Plans seem to be in the works to shutter yet another of Toronto’s iconic nightlife venues in favour of a high-rise condo development. The Phoenix Concert Theatre site is being reconsidered for a largely residential redevelopment project, according to an application filed with the City of Toronto.
According to a zoning application for the property at 410 Sherbourne Street, Toronto City Council received a request to rezone the area with the view to redevelopment of the site for “a 39-storey mixed use building”, although the residential area covers more than 99 percent of the gross floor area.
No other details of the redevelopment plans are available, but the non-residential area is indicated at only 281 square meters. The Phoenix currently covers about 1,700 square meters, with a capacity for 1,350 people in three different areas.
The venerable Phoenix began its life as part of the German-Canadian social group Club Harmonie in the 1950s and 1960s. From there, it became a nightclub open to the public, and after a brief flirtation with dinner theatre, in the 1980s, transformed again into The Diamond, a punk dance club. After punk and glam rock fell out of favour, The Diamond closed in 1991, and The Phoenix was launched. Over its three decade history, it has risen through the ranks of Toronto’s nightlife to become a premiere rock venue — although today, the alt-rock is mixed with weekly drag shows and other performances.
A tough time for concert venues
The venue has a full slate of upcoming shows through June 2022 on their website. However, its owners have been frank about the difficulties of keeping afloat over the COVID pandemic.
In March 2021, Lisa Zbitnew, co-owner, president and operator of The Phoenix, told CBC Radio in an interview, “If I knew then that it was going to be a year of closure, I don’t know that I would have had this strength or courage or fortitude to keep going,” she said. “I remember thinking at the time… as long as we can save May, because May is one of our biggest months of the year… and then SLAM! Here we are the following March.”
With a purported rent of $45,000 per month, it’s easy to understand the sentiment.
The site at 410 Sherbourne currently also houses a medical clinic and pharmacy.
Condos already for sale?
The plan has not been approved to date, according to the available documentation. However, the Sorbara Group of Companies is currently “in preconstruction” of the 410 Sherbourne Street Condos project, with a total of 456 units already listed, as per an online real estate ad. On the same website, the condo project is said to be “pending”.
The rezoning application was filed over the summer, presumably leaving the ball in City Council’s court to decide in the upcoming months.
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