Should developers put schools in condominium podiums?
By Jen Taylor on Aug 20, 2015
When thoughtfully planned, podiums are an opportunity for developers to create mixed-use neighbourhoods and add value to the streetscape. Some Toronto condos have grocery stores in the podium for maximum convenience, while others use the space for outdoor seating or unique retail opportunities to attract specific demographics. However, there has recently been discussion around the idea of using podiums to address human needs such as health centres, libraries, and community centres. Some have even suggested building a condominium with an elementary school in the podium.
This taps into a larger problem facing several of Toronto’s growing neighbourhoods. In 2012, CBC News reported that the Toronto District School Board had started posting notices in some school boards warning buyers of condos that there might not be enough room for their children in local schools. High Park Counselor Sarah Doucette proposed building secondary schools in apartment buildings.
More recently, in July of 2015, CityPlace announced that it would be spending millions to build new schools and daycares to meet the rising demand for family services. When CityPlace was first built it was mostly populated by young singles. However, now there’s a growing number of families in the neighbourhood that require amenities to support them. Over $55 million of development fees will be spent to build a complex that will house two schools, a daycare, and a community centre.
What if developers focused on using their podiums to address human needs, like elementary schools, daycares, and health clinics? What are the pros and cons of building elementary or secondary schools in condominium podiums? We try break it down for you:
THE PROS:
Convenient daycare and affordable living for young couples
Mixed-use neighbourhoods are becoming more important in the housing industry
Environmentally responsible
THE CONS:
A school might scare away investors
How would a school affect maintenance fees? Investors aren’t looking for hefty fees because they want to make as much money as possible while renting. Would it be difficult to find someone to rent a unit built atop a school? Also, investors often favor condos that offer one-bedroom suites and studios because it’s much easier to find single renters. A condo featuring a school in the podium would likely integrate larger units for growing families.
Some millennials are looking for retail space and greenspace
Today the single household is the fastest-growing category in Canada’s housing market, and single women represent a significant portion of these real estate purchases. This demographic is career-centric and typically aren’t looking to start a family quite yet. Offering a school in the podium might not create the same appeal as retail space, a vibrant streetlife, or accessible greenspace and leash-free parks.
Zoning complications and the School Board can hold up construction
Zoning and School Board district complications can make an elementary or secondary school an extra headache for developers and deter them from making the commitment. Additionally, schools are (often) public institutions, meaning an elementary school would turn the space into a public-private partnership explains president of Housing Lab Toronto, Jeanhy Shim. “It’s not enough to say ‘put a daycare.’ It comes down to who’s going to run it and who’s going to operate it,” Shim told the Toronto Star.
In the end, what it basically comes down to is whether or not there’s an actual demand for this kind of condo in the GTA. Do you think there should be schools in condominium podiums? Would you live in a condo unit above a school? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook or Twitter.
