The Tenor (10 Dundas St E, Ent Prop Trust, 10s, Baldwin & Franklin)

[Cancerous]

Except that, what is this "geographical heart of downtown"? Some might make similar arguments for Bay + King, or NPS, or whatever--and neither are as "gaudy", and rightly so...

Well, Yonge is considered the main vertical trajectory that divides the city into east and west. The intersection probably has the highest pedestrian traffic of all others.
Also, NPS and King+Bay don't even have their own subway stations!

On the other hand, Place Blanche is a good 20-minute metro ride from the 1st.

 

[Towered]

And, big freaking deal. The argument against anything from Uno Prii apartments to the Riverdale half-round used to be that they were too tacky vintage 60s looking...

I agree adma, that's a very destructive type of thinking. If anything, I find that examples of architecture that evoke a specific time very strongly should be an argument used in favour of their preservation. I cringe to think of the day when the Toronto Reference Library eventually gets an interior makeover that will destroy its warm, fuzzy, orange carpeted 70's glory.

 

[fred]

Nothing.
Actually… if anything, Place Blanche is distinct in the vulgar way it screams through the earnest Haussmann uniformity of Paris.

However, when it comes to a city like Toronto, having a gaudy intersection right in the geographical heart of downtown does far more damage.

Why is everyone mentioning or comparing us to Paris? We are not Paris, or any ancient European Capital. We are the New World. Tourists, especially, expect to see developments just like The Yonge / Dundas area. In the downtown core, people expect to see lots of advertising, and buildings that do Not match or co-ordinate with each other. This kind of organized chaos is what you would expect from Toronto, or New York, or Chicago or Las Vegas.

The suburbs, on the other hand, all look alike. Each house looks like every other house. It's the same in every North American major city.

This "gaudy" intersection isn't doing any "damage". This project is exactly what people expect in this City. Considering the private-enterprise system we have, along with greedy developers, ineffective and wasteful left-leaning local politicians, uncaring and Toronto-hating federal and provincial politicians, a declining and rapidly changing economy, and a rapidly changing, transient, and increasingly uncaring population ... this project is us! A theatre chain showing US movies! Fast food chain stores! An electronics store! And lots of advertisements!

People get the government they deserve! An apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

We don't have caring federal governments like they have in France, England, or Germany that are investing heavily in their main cities. We don't have strong, proud federal governments like they have in China, or Dubai, that are building great cities. We are destined for mediocrity.

 

[carewser]

Why is everyone mentioning or comparing us to Paris? We are not Paris, or any ancient European Capital. We are the New World. Tourists, especially, expect to see developments just like The Yonge / Dundas area. In the downtown core, people expect to see lots of advertising, and buildings that do Not match or co-ordinate with each other. This kind of organized chaos is what you would expect from Toronto, or New York, or Chicago or Las Vegas.

The suburbs, on the other hand, all look alike. Each house looks like every other house. It's the same in every North American major city.

This "gaudy" intersection isn't doing any "damage". This project is exactly what people expect in this City. Considering the private-enterprise system we have, along with greedy developers, ineffective and wasteful left-leaning local politicians, uncaring and Toronto-hating federal and provincial politicians, a declining and rapidly changing economy, and a rapidly changing, transient, and increasingly uncaring population ... this project is us! A theatre chain showing US movies! Fast food chain stores! An electronics store! And lots of advertisements!

People get the government they deserve! An apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

We don't have caring federal governments like they have in France, England, or Germany that are investing heavily in their main cities. We don't have strong, proud federal governments like they have in China, or Dubai, that are building great cities. We are destined for mediocrity.

I liked your first paragraph, I think you were right on the mark with that. As for the rest.......well....... As I recall, a few years ago the feds, the province and the city teamed up to improve Toronto's harbourfront so i'm not sure what the hell you're going on about.

I visited Toronto for the first time a couple of months ago and it was this exact square that struck me as the place I would like to hang out the most even if the name sounds a little silly to me, although i guess it's better than the alternative-death square. The place looked really lively and vibrant with lots to see and do. I think Toronto is just trying to get into the big leagues like New York and London. London has Picadilly Circus, New York has Times Square and now Toronto has this. While Toronto obviously isn't either of those cities, it is at least trying to become more like an alpha world city and I don't see any harm in that.

 

[adma]

Well, Yonge is considered the main vertical trajectory that divides the city into east and west. The intersection probably has the highest pedestrian traffic of all others.
Also, NPS and King+Bay don't even have their own subway stations!

OTOH as it now stands, Dundas is a pretty pathetic excuse for a so-called downtown-epicentre subway station...

 

[caltrane74]

I don't understand the constant comparing to London, New York, Toyko, & Paris. Each one of those cities is 4 times bigger than Toronto at least. So say 10,000,000 people to Toronto's say 2,500,000. Get a Grip! Get a Life!

If you must compare Toronto's Dundas Square compare it to the media squares in Houston, Sydney, Melborone, Madrid, Philadelphia, Rome, Caracas, Atlanta, Milan, Zurich, Hong Kong or Singapore. Obviously for a city of our size we punch outside of our wieght class.

 

[Tewder]

I don't understand the constant comparing to London, New York, Toyko, & Paris. Each one of those cities is 4 times bigger than Toronto at least. So say 10,000,000 people to Toronto's say 2,500,000. Get a Grip! Get a Life!

If you must compare Toronto's Dundas Square compare it to the media squares in Houston, Sydney, Melborone, Madrid, Philadelphia, Rome, Caracas, Atlanta, Milan, Zurich, Hong Kong or Singapore. Obviously for a city of our size we punch outside of our wieght class.

Then again, to improve your tennis game you should always play with a better player...

 

[caltrane74]

Then again, to improve your tennis game you should always play with a better player...

How good is Gary Coleman's tennis game gonna get if he is playing Roger Feder all the time?


There is no slouching on the B-list, they are all pretty much World Cities just like Toronto, some even moreso.

 

[interchange42]

Wait - we're the Gary Coleman of cities?!? ROFLMAO!!!

Cal - find a better analogy!

42

 

[ladyscraper]

I don't understand the constant comparing to London, New York, Toyko, & Paris. Each one of those cities is 4 times bigger than Toronto at least. So say 10,000,000 people to Toronto's say 2,500,000. Get a Grip! Get a Life!

Also those cities didn't become great be mimicking each other. I wish people would stop calling for Toronto to copy things in other cities to prove it can be as "world class" as them. Instead we should be celebrating the things that make it different.

 

[caltrane74]

Wait - we're the Gary Coleman of cities?!? ROFLMAO!!!

Cal - find a better analogy!

42

Gary Coleman was a great analogy in this case, as he would be totally out of his league playing tennis against Feder. - Toronto going up Tokyo, London or New York is as ridiculous as Gary Coloman looks.

Why can't people just accept Toronto for what Toronto is? If you must compare TLS and Dundas Square, compare it to cities of relative similar size, status, and stature as Toronto. You could turn this comparative argument around and ask: Why isn't Hamilton at King and James as interesting as Toronto at Yonge & Dundas? Well hmm... let me think.. hmm. Maybe because we are 5 times bigger than Hamilton????

As Cities grow, they evolve and become more interesting. It is only a matter of time before urban form we see around us, improve as we continue to expand and develop.

 

[cassius]

I went to the AMC theatre for the first time last night. We caught a 9pm showing of Iron Man. The place (AMC) was completely dead. We waited 20 minutes for the movie in the lobby area and had maybe 4 people walk by. In the theatre itself there was maybe 20 people tops. Jack Asstors, on the other hand, looked completely rammed.

 

[ShonTron]

I went to Harvey's. The food court is quiet, but there's no visible notice that Harvey's (and the California Thai, and Subway) are open on the 3rd floor. Harvey's had a few customers already, but the other stalls were dead.

The food court seating is slightly more comfy than the average food court, and there's some soft seats next to the window looking out to Yonge. There's some track lighting that suggests it could be used for small shows or performances. The men's washroom is new and clean and fine, except everything's touch - the flushes, the taps, the hand dryers, but at least there's the option of paper towels.

I'm sure it will do well once Ryerson is back in session.

 

[MetroMan]

^ and that's how you know that PenEquity is just squeezing by with the expenses on this place. If they can''t afford sensor operated bathroom faucets and hand dryers, they certainly can't afford ceillings and finished floors either. What a debacle.

 

[fred]

I liked your first paragraph, I think you were right on the mark with that. As for the rest.......well....... As I recall, a few years ago the feds, the province and the city teamed up to improve Toronto's harbourfront so i'm not sure what the hell you're going on about.

Yes. The three levels of government have teamed up on paper perhaps, but what have they really accomplished since then? Nothing! The only development thus far east of Yonge is Pier 27, which is private. The Corrus give-a-way was financed by the City. The Federal and Provincial governments TAKE far more from Toronto than they give back. They take dollars and give us pennies in return. Did the governments support us in the World's Fair competition? No.