Liberty Village

[laurie gordon]

The west part of Liberty Village is pretty cool, but the east end is a) too disconnected from the rest of the city and b) dominated by a single use.

Too fix a) I'd love to see Shaw Street extended over the Georgetown railway. When the tracts get lowered to create a grade separation at Strachan, this might be possible. And if there isn't clearance for the street, at least put over a pedestrian bridge so people can get to the King streetcar and shops without a detour over to Strachan.

To fix b) encourage commercial development along Strachan and Liberty. For example, offer reduced commercial tax rates for five years, then gradually bring them up to par over the next five once businesses get established.

 

[simuls]

I love your 2nd idea laurie, and agree that it would be great. As the condo's go up along East Liberty there will be a large influx of retail at grade, starting with Liberty Towers and Bliss.

As for the Shaw Pedstrian Bridge, it has already had an environmental assessment done and discussions were ongoing several years ago, but it has since completely fallen off the radar. I believe they originally wanted an underpass, but with the dropping of the rail corridor an overpass would be awesome!

 

[ladyscraper]

I walked through Liberty Village yesterday after the soccer game at BMO Field. Overall the area looks nice and vibrant.
Although I was horrified when I walked past a Metro grocery story clumsily plunked down which didn't suit the look of the neighborhood at all. I thought I teleported into Scarborough for a second. Who the hell planned and/or approved that thing? Surely, there must have been some way to have the grocery store fit into the neighborhood a little more gracefully?

 

[unimaginative2]

That grocery store is very unfortunate, but there's a plan afoot to build on that big parking lot so that it won't seem so out of place.

 

[simuls]

Yes, that strip mall, while very useful, is horrendously out of place - even with the vague attempt at incorporation (red brick, steel canopy). The southernmost portion of the parking lot will hopefully evolve into something much more in keeping with the atmosphere of the area. I feel like there is a risk that the eastern portion will be completely disconnected design wise from the western portion. Hopefully this new building, being smack dab in the centre, will help bridge that growing gap. I am happy it will push the strip mall out of view as you're driving down East Liberty.

 

[ladyscraper]

I think it's good to have a grocery store there of course but just the layout and placement is terrible. Maybe it could have fronted the street or something?
Anyways, I'm glad to hear there is a plan in place to build on that parking lot. That might help things look better.
Sorry if this has been discussed to death by the way. I am not usually in Liberty Village so this was the first time I saw the grocery store.

 

[carturo15]

Does anyone live at 1 Shaw or any building close to the rail track in Liberty Village? I was wondering how noisy is the area, living on lower floors and being close to the rail track

 

[chriskayTO]

Funny you should mention this, as I was talking to a friend about it yesterday when I was down in that area.

I used to live in 1 Shaw, facing south onto the tracks, from the 9th floor. There only seemed to be train traffic during rush hours - GO trains in the morning and afternoon. There was also the occasional VIA train, and infrequent freight train.

I didn't find the noise very much at all, as long as the windows were closed. If they were opened, it would be extremely noisy, but the windows must have special panes that muffle noise.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Kind of sad so see them go, but then on the bright side i guess we will see future new development for that site.

The hulking Canada Bread bakery in Toronto's Liberty Village is one of three aging plants in the Greater Toronto Area the national bread maker says it plans to close by 2013 to make way for a more modern facility somewhere in southwestern Ontario.

The bakery on Fraser Ave. is a bit of a landmark, visible to traffic on the westbound Gardiner Expressway and GO trains heading for Oakville and beyond.

The building is about 100 years old and has been used as a bakery for the past 50, Jones said.

Located on what was once prime industrial land because of its proximity to the CN rail tracks, the building is now part of Liberty Village, a cluster of art, design and media companies and loft-style condos near King and Dufferin Sts.


More.....http://www.thestar.com/business/article/749945--canada-bread-to-close-3-gta-bakeries

 

[adma]

Kind of sad so see them go,

...esp. from an olfactory POV.

 

[Cooool]

Seems like everything's a landmark these days.

 

[clash]

I guess without the smell of freshly baked bread wafting in from the west all that will remain is the fetid stench of slaughtered pigs from the east. What a shame.

 

[adma]

http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/01/canada_bread_closing_and_the_end_of_industry_in_liberty_village/

 

[samster]

Liberty Village - Good place to do business?

I just want some feedback on Toronto being not from here, I've read it's up and coming but I've also read that because of the transportation issue, the foot traffic would be mainly from residents / those doing business in the community.

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/loc...rofessionals-flock-to-booming-liberty-village

Through traffic is limited in the area because of the smartly designed side streets which only connect to Lake Shore Boulevard through Strachan Avenue and Dufferin Street and thus the area feels like anyone walking or driving there is likely either a resident or there to do business.

How true is this...? How often do you step foot in the area if you're not in the community? Would you start a retail business there? I'm looking for a relatively high trafficked area but without crazy rent ... any other recommendations?

 

[Jonny5]

I just want some feedback on Toronto being not from here, I've read it's up and coming but I've also read that because of the transportation issue, the foot traffic would be mainly from residents / those doing business in the community.

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/loc...rofessionals-flock-to-booming-liberty-village



How true is this...? How often do you step foot in the area if you're not in the community? Would you start a retail business there? I'm looking for a relatively high trafficked area but without crazy rent ... any other recommendations?

I don't live there, so this is the perspective of someone who passes through a few times a year. I wouldn't put it in the "up and coming" category. That has a connotation of a gentrification process underway, which isn't quite what is happeneing. It is actually in transition from a commercial/industrial to a commercial/residential neighbourhood. The last "industrial" type employer, Canada Bread, just recently announced plans to close. The neighbourhood has built out substantially in the past few years with new townhouses and condos built on land where factories and warehouses have been razed. There are actually a lot of people living there now, and several new high rise condos are under construction or planned.

Access is restricted by the rail corridors at the south and north sides, but it isn't unreachable on foot. Car access is not hard at all, but I don't know what the parking situation is like. There is a large parking lot in the centre where there is a Metro grocery store. Frequent TTC bus service is available from route 63 looping through the east side of the area.

It has started to earn a reputation as a destination for dining with several excellent restaurants, such as recently-in-the-news Mildred's Temple Kitchen. This is also an employment area for several prominent media, music, internet and software companies, which have taken up space in the old warehouses and factories. It is also known for having several porn production companies in the area, though they are very discreete.

I don't know what the rents are like, but I suspect they are high and the time to lock in a lease in this area was three to four years ago.