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A drawing from the developer, Kindred Works, imagines how the new development, adjacent to Allan Gardens, will look. It’s scheduled to be discussed by councillors early next month. (Kindred Works)
Neighbours hope to preserve St. Luke’s United Church, while some applaud developer’s plan
Michael Smee · CBC News · Posted: Jan 17, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: January 17
Paul Dilse, a retired heritage planner, has lived within blocks of St. Luke’s United Church for 40 years. He says he’d have preferred to see the project presented to the city’s preservation board before it won approval from city staff. (Mike Smee/CBC)
A plan to partially demolish a 139-year-old church has set off an uproar in a Cabbagetown neighbourhood.
But a city councillor and a housing advocate say they’re in favour of the plan, arguing it will bring much-needed affordable housing to the area.
St. Luke’s United Church, on Sherbourne Street at Carleton Street, has been a city-designated heritage building since 1976. But the developer that owns the structure intends to remove all but three walls and build a 48-storey apartment tower on top of what remains.
That’s a far cry from the original 2022 plan for the site, which would have seen a 12-storey building set atop the church, according to retired heritage planner and 40-year neighbourhood resident Paul Dilse.
Both the old and new plans call for all but three walls, parts of the roof and the two towers to be demolished.
“It’s a landmark property; it’s a significant part of a protected heritage area,” Dilse said. “Everybody up to this point has said this is something worth preserving, and now we’re not. All that’s going to be left is three walls.”
Dilse and Adam Wynne, of the Toronto and East York Community Preservation Panel, are also upset that new redevelopment plans are proceeding before the Toronto Preservation Board (TPB) has been consulted. The board’s permission is required, according to city rules, before a heritage building is altered.
The board was consulted on the original plan but not the current incarnation, said Wynne, who also sits on the TPB.
The local councillor, Chris Moise, told CBC Toronto he too has had some misgivings about the project.
But he said the new building has some major advantages.
“I wasn’t really happy with it, but that being said, the new application will have 30 per cent affordable housing, which is a positive,” he said.
Coun. Chris Moise, who represents the area on council, has voted in favour of the project, because, he says, there’s a significant upside: 30% of the apartments will be affordable. (Mike Smee/CBC)
The city received about 20 letters opposing the project when it was discussed at Tuesday’s meeting of the Toronto and East York Community Council, but at least one letter praised the plan.
New plan will have more affordable units: advocate
Mark Richardson, technical lead of HousingNowTO, wrote that the tower’s 440 rental units will include about 130 affordable units, as opposed to the 31 in the original 2022 layout.
“This project is an amazing constructive re-use of urban faith-based lands,” the group wrote in its letter to councillors.
Later, Richardson told CBC Toronto the emphasis on preserving heritage properties needs to be toned down if homelessness is to be beaten.
A graffiti-covered city notice advertises new plans for the site of St. Luke’s United Church, adjacent to Allan Gardens. Prior to a Jan. 13 meeting at city hall, staff received at least 20 letters from people opposed to the project. (Mike Smee/CBC)
“Our priority should always be on delivering housing and particularly affordable housing in this city, and the developers here are trying to do their best with the constraints that they have to retain some of the church’s facade,” he told CBC Toronto.
“We really need to be a little bit less precious about heritage rules that were brought in in the 1960s and 1970s when we didn’t have the affordable housing crisis we have today.”
Dilse said that while he and his neighbours appreciate the need for more affordable housing, a liveable city has to include a recognition of its past as well.
The project developers, Kindred Works, say they’re going out of their way to preserve the building’s history.
An artist’s conception of the latest plan for 353 Sherbourne St. Instead of a 12-storey building, it’ll now feature a 48-storey tower, which has drawn the ire of some residents. (Kindred Works)
Their plan includes retaining two original towers, the original north and west walls, with a rebuilt version of the south wall. The interior will be removed and rebuilt as a public gathering space, according to Kindred’s community engagement manager Katie Ungard.
Developer says guidelines are being followed
Ungard said Kindred decided to expand the project from 12 to 48 stories after the pandemic, when the city and province allowed developers to add more housing units to their projects.
But she denied the proper channels aren’t being followed for the alteration of a heritage site.
“Assertions made by some members of the public that the process for heritage approval is not being followed are incorrect,” she wrote. “Kindred Works and its heritage architect have been working diligently with heritage staff over the past year.”
The Toronto Preservation Board was presented with a report from city staff about the project on Thursday. The board will discuss the proposal at its meeting Monday.
The application goes to city council for final approval early next month.
Original:https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-historic-church-demolition-affordable-housing-9.7049026
