Transformation AGO (5s, Gehry) COMPLETE

[syn]

I think people seem to be confusing grit and upkeep. I'm no fan of the ugly electric poles or the unattractive graffiti, etc. I do like the signage and general energy of the area though. I'd like to see everything remain as is, but with much greater attention to the details.

 

[whatever]

I don't know if a public square would really make that much of an impact because it would still be too close and too near to give any sort of views of the building. What would be damn cool would be if they were to expropriate maybe a dozen properties to create a new N/S road leading to the AGO's main entrance. Actually, forget road, even a nicely landscaped and maintained promenade, maybe doubling as a sculpture garden, would be perfect. It could connect with King's College Road at College, and that way you'd have two amazing view termini (University College to the North and the AGO to the South). Actually, from the North end of the promenade it would look like the CN Tower was emerging from the top of the AGO.

Or, if you half assed it, you could just extend Henry St. South to Dundas and accomplish something similar, albeit not awe inspiring.

 

[JasonParis]

Here's a question: can you show me another top quality tourist destination anywhere that exists within such ratty surroundings?

Liebeskind's Jewish Museum in Berlin for one.

 

[jn_12]

Liebeskind's Jewish Museum in Berlin for one.

Picture of the surrounding area? Having never been to Berlin, I can't say I know what surrounds it. Although I do find it difficult to believe it's worse than:

 

[Tewder]

Picture of the surrounding area? Having never been to Berlin, I can't say I know what surrounds it. Although I do find it difficult to believe it's worse than:

Bourgeois philistine! Don't you know urban art when you see it?

 

[Tewder]

We aren't talking about Queen's Park or the Distillery. We are talking about a part of a street that already looks this way that has been suggested to be destroyed in favor of presenting a cleaner image near the art gallery. That is what i was objecting to. I agree with you that there are areas that keep their sense of place that are well maintained, but I never suggested otherwise.

Sorry to come down on you Ladyscraper, welcome to the forum.

For me, one of the things that makes a city urban and interesting is variety. Paris would be less if it was missing its rive droite to go with its rive gauche, even though both feel like almost two entirely different places, and/or even though you may prefer one over the other. The messy urbanism argument, on the other hand, tends to view all of Toronto the same, in dismissing and even glorifying what really should just be viewed as neglect.

 

[yin_yang]

the jewish museum's surroundings are for sure worse than that! when walking to the place, it feels as if you're in a ghetto.

imo, the toronto there...is fabulous

 

[simply Dan]

the jewish museum's surroundings are for sure worse than that! when walking to the place, it feels as if you're in a ghetto.

Hardly. It's true one must walk from the U-Bahn station through a post-war West Berlin neighbourhood consisting mainly of modernist social housing blocks, but the area is clean, relatively well-maintained and the buildings look quite smart if I remember correctly. Not one of the best areas in the city, but certainly not a ghetto either.

 

[MetroMan]

I had lunch today at the Art Square Café and I have to say I am thoroughly impressed with the potential of that row of houses.

At the front is an art gallery (there's a reception tomorrow evening). Walk to the back and you have some amazing crêpes and chocolate fondue in a café like setting.

I stood inside, gazing at the Gehry "shield" from a large portrait window and I couldn't help but to see this architecture as a piece of art.

This place is going to be buzzing after the re-opening. The neighbors will take notice and repeat the success of this little café. Can't wait.

 

[adma]

If New York's Met were located in the still-unvarnished Lower East Side, would it be "disgusting"? Or would the fact that it's New York "validate" it somehow?

 

[TO Cacophony Orchestra]

I had lunch today at the Art Square Café and I have to say I am thoroughly impressed with the potential of that row of houses.

At the front is an art gallery (there's a reception tomorrow evening). Walk to the back and you have some amazing crêpes and chocolate fondue in a café like setting.

I stood inside, gazing at the Gehry "shield" from a large portrait window and I couldn't help but to see this architecture as a piece of art.

This place is going to be buzzing after the re-opening. The neighbors will take notice and repeat the success of this little café. Can't wait.

Yes, Art Square is a lovely place, especially the little cloister-patio outside the rear room.

A few years ago they only served coffee/lunch and closed early. Last year they extended their hours into the evening. This area is evolving nicely despite all the construction, and should do very well for itself once the AGO finally opens.

The city could (not that they will, i have faith) really do a lot to accentuate the storybook picturesque-ness of that little stretch of rowhouses; maybe some sort of awning/signage policy, brick-accented sidewalks, plane trees, special utility poles etc. The Toronto-signature messy vitality has its place, but not here. It could be so much more.

 

[adma]

The city could (not that they will, i have faith) really do a lot to accentuate the storybook picturesque-ness of that little stretch of rowhouses; maybe some sort of awning/signage policy, brick-accented sidewalks, plane trees, special utility poles etc. The Toronto-signature messy vitality has its place, but not here. It could be so much more.

Well, better that restrained approach than to wipe it out on behalf of a piazza.

And not least of all, there is something oddly past-its-prime about the stretch; like a tired second-string 70s Yorkville gallery-district wannabe that also got stranded by the vital artistic gravity shifting southward to Queen instead. (Perhaps by being across from AGO, it was too "obvious".)

 

[Tewder]

The city could (not that they will, i have faith) really do a lot to accentuate the storybook picturesque-ness of that little stretch of rowhouses; maybe some sort of awning/signage policy, brick-accented sidewalks, plane trees, special utility poles etc. The Toronto-signature messy vitality has its place, but not here. It could be so much more.

I'm sure that private interests will eventually help that heritage row of buildings, providing they are adquately listed. However, I think the city should be responsible for the repair and maintenance of the street, and some nice streetscaping, furnature and plants etc., if only in the area immediately in front of the AGO. The rest can be left shabby for the delight of all.

 

[spaced]

Reply from AGO Staff re: grange park expanding

I wrote:

I’ve heard rumours that when the gallery wanted to expand a deal was made with the local residence to fund underground parking for OCAD. This would remove the aboveground parking and make a seamless connection between Grange Park and the green space under The Tabletop. This was part of Alsop’s original vision and would be a great enhancement to the area. Is this rumour valid and if not is there any will at the AGO to help expand (or further expand) Grange Park in the future?

Bev Carret wrote:

There were no discussions about underground parking for OCAD when the AGO began its expansion plans. You may be getting confused with the AGO’s agreement to convert its existing parking strip at 4 Grange Road (next to OCAD’s Butterfield Park) to greenspace. This will effectively expand Grange Park and connect it to Butterfield Park. This agreement was documented in the City’s approval of the Transformation AGO expansion project in October 2004. The rezoning of this land to greenspace is currently underway by the City. It is a lengthy process, since the City needs to undertake a series of tests to ensure the land is environmentally sound, but the AGO is hopeful that the land will be rezoned as greenspace by the City in the next year or so.

It looks like I was wrong about the parking belonging to OCAD(but it seems that message was deleted by the powers that be, so I'm not sure why I'm mentioning it). So I don't know who said it was AGO's parking but it looks like your right. I know OCAD professors use to park there, though, because some of them where complaining that they were loosing there spaces. Huh. Must have been only half the parking lot--I guess what is now Butterfield Park. Anyways, great news!
Transformation AGO construction update comments

 

[current]

April 1

Dundas and McCaul

McCaul and Darcy looking south.