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1 Bloor East, DEAD AND BURIED (Bazis, -2s, Varacalli)

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Is it coincidence that Gary Switzer, ex of Great Gulf, is now at Tricon?

Executive Vice President of Great Gulf Homes, Gary Switzer, has recently announced that he has accepted the position of President and CEO of the newly-formed Tricon Development Group Inc., as of May 19 2009.

The mandate of the new company will be to specialize in high-rise residential development, paying particular attention to premier locations; also with a focus on design excellence, environmental sustainability, community-building and customer satisfaction.

After graduating from the University of Toronto in Architecture, Mr. Switzer began work with Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden Architects, following by a few years as a Planner with the City of Toronto; Mr. Switzer joined Great Gulf Homes in 1987 with the mandate of exploring and developing downtown projects.
 
Here's the guy to keep an eye out for ~

Switzer.jpg


http://blog.buzzbuzzhome.com/2009/05/gary-switzer-leaves-great-gulf-homes.html
 
lots of interesting posts and facts coming up here now... this has to be perhaps the most fascinating issue / development in the history of the UT forum!

jumping back a bit, I find it hard to understand how Kolter ever came to value the 1BE site as a "non-core asset"... I mean seriously, what planet are they operating on? Just about any development company in Canada would rate this opportunity as their crown jewel.
 
Redroom Studios said:
lots of interesting posts and facts coming up here now... this has to be perhaps the most fascinating issue / development in the history of the UT forum!

jumping back a bit, I find it hard to understand how Kolter ever came to value the 1BE site as a "non-core asset"... I mean seriously, what planet are they operating on? Just about any development company in Canada would rate this opportunity as their crown jewel.
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From what I understand, Kolter packed up much of their operations in TO a few years ago to focus on their work in Fla
 
yes, i understand that... still doesnt make sense to me , but i am not a businessman. maybe the money was better in Fla. (at the time, before it blew up) but still ... this is arguably one of the biggest development opportunities in the country, outside of AAA highrise office. I always took it as a slap in the face for the city when Kolter dumped 1BE to move on to "bigger and better" things in the US. anyways... a lot has gone on since then.
 
urbandreamer said:
I'm gonna guess GG teams up with Tricon and builds 2-3 towers on the site, ranging from 30 to 50 stories.
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I don't know if the site is big enough for 2 towers, let alone go and do 3 ?!?!:confused:

what are the dimensions for the site in ft x ft?

from what i've observed, a typical point tower floorplate is 100 ft x 100 ft, although some have gone narrower like Crystal Blu 55 ft x 80 ft.


edit: found the dimensions ...
Site Area (sq. m): 4,683.01
Frontage (m): 65.92
Depth (m): 79.58
 
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re: the John Bentley Mays article...

thumbs up for high density in the downtown... he also took some nice pot shots at Hume's ridiculous idea.
 
vultur09 said:
GG didn't buy the site. It is being widely marketed now by a reputable brand new brokerage firm. Seek and you shall find.
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Sorry guys, my mistake. Please accept my apologies for posting a false rumor. I was referring to another site.
 
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Rink Rat, I agree completely - Mays makes a good case for a building here, but his argument at the ROM seemed off to me. I quite like his writing, he's one of the few columnists where I don't feel I'm going to know what he says before he says it. I am free to disagree with him from time to time, but he's a good read.
 
UD, certainly there is room on this site for a garden or square element as part of a highrise development, but afaik Hume is promoting the idea of using the entire site as a park. As I and many others have pointed out, the surroundings do not lend themselves to making a very attractive spot for such a use.
 
IMHO, I think you have to go stand by both sites...

ProjectEnd said:
What was so unconvincing about his advocacy for a tall building on the ROM site? It all seemed pretty rational to me.
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... and it's pretty clear that Yonge & Bloor demands an exciting, tall, urban building -- preferably with some really exciting retail space at grade.

South of ROM, though, I think it just doesn't work. You restrict access to the music building. You can't go south without overshadowing the classic architecture of the brick buidings there. And a tower would jar against the ROM at that end, too.

So, the argument for a tower there is 'well, it'll look exciting.' From where? From your car as you zip by? You won't be able to see it all the way to grade from Queen's Park. If you come out of the college or Gardiner across the street, wouldn't you rather look at the Crystal?

Don't like the idea at all, and I like tall buildings.
 
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