GO Transit: Union Station Shed Replacement & Track Upgrades (Zeidler)

[jsjaker]

Taking the GO train as I do, I think the changes will be a vast improve to what I see there now. It's dark and dingy. The atrium and concourse changes and additions will hopefully bring the station into the 21st century. For a structure that is so vital to the transportation needs of the GTA, it's long overdue! If it turns out per the renderings, I will be one happy commuter!

 

[Chuck]

Taking the GO train as I do, I think the changes will be a vast improve to what I see there now. It's dark and dingy. The atrium and concourse changes and additions will hopefully bring the station into the 21st century. For a structure that is so vital to the transportation needs of the GTA, it's long overdue! If it turns out per the renderings, I will be one happy commuter!

You need to read the document more closely. Only 50,000 of the 350,000 square foot roof is being replaced with the atrium (one seventh) meaning that the appearance of 85% of the station will remain unchanged.

Slide 7 states that above tracks 2 to 10 (so the majority of the train shed), the existing wood deck and all smoke vents are being replaced by a new steel deck. If most of the roof is already being rebuilt from scratch, and using a cheap corrugated steel decklike above the VIA tracks no less, then where's the heritage value? Why wouldn't they just install the new atrium everywhere?

 

[taal]

You need to read the document more closely. Only 50,000 of the 350,000 square foot roof is being replaced with the atrium (one seventh) meaning that the appearance of 85% of the station will remain unchanged.

Slide 7 states that above tracks 2 to 10 (so the majority of the train shed), the existing wood deck and all smoke vents are being replaced by a new steel deck. If most of the roof is already being rebuilt from scratch, and using a cheap corrugated steel decklike above the VIA tracks no less, then where's the heritage value? Why wouldn't they just install the new atrium everywhere?

Kinda obsious no ? $$$ ... can you imagine how much more it would be to do the entire area.

 

[Platform 27]

The old shed is hideous, it should of been demolished in my opinion (they call it 'heritage' but I don't see anything heritage about it when compared to the old circa 1872-1888 station).

Funny, because you could say the 1873 station was demolished in the late 1920s because people "didn't see anything heritage about it".

You need to read the document more closely. Only 50,000 of the 350,000 square foot roof is being replaced with the atrium (one seventh) meaning that the appearance of 85% of the station will remain unchanged.

Light has this thoroughly charming habit of reflecting and refracting and generally rattling around spaces. I'm going to assume less than 1/7th of the exterior of your home is windows, so obviously you wouldn't object to me coming by and bricking them all up? I mean, that would mean no change to the appearance of 85% of your house's interior, right?

Slide 7 states that above tracks 2 to 10 (so the majority of the train shed), the existing wood deck and all smoke vents are being replaced by a new steel deck. If most of the roof is already being rebuilt from scratch, and using a cheap corrugated steel decklike above the VIA tracks no less, then where's the heritage value? Why wouldn't they just install the new atrium everywhere?

Union Station is a National Historic Site, and modifications could only be done with the sign-off of Parks Canada's professional experts in architectural conservancy. Apparently, chopping out a chunk of trainshed was ok provided the rest was left. Replacing old wood decking with steel decking, likewise, met the approval of the experts.

I don't pretend to understand exactly how these folks come to the conclusions they do, and for that matter, I don't even get the sense the expert community reaches consensus on things with any great regularity (for one transitty example, depending on which heritage consultant you ask, preserving the Bloor-Danforth station tiles is either a national cultural imperative or the sort of flaky hobbyhorse that gives architectural conservation a bad name). That said, if the alternative is we armchair types throwing out knee-jerk opinions as to what's "hideous" and what isn't when it comes to deciding where to swing the wrecking ball, I for one would rather have a bunch of mysterious government consultants in horn-rimmed glasses making the call.

 

[superman]

You need to read the document more closely. Only 50,000 of the 350,000 square foot roof is being replaced with the atrium (one seventh) meaning that the appearance of 85% of the station will remain unchanged.

Slide 7 states that above tracks 2 to 10 (so the majority of the train shed), the existing wood deck and all smoke vents are being replaced by a new steel deck. If most of the roof is already being rebuilt from scratch, and using a cheap corrugated steel decklike above the VIA tracks no less, then where's the heritage value? Why wouldn't they just install the new atrium everywhere?

Not maintaining and upgrading infrastructure until it becomes decrepit and "heritage" and can't be replaced = money savings everywhere.

Even with keeping the old train shed, they could still make it attractive by putting in fake ceilings and pumping a lot of light underneath the shed like this:

Or will they just keep the shed part like how it is today.

 

[Allandale25]

Pictures - Easter Weekend

Here are some pictures I took from 26/27 of the renovation.

 

[EnviroTO]

Even with keeping the old train shed, they could still make it attractive by putting in fake ceilings and pumping a lot of light underneath the shed like this

I certainly hope not. Their plans to keep the heritage shed, brighten it, keep the iron work, and remove ugly stairwells will look far more visually interesting than that.

 

[ShonTron]

If we're stuck with preserving the Bush trainshed (named for the designer), I'd be very happy with replacing the wooden roofs with skylights as per the original intentions. I like what GO/Toronto is planning for the as-is preservation. The opening up of stairwells and the additional light from the new 20% glass roof will improve the current conditions, even those areas stuck under the old Bush trainshed areas.

I would also like to see new white-burning metal halide or LED lighting for the rest of the platforms and do away with the amber/beige-burning high pressure sodium lights.

 

[gweed123]

If we're stuck with preserving the Bush trainshed (named for the designer), I'd be very happy with replacing the wooden roofs with skylights as per the original intentions. I like what GO/Toronto is planning for the as-is preservation. The opening up of stairwells and the additional light from the new 20% glass roof will improve the current conditions, even those areas stuck under the old Bush trainshed areas.

I would also like to see new white-burning metal halide or LED lighting for the rest of the platforms and do away with the amber/beige-burning high pressure sodium lights.

I think the thing that I find most unattractive about the station are the platforms themselves. The cheap poured concrete with painted lines are just begging to be rebuilt. Also, a consistent style for the staircases and elevators. The platforms scream 'temporary', while the staircases scream '70s'.

I do agree with changing the type of lights too. Again, a consistent style would go a long way. Overall, I find the station has a very Frankenstein-ish Ad Hoc look to it. Different pieces that were added at different times, with little to no consideration of the colours or styles of what was already there. Pick a single look for the whole station, and stick to it.

 

[APTA-2048]

I think the thing that I find most unattractive about the station are the platforms themselves. The cheap poured concrete with painted lines are just begging to be rebuilt. Also, a consistent style for the staircases and elevators. The platforms scream 'temporary', while the staircases scream '70s'.

I do agree with changing the type of lights too. Again, a consistent style would go a long way. Overall, I find the station has a very Frankenstein-ish Ad Hoc look to it. Different pieces that were added at different times, with little to no consideration of the colours or styles of what was already there. Pick a single look for the whole station, and stick to it.

The plan will upgrade the stairwells to the open glass contemporary design for all the stairways except where heritage features will be restored. They will be adding more elevators at the west end which could be an opportunity for another style of elevator, but all the elevators tend to look the same if you don't pay attention. I'm assuming they will redo all the platforms themselves in the manner of 10/11 and 26/27 which would make everything look tidy.

 

[gweed123]

The plan will upgrade the stairwells to the open glass contemporary design for all the stairways except where heritage features will be restored. They will be adding more elevators at the west end which could be an opportunity for another style of elevator, but all the elevators tend to look the same if you don't pay attention. I'm assuming they will redo all the platforms themselves in the manner of 10/11 and 26/27 which would make everything look tidy.

Yeah, that's definitely what I was hoping. GO Transit has definitely developed a standard platform look when the re-did the stations on the Lakeshore West line (Burlington, Appleby, and now Oakville specifically come to mind). I would imagine that they would continue with this standard at Union, albeit with a bit more flare, just because it's the hub.

Hopefully the new platforms and platform accesses will strike a harmony with the restored heritage elements and the heritage roof. Blending new and restored old looks great when it's done properly, but it looks tacky when the new designs don't compliment the old designs.

 

[smallspy]

If we're stuck with preserving the Bush trainshed (named for the designer), I'd be very happy with replacing the wooden roofs with skylights as per the original intentions. I like what GO/Toronto is planning for the as-is preservation. The opening up of stairwells and the additional light from the new 20% glass roof will improve the current conditions, even those areas stuck under the old Bush trainshed areas.

They looked at putting the skylights in, but decided against it as they would never truly be "heritage" in the Toronto context.

I do believe that they plan to shorten up the concrete exhaust ducts, which will help allow more natural light on to the platforms.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[drum118]

They looked at putting the skylights in, but decided against it as they would never truly be "heritage" in the Toronto context.

I do believe that they plan to shorten up the concrete exhaust ducts, which will help allow more natural light on to the platforms.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

The plan is to cut off 6" of the existing ducts to allow clearances for the overhead as well adding more per track for air quality. You can say more natural light could be added to the existing platforms, but not that much.

The wooden roof for the original track 1 and 2 have to be reinstalled after the area is rebuilt using the exist wood that is good from that area or from the area been removed. This is to maintain the Heritage of the headhouse in the first place.

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

It would be nice if the renovated train shed allowed as much light as NJ Transit's Hoboken train station.

 

[drum118]

April 28
I cannot see how another platform can be built south of track 27 unless you remove a track. Even if you did that, there still not that much room to put it in.