condovo
Senior Member
Well, I think the retail frontage on Queen is beyond fixing.
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Sheraton Centre (123 Queen West, new windows & exterior repairs)
- Thread starter androiduk
- Start date
EnviroTO
Senior Member
What kills this redesign, besides the mint coloured check-in counters, is the lighting. I really hate the black metal rod plan lighting that has neither the sparkle of a chandelier with crystal, nor the shine of brass or polished nickel, nor the warmth of a drum chandelier. It is too cold and uninspired.
allengeorge
Senior Member
Is it just me, or shouldn’t the city push for specific monies to be directed solely towards public-facing improvements? I don't like the wording allowing for $40-45M to be spent on everything from lobbies to the restaurant, pool, and so on, as well as the Queen St frontage.
Start Fox
Active Member
Yeah the ground level here is absolutely embarrassing for such a prominent location. Need to tear down and rebuild that whole retail section IMO, and ideally shift the underground parking entrance elsewhere.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Nothing is beyond fixing - part of the problem is how uninteresting (and shabby) the materials is - it can be made to look good even if it doesn't engage the street.
This - it's like demanding the hotel to spend money on things they are already spending money on.
AoD
Northern Light
Superstar
Pre-pandemic, I can see the desire to convert/revert some office space back to hotel rooms as the City is somewhat short for convention purposes; though that's only a good 'ask' if it wasn't going to be done anyway.
To me, the logical focus would have been the Queen Street facade appearance/streetscape; a contribution to renovating the City Hall parking garage to eliminate the access on the southside of Queen and possibly the Bay st one too; tearing down the skywalk connection to City Hall, and eliminating the Bay/Queen slip lane.
Amare
Senior Member
The problem is, even if they spent money to fix up the exterior, it doesnt mean it would be any good. Just look at how Sheraton is hacking up the interior and making things even worse than how they were before.
But then again, some might arguer that any improvements made to the exterior Queen St ground treatment is an improvement.
dodgeram
Active Member
Around 10 construction workers were working on the pool / rooftop today. They’ve started working on it for quite some time now. I’ll try to get a pic next time.
condovo
Senior Member
What ruins everything is the entrance to the underground parking garage. The retail frontage can't be fixed unless that's moved. Even if the building were coated in diamonds and rubies, the frontage would still be abysmal as long as it's set back and blocked from the street by a bloody garage entrance.
condovo
Senior Member
March 31, 2021
Yep. Unfixable.
Yep. Unfixable.
Northern Light
Superstar
There, fixed that for you!
The fix here is to remove the parking garage access; put a new, wide streetscape where that ramp is; and then fill in the under-canopy zone with new commercial space, with a different and better material palate.
Whether the columns are inside or outside the new building footprint, they need some new cladding.
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condovo
Senior Member
Why bother though? It'd just be throwing good money after bad.There, fixed that for you!
The fix here is to remove the parking garage access; put a new, wide streetscape where that ramp is; and then fill in the under-canopy zone with new commercial space, with a different and better material palate.
Whether the columns are inside or outside the new building footprint, they need some new cladding.
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Northern Light
Superstar
Largely because because we're likely stuck w/this structure for the next 50+ years (maybe 86 according to the lease extension), and because there is some further investment to be made in NPS, and in the City Hall Parking Garage anyway; and this is one of our City's key tourist zones.
Is it the world's biggest priority? Nah.
But if there's a need to spend some of that money anyways, might as well throw in a few extra $$ to make it better while you're at it.
The changes could, partially pay for themselves through additional commercial square footage, higher rent paid to the City, property tax revenue, and additional tourism. There's also some opportunity to improve the environmental performance of the building.
Aside from a general improvement in the view, and the literally added retail/office space (2nd floor) there's also an opportunity to extend 'The Path' as a retail destination to the north side of the street, to remove the skywalk connection between Sheraton and NPS and add additional amenity in the underground by reorganizing the garage - minus its current Queen and Bay St access points, and with reduced capacity to enlarge cycle storage, retail and more.
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dodgeram
Active Member
From today
ADRM
Senior Member
Whoa, this last image brings me back: When as a young child I used to visit my Dad's office, I remember always looking down at people on that running track and being so interested in the notion of active uses of rooftops (yes I have always been nerdy).