FAQs

FAQs

LOCATION, FEATURES & AMENITIES
Where is the site?
What are the lofts like?
Can I make alterations to my unit?
Can Artscape Triangle Lofts tenants use the amenities of Westside Gallery Lofts?

ELIGIBILITY & QUALIFICATIONS
Who is eligible to rent at Artscape Triangle Lofts?
Who is the Artscape Tenant Advisory Committee?
What are the criteria to qualify as an artist?

UNIT USES
Can I use the studio solely as a work studio?
What artistic work practices are not permitted in Artscape Triangle Lofts?

RENTAL INFORMATION
When will the affordable rental process take place?
How much will it cost to rent at Artscape Triangle Lofts?
What is included in my monthly rent?
Who will own and manage the project long-term?
Who can be a registered tenant of the unit?
Can I sublet my unit?

LOCATION, FEATURES & AMENITIES
Where is the site?
Artscape Triangle Lofts are located at the south end of Abell St., one block east of Dufferin, south of Queen St. W. Eventually, Abell St. will continue south to meet Sudbury St. Artscape Triangle Lofts will run along this new street extension.

Artscape Triangle Lofts will be a discreet part within the much larger Westside Gallery Lofts condominium development at 150 Sudbury St. It will have its own address and entrance lobby off Abell St. and a dedicated oversized elevator. The units are located on the first, second and third floors, with first floor units having their own entrance directly on Abell St.

What are the lofts like?
There will be 70 Artscape Triangle Lofts units – 48 which have been sold, 22 for rent. Rental units range is size from 500 sq.ft. to 835 sq.ft. Each unit will have a simple kitchen with four appliances, a basic four piece bath and a roughed in laundry/storage closet. The spaces are open (without demising walls), have 10 ft. ceilings, basic wiring and lighting (each with an in-unit panel) and operable windows. Limited bicycle storage room and outdoor bicycle racks are also available. See our Features & Benefits and Floor Plans section for detailed information.

Can I make alterations to my unit?
After occupancy you can make alterations to your unit, such as installing laundry appliances and/or adding walls. You will need to get approval from Artscape, but approval will not be unreasonably withheld. Please note that you may be required to return the space to its original condition upon your move.

Can Artscape Triangle Lofts tenants use the amenities of Westside Gallery Lofts?
At the current stage the amenities at the Westside Gallery Lofts will be for those residing at the Westside Gallery Lofts only. Once the condominium board is transferred over to the owners, both condominium boards are free to discuss and decide if Artscape Triangle Lofts residents can use the amenities. We predict there will not be shared amenities due to security issues as well as the increase of fees to maintain the amenities.

ELIGIBILITY & QUALIFICATIONS
Who is eligible to rent at Artscape Triangle Lofts?
Rental units at Artscape Triangle Lofts will be offered to professional artists. During your online registration you will be asked to submit your artist CV and a Letter of Intent describing how you intend to use your space. You will also be asked to submit your net annual household income for the past three years. To qualify for a rental unit, one member of the household must qualify as a practicing artist. Artscape recognizes artists as those that meet all or most of the criteria of the Draft Canadian Artists’ Code. Please see Artscape’s Qualifier for Artists for more detailed information. As with all of Artscape’s sites, Artscape’s Tenant Advisory Committee, comprised of existing tenants and Board members, will evaluate each submission to ensure that it meets this criteria.

Additional qualifications:

Your annual household income must not exceed certain limits depending on the size of the unit
You must be a permanent resident of Canada
You must be 18 years of age or older

Who is the Artscape Tenant Advisory Committee?
Artscape’s Tenant Advisory Committee, made up of a mix of three current Artscape tenants and two members of the Artscape Board of Directors, will regularly review applications and make recommendations for occupancy prior to the applicant’s rental appointment.

What are the criteria to qualify as an artist?
Artscape defines a professional artist as an individual who receives, or has received, professional recognition as defined by the criteria outlined in the Draft Canadian Artists’ Code. Individuals applying to rent a unit at Artscape Triangle Lofts must provide a copy of their artist CV and Letter of Intent describing how they propose to use their space.
Artscape defines a professional artist as an individual who receives, or has received, professional recognition as defined by the following criteria:

Has presented his/her work to the public by means of exhibitions, publications, performance, readings, screenings, or by any other means appropriate to the nature of his/her work;
Is represented by a dealer, publisher, agent or similar representative appropriate to the nature of his/her work;
Devotes a reasonable proportion of his/her professional time as an artist to promoting or marketing his/her work, including but not limited to: presenting him/herself for auditions; seeking sponsorship, agent or engagements; or similar activities appropriate to the nature of his/her work;
Receives or has received compensation for his/her work, including but not limited to: sales; fees; commissions; royalties; residuals; grants and awards, any of which may reasonably be included as professional or business income;
Has record of income or loss relevant to the exploitation of his/her work and appropriate to the span of his/her artistic career;
Has received professional training, either in an educational institution or from a practitioner or teacher recognized within their profession;
Has received public or peer recognition in the form of honours, awards, professional prizes, or by publicly disseminated critical approval;
Has membership in a professional association appropriate to his/her artistic activity whose membership or categories of membership are limited under standards established by the association; or which is a trade union or is its equivalent appropriate to his/her artistic ability.

NOTE: Applicants do not have to meet all the criteria in order to be considered a professional artist; however, The Artscape Tenant Advisory Committee will use the criteria as a guide to make the determination of eligibility. The decision of the committee is binding.

UNIT USES
Can I use the studio solely as a work studio?
No. The units offered for rent must be the artist’s primary residence, which can be used for live/work or living purposes, but not solely for work purposes.

What artistic work practices are not permitted in Artscape Triangle Lofts?
Art practices that require secondary ventilation, such as encaustic painting or flameworking, are not permitted at Artscape Triangle Lofts. Any artistic practice that requires separate ventilation, or is deemed to be objectionable, hazardous or a nuisance to any other occupant is not allowed on the premises. Such art practices do not prevent you from renting a unit, however, there are limitations on what activities are permitted in your space.

Sound abatement is the responsibility of the tenant. If you choose to create sound in your unit that is deemed to affect the reasonable enjoyment of your neighbours, even if it is created within the hours prescribed by current by-laws, the tenant of the unit will be required to install sound insulation or cease/limit their activities if undue noise or vibration occurs.

RENTAL INFORMATION
When will the affordable rental process take place?
Online registration to book rental appointments opens at March 23, 2010 at 10:00 am, with the first appointment taking place for artists on April 1, 2010 at 10:00 am. Appointments will be booked for qualified artists and units will be rented on a first-come first-served basis. There will be no pre-booked appointments prior to the first appointment on April 1, 2010.

How much will it cost to rent at Artscape Triangle Lofts?
Below-market rental rates have been established at 80 per cent of Canada Mortgage and Housing Canada (CMHC) Average Market Rent (AVR) with monthly rental rates ranging from $607.20 to $884.80

What is included in my monthly rent?
Monthly rent at Artscape Triangle Lofts will include heat, water, building insurance and property taxes. Not included in the monthly rent are hydro, internet/phone/cable and liability insurance.

Who will own and manage the project long-term?
Artscape is developing the project but will not own or operate the building long term. A separate Artscape Triangle Lofts condominium corporation will be formed which will be comprised of the owners. Once the units have been sold, ownership and management of the project will be turned over to the new condominium corporation’s Board of Directors, elected from the owners. The owners will have control of their building from that point on. Artscape will retain ownership of the rental units and therefore will remain a member of the condominium corporation.

Who can be a registered tenant of the unit?
The artist who has qualified as a professional artist by Artscape’s Tenant Advisory Committee must be one of the tenants living in the unit and will be identified as the tenant on the lease.
It is a condition of Artscape’s lease that the tenant consider the unit as her/his primary place of residence. At time of signing the lease, the tenant will be required to sign a declaration to Artscape which states that the unit they are renting is intended to be her/his primary place of residence. The Government of Canada recognizes the address you use on your income tax return as your primary place of residence.

Can I sublet my unit?
The Artscape Triangle Lofts model was created by Artscape, Active 18, Urbancorp and the City of Toronto to secure affordable live/work space which would allow artists to live and work in the Queen West community, forever. To achieve this objective and ensure the development remains a community of artists there is a requirement that the unit must be the primary place of residence for the tenant and there are restrictions on subleasing your unit. Artscape does recognize however that there may be circumstances which require the tenant to temporarily leave the unit for purposes of such as sabbaticals, work terms etc. In those cases, Artscape does have the discretion to permit you to rent your unit for a limited period of time to another qualified artist.

BACKGROUND
What is the history of the development of Artscape Triangle Lofts?
In 2007, Artscape, the City of Toronto, Urbancorp and Active 18 announced this pioneering new below-market live/work development for the arts community within Urbancorp’s Westside Gallery Lofts condominium development. The goal of this partnership is to permanently preserve vital artist work and living space in the Queen West Triangle neighbourhood. Artscape Triangle Lofts will serve as a model across Toronto and internationally, where gentrification threatens to displace creative people from their neighbourhoods.

Artscape Triangle Lofts is a non-profit initiative to create a new self-sustaining development model that permits opportunities for both rental housing and live/work ownership, encourages a mixed-use community, and supports a range of incomes in the arts community in perpetuity. Sales for the ownership units opened in August 2009 and were 100% sold by January 2010.

Artscape is excited to launch the rental process for Artscape Triangle Lofts and acknowledges the tremendous leadership of the City of Toronto, and project partners Urbancorp and Active 18 in developing this new model. Without their support and commitment, this project would not be possible.

What is Artscape?
Established in 1986, Artscape is a not-for-profit, urban development organization that revitalizes buildings, neighbourhoods, and cities through the arts. Artscape projects provide affordable space for creativity while generating positive cultural, economic, social, and environmental impact. Artscape currently operates seven multi-tenant creative complexes in Toronto including the award-winning Artscape Wychwood Barns and studios in the Queen Street West, Liberty Village, Toronto Island and The Distillery Historic districts. Artscape’s current development projects include Artscape Shaw Street Centre, an ownership and rental work space project for artists and not-for-profit arts and community organizations in the West Queen West neighbourhood and the Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre, located in the heart of the Regent Park community revitalization project. www.torontoartscape.on.ca