West Lodge as seen from the south from West Lodge Avenue

West Lodge Apartments, also known simply as West Lodge, is a 720[1] unit apartment complex located at 103 and 105 West Lodge Avenue in Parkdale, Toronto. The complex consists of two curved 18 story towers joined at the base by a 5-story segment which includes a convenience store on the second floor.

The complex was built in 1964 and by the mid 1970s[1] had already become notorious[2][3][4] as the source of numerous building code violations,[5] and for its general state of disrepair.[6] The apartments have been the site of decades of tenant organizing[7] continuing up to the present.[8][9][10][11] Most notably, tenants in the 1970s were able to bring a case before the Supreme Court of Canada in October 1975[12] and organize a substantial bid to buy the complex from the City of Toronto and convert it into co-operative housing - a bid that ultimately failed when the building's previous owners put in a higher bid at the last minute.[7] Through the 2010s and 2020s the building has continued to be a subject of concern, receiving in 2016 the most code violations of any building in the city.[13] In 2020, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, tenants occupied a vacant unit on the second floor of 103 West Lodge, which now serves as a food bank for tenants.[10]

Revolving ownership

The property has passed through the hands of numerous owners since its construction, including a period of receivership where it was owned by the City of Toronto. It has been most recently owned by companies going by the names "Wynn Group",[1][14] "Bnai Fischel", Timbercreek Asset Management,[1][15][8] and is currently owned by "Hazelview Properties".[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Manders, Kerry (2019-10-01). "One Landlord's Brutal Legacy". The West End Phoenix. pp. 3–4.
  2. ↑ Annetts, Kailie (27 September 2018). "What It's Really Like To Live In The Notorious "Worst Lodge" Apartments In Toronto". Narcity. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  3. ↑ Vendeville, Geoffrey (2016-04-08). "City cracks down on notorious Parkdale apartments". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Archived from the original on 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  4. ↑ Karpoche, Bhutila (2019-03-20). "NDP MPP says Timbercreek Asset Management should stop exploiting tenants at West Lodge apartment buildings in Parkdale". Bhutila Karpoche - MPP, Parkdale–High Park. Archived from the original on 2021-04-15.
  5. ↑ Levy, Joel (2016-12-21). "The 5 Worst Landlords and 5 Worst Apartments in Toronto". Toronto Guardian. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  6. ↑ Degagne, Danika (2017-03-22). "A word of caution for Toronto's first-time apartment renters". NOW Magazine. Archived from the original on 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  7. 1 2 Truemner, Mary; Poesiat, Bart (1997-01-01). "The West Lodge Files: Joining Clinic and Community to Overcome Tenants' Subordination". Osgoode Hall Law Journal. 35: 697–710 – via Digital Commons.
  8. 1 2 Hodgeson, Paterson (2019-10-01). "Change Comes Knocking". West End Phoenix. p. 15.
  9. ↑ Miller, Mira (2020-12-01). "Toronto tenants start food bank to help out struggling neighbours". blogTO. Archived from the original on 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  10. 1 2 "West Lodge Tenant Run Food Bank". West Lodge Tenant Run Food Bank. Archived from the original on 2021-06-03.
  11. ↑ Plener, Abby (2021-11-20). "200 Units". West End Phoenix. Archived from the original on 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  12. ↑ Bucknall, Brian (1997). "Pajelle Investments Ltd. v. Herbold: On the Importance of Having a Convenient Enemy". Osgoode Hall Law Journal. 35: 685–696. Archived from the original on 2020-03-22 – via York University Digital Commons.
  13. ↑ "LandlordWatch: Toronto - 100 Worst Buildings and Landlords". Landlord Watch. 2018-02-24. Archived from the original on 2018-02-24.
  14. ↑ Capps, Kriston (2016-05-25). "Should Landlords Be Licensed?". Bloomberg CityLab. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  15. ↑ Ling, Justin (2019-10-01). "Bad Buildings are Big Business". West End Phoenix. pp. 8–9.
  16. ↑ "103 & 105 West Lodge". Havelview Properties. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05. Retrieved 2021-12-05.

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