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Reshaping downtown: How to make family-friendly cities a reality [PART 2]


The following is a guest post by Evan Weinberg, planning and development manager at Downtown Yonge. Evan holds a Master’s of Planning in Urban Development from Ryerson University and a B.A. from the University of British Columbia. He is passionate about cities and this is his second of many guest blog posts about planning issues in Canadian cities.

In part two of a two-part post (click here for part one), Evan continues his discussion of the challenge planners face in trying to attract families to live and raise their children in the downtown. While there have been some interventions in Toronto, more research and efforts are needed to guide and support the development community to make family-size living a reality in urban centres.

If the City wants to bring families downtown and retain young families who are already living here, there needs to be better incentives for developers to design and market buildings to families. Where to start? Perhaps we can take a lesson from the suburbs, which don’t seem to have any challenge attracting families, many of whom reluctantly give up their downtown condos for a ‘better’ life for their children. Suburbs, in principle, are designed and marketed with in image of pastoral retreat — faux historic architecture, green parks with playgrounds, tree lined streets, and good schools.

Cities can take a cue from how the suburbs market to families, and in turn help families imagine a life downtown. Maybe it is by designing smaller-scale buildings with more traditional architecture, highlighting family friendly condo-amenities like 24-hour security and indoor parking as well as adding new amenities like upgrade packages for baby proofing, more storage, private courtyards, day-care, and other family friendly features. Not to mention highlighting assets like, schools, transit, parks, zoos, libraries, farmers markets, grocery stores, children’s theatres, museums, and galleries, all within walking distance from the building. Ultimately,
if parents could live close to work and be less dependent on their cars it would mean more time with their families.

Once the City of Toronto and developers are able to conceptually attract families to live in the downtown, the City needs to find a way to make sure downtown living is affordable for the average family. Currently, families that can afford downtown units large enough to meet their housing needs, tend to be living in single family homes in downtown adjacent neighbourhoods like the Annex, Cabaggetown and Rosedale. To help address the number of families with children who were leaving Montreal (because they could not afford dwellings suitable for their housing needs, though research showed they would have preferred to stay in the City) the City began a pilot project called Urban Housing for Families.

The program offers developers a $15,000 grant per-unit designed to meet family-friendly criteria. All units must: have a minimum of 3-bedrooms and be at least 1098 sq. feet; be located below the fifth-floor and above the ground of a building; have a minimum outdoor space of 75 sq. feet; have superior soundproofing between units; provide at least 43 sq. feet of storage space inside the units (not including closets); and have strict rules about the maximum pricing for how much the unit can be sold for (it ranges depending on if the building is wood framed or concrete). The program is still in its early stages; however it shows a concerted effort by the city to retain families downtown.

While the development community needs a paradigm shift in how they design and market condos towards families, the City of Toronto also needs to make efforts to better support change. As long as we continue to build small condos geared towards the lifestyles of young adults then this will continue to be the population we attract. Ultimately, this is a missed opportunity to create a dynamic and sustainable downtown. However, with determined effort by developers, planners and the City, to understand what families need and find ways to bring down costs, downtown Toronto can become a great place to raise a family.

Posted on January 12, 2012 | buzzhomeblog Posted in DESIGN, MARKET | Tags: , ,
  • Mara A Samardzic

    Evan, do you think it might be correct that the market we feel like we’re missing; the families who are choosing to buy and raise families in the suburbs, would not choose to live in the city even if the same amenities were provided to them through whichever program/government initiative/etc?

    It’s a moot point, I realize it’s one of many factors – but I think part of any strategy in this case needs to acknowledge it is a very niche client that chooses to plant roots in the downtown. It can be a challenge beyond accessibility issues, and cost…it’s a lifestyle that MANY don’t care for (though I wouldn’t give it up for the world).

  • http://twitter.com/Evan_Weinberg EvanWeinberg

    I agree with you on many of your points, but at the same time if you look at neighbourhoods like Rosedale, the Annex, Cabbagetown, and Forest Hill (to name a few) in Toronto, they are all extremely urban neighbourhoods, medium-high density, and close to transit with retail – single family homes (and condos) in these areas sell for very high-prices because of their location and urban amenities. Thus, I do feel that with the right amount of marketing and some adjustments to how we design buildings and neighbourhoods (investing in schools, parks, public spaces etc) in the Downtown that people can envision themselves raising a family in an urban centre (there will always be people who will want the suburbs over the city, but as it stands now the average middle-income family who wants to live in the City doesn’t have many options)

    Another point is the changing dynamics of the suburbs – as land supply dwindle in the outer suburbs (Richmond hill, Vaughan, Mississauga, Markham etc.) they too have had to look at intensifying – smaller lots, more town-homes, semi’s, and condos – many of which are building “Downtown” centres. The reality of an affordable singly-family home on a large-piece of land, regardless of if you live in the City of Suburbs – is becoming less and less attainable, which means that we will ultimately have a paradigm shift in what constitutes a suitable environment to raise a child.

    And just think, at some point (not that long ago) Downtown Toronto living and condos were a very niche client. I always laugh when I think about back to being a child – my father would drive downtown from the suburbs and take me down Ossington, just north of Queen, and say “If you don’t become successful this is where you will end up.” (alluding to how run down and undesirable the City was) now, over 20 years later, – My father drives regularly from the suburbs to have dinner and see theatre with me on Ossington, and constantly suggests that I should look for a place nearby. Everything can change.

  • http://www.facebook.com/nicole.ertl Nicole Ertl

    Very interesting article. I am curious to see how the pilot project will play out long term.

  • Igor Dragovic

    Hey Evan, hope everything is going well in your end!

    This is a well written article that raises a vital issue with many implications. Although I am a big advocate of the growth plan and intensification of Toronto, the solution is not massive glass condos with shoebox units everywhere. I do understand that most of the City’s revenues come from property taxes and more property taxes can be collected if more units are built on a smaller parcel of land. However, through this process, the City is basically shooting themselves in the foot by not really focusing on the consequences of these indistinguishable, countless condo developments. I think we need stricter guidelines for development from the City and the OMB, not to halt development but to comprise with developers and offer alternatives and mixed uses. The ‘Urban Housing for Families’ project you mentioned is a good example. I personally don’t think condos are ideal environments for families, but I like the idea of having family oriented units situated below the fifth storey.

    I think we also need to make our Section 37 policies more stringent and standardized so that the particular community is reaping benefits from developers in the value of community amenities and facilities, streetscape improvements, etc. In essence creating more pedestrian and family friendly environments in the inner city.

    Have you read over the City’s “Avenues and Mid-Rise Buildings” study? It was recently conducted and it essentially is a guiding principle for design/planning of structures/developments along arterial roads in Toronto. I think the study was motivated by the St Lawrence Market area as a model neighbourhood, since it really is without a doubt one of the most successfully designed and planned neighbourhoods in the City that incorporates a true mix of uses and people. Although St Lawrence is denser than Rosedale, the Annex or Cabbagetown, there is a fairly significant portion of families there with many increases in the last decade.

    I am also very curious to see the Pan Am games athletes’ village completed and the demographic it will attract.