Members of a working group formed to provide local input to the controversial Alaska condominium development met for a final time on Dec. 10. At the meeting, developer Bianca Pollak and her associates presented a revised proposal for the building, which will have a bold, modernist look and will be located at the corner of Yonge Street and Strathgowan Avenue. Pollak intends to resubmit the proposal to City of Toronto, City Planning in six weeks’ time.

Although the developer made some concessions to the group, including reducing the height of the building from 11 to 10 storeys and adding more landscaping to act as a buffer for the smaller residential areas, Belinda Karsen, chair of the Uptown Yonge Neighborhood Alliance (UYNA), said the concessions are a very small step in the right direction.

“We still have some concerns,” she said, “but the developers are listening to us.” Karsen said the UYNA is focused on improving the building within existing guidelines.

“We’re chiefly concerned with the height and density of the building, the building’s setback from Strathgowan and the traffic flow from the building,” she said.

In November, Alaska’s architect, Will Alsop, defended his design and said the condo was a natural part of the city’s evolution. Opponents of the building, he said, “don’t want anything to change at all.”

The working group, which includes members of UYNA, interested locals and a number of City of Toronto employees, has also requested that the design be evaluated by the City of Toronto Design Review Panel.

“We have made our case,” said Karsen. “In January, we’ll meet again to discuss the next steps.”