto's most popular drag bars — is the site of a proposed 48-storey mixed use tower in a new development application before the city's planning committee.
The proposal calls for the preservation of the historic facade of 506-510 Church St., but it is unclear if the drag bar will be part of the new building's future.
The plan also incorporates a new community facility to serve as an events hub for the neighbourhood's LGBTQ+ community.
Crews & Tangos, housed in a colourful Church and Wellesley Village location, has been serving up cocktails and drag shows for more than a decade.
The bar's 165-year-old building is known for its large exterior mural that was painted as part of the 2014 Church Street Mural Project in celebration of World Pride.
The three-storey structure was built in 1856-1858 in a Romanesque Revival style and was originally part of a row of houses, according to Architectural Conservancy Ontario.
In recent years, the community has rallied save the building and Crews & Tangos, as well as other local businesses in the Village in the face of condo development.
Launched in 2020, an online petition on change.org is still active and has garnered more than 31,000 signatures to date.
The petition laments the loss of several institutions in the Church-Wellesley area over the years, and the impact on not just entertainment, but also jobs, safe spaces and the LGBTQ+ community as a whole.
While an earlier plan did not move forward, the new proposal before the city envisions an even taller tower than first sought.
The developer's addition of community space for Pride Toronto to its skyscraper appears to be in response to community concerns.
The proposed building includes 574 dwelling units situated above 4,390 square metres of non-residential and community space.
Graywood CM GP Inc. submitted the application as a follow-up to an official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment application submitted in October.
Drawings are by the architectural firm Diamond Schmitt.
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