James Cooper House / James Cooper Mansion
The James Cooper House is a historic landmark in St. Jamestown which was made for James Cooper in 1881 who was a importer and businessman. The house was considered to be one of the more glamorous mansions in the City of Toronto. With time, it has become a landmark and an important heritage property, having a Heritage Toronto Plaque secured in 2010. After the coopers moved it, it became the Keely Institute for Nervous Diseases.
In 2005, Tridel decided to buy the building along with the property’s big lot with plans to build a condominium skyscraper in the neighbourhood. Tridel decided to preserved the building with the exception of moving the landmark about 60 feet away (UrbanToronto, 2015).
It is imperative to understand the effects of gentrification within neighbourhoods like St. James Town where developers sweep landmarks to build massive towers in order to make huge profits. We have to consider the influx of people and cars that will be added into the neighbourhood. As well as looking at development through a critical lens, while there are developments happening for higher-middle income earners to buy property in prime locations, are there developments being created for lower-income groups?
With the new tower built in 32 stories, the old James Cooper House is now an amenities facility for its new building in place. This has become a recent trend where good locations get massive condominium developments but those who are in the lower-income bracket do not get regarded often.
Question:
With so many condos being built, what are the implications for families that have been living there for generations?
