Beloved drag bar Crews & Tangos is at risk of being developed into a condo complex.
Graywood Group, which owns the Church and Wellesley hot spot, is in the planning stage for redeveloping the entire premises. According to the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association, the company is looking at turning the building into a mixed-use condo with ground-floor retail and residential units.
Finding out that Crews & Tangos is gonna turn into condos is not a good start to my week 😠pic.twitter.com/YckBipTnzs
— depression haver (@ptbocrone) March 2, 2020
The real estate firm, which also owns Boutique Bar and a parking lot on the property, is intending to set up meetings with the community to garner some input on the distinctively painted location’s future.
The community is devastated about the news, with plenty of members and bar regulars speaking out against the development. “No one can take my home away,” drag queen Priyanka Love wrote on Twitter. “Mayor’s Office, City of Toronto: STOP Crews & Tangos from becoming a condo – Sign the Petition!” At the time of writing, over 8,000 people have signed the aforementioned petition, which aims to stop the condo development. Check out the petition here.
hi this bar is a v important space for LGBTQ2S+ people across the city, and has allowed me to find a space & home where i can feel safe to be myself and so many people feel the same. please sign this petition, even if it doesn’t affect you directly. we don’t need another condo https://t.co/VvWxMLBzJo
— Chicken Chelsea (@rollupthebrim) March 3, 2020
At the time of writing, city counsellor Kristyn Wong-Tam says “the landlord & tenants including Crews & Tango are in conversation with each other. I haven’t been given any other details. In the meantime, TOCouncil adopted my motion to protect LGBTQ2S+ small businesses & cultural space.”
There will be community consultation in the near future and I hope you can attend. Once the date and venue are booked, more details to follow. Thank you again for reaching out!
— Kristyn Wong-Tam (@kristynwongtam) March 4, 2020
A representative of Graywood also told NOW Toronto that nothing will happen to the bar for at least two years, as the owners just extended their lease.