Toronto Nathan Phillips Square + Spirit Garden | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto

[Irishmonk]

I'm just thankful for any sign in that area that doesn't have a "CF" in front of it.

 

[jozl]

My sentiments exactly pman.

 

[Transportfan]

The event has been pretty dull ever since Rogers took over CityTV. The last few years Rogers cut the Toronto broadcast and put the Times Square balldrop in it's place. Not a very Canadian thing to do.

And yet we feel the need to put a maple leaf on the Toronto sculpture.

Canadian Guilt Trip anyone?

 

[ndawgg]

I really dislike how half of financial district is blocked off by the big Sheraton slab on the right side. Look at how much of the view it takes up compared to the other buildings. Often times I’ve sat in the park infront of osgood hall and thought to myself how much better would it be if the Sheraton was torn down..

I get the aesthetic idea behind this, but the Sheraton is the only hotel with meeting rooms big enough to hold my work's Convention in Toronto. Sadly, this hotel is a necessity to attract events like this, so I don't want it torn down (unless something else is built first to replace it).

 

[DSC]

I get the aesthetic idea behind this, but the Sheraton is the only hotel with meeting rooms big enough to hold my work's Convention in Toronto. Sadly, this hotel is a necessity to attract events like this, so I don't want it torn down (unless something else is built first to replace it).

Though the Sheraton is a rather ugly block with few redeeming features, I fear that if it were ever to be demolished it would be replaced by something even larger and 'blockier". Sometimes the "Devil you Know" really is better!

 

[Tuscani01]

I get the aesthetic idea behind this, but the Sheraton is the only hotel with meeting rooms big enough to hold my work's Convention in Toronto. Sadly, this hotel is a necessity to attract events like this, so I don't want it torn down (unless something else is built first to replace it).

Careful what you wish for:

From the UT Database.

 

[Edward Skira]

Though the Sheraton is a rather ugly block with few redeeming features, I fear that if it were ever to be demolished it would be replaced by something even larger and 'blockier". Sometimes the "Devil you Know" really is better!

The city will never allow additional shadowing on NPS so I doubt that. Certainly it would be shorter than what's there today. Don't expect anything to change here for many years. The city owns the land beneath the Sheraton so one day the lease will end. At that point who knows.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

The city will never allow additional shadowing on NPS so I doubt that. Certainly it would be shorter than what's there today. Don't expect anything to change here for many years. The city owns the land beneath the Sheraton so one day the lease will end. At that point who knows.

Speaking of that, the PATH "mall/food court" underneath Sheraton is a blast from the 80s with a shade of Metro 2033 mixed in.

AoD

 

[MetroMan]

Speaking of that, the PATH "mall/food court" underneath Sheraton is a blast from the 80s with a shade of Metro 2033 mixed in.

AoD

I know right? I used to work nearby and would eat lunch at the teriyaki experience and inevitably started patronizing the nearby businesses. Somehow I thought it was a good idea to buy tanning vouchers at the salon there. At one point I realized that I was living in an episode of Better Call Saul and stopped going there entirely. I actively avoid it now.

 

[pman]

I know right? I used to work nearby and would eat lunch at the teriyaki experience and inevitably started patronizing the nearby businesses. Somehow I thought it was a good idea to buy tanning vouchers at the salon there. At one point I realized that I was living in an episode of Better Call Saul and stopped going there entirely. I actively avoid it now.

Hang on MM. Was there a Cinnabon in that food court?

 

[MetroMan]

Hang on MM. Was there a Cinnabon in that food court?

I don't remember one. I certainly would have smelled it since I walked through there every day. It's so close to the Sheraton that I think it would have wafted up into the Sheraton lobby too.

 

[Northern Light]

Though the Sheraton is a rather ugly block with few redeeming features, I fear that if it were ever to be demolished it would be replaced by something even larger and 'blockier". Sometimes the "Devil you Know" really is better!

While, ideally i would love to see this block redeveloped, properly.....I have some of the same concern.

Regardless, there is ample opportunity to fix the street level.

Demo the blasted bridge.

Somehow fix the mess that the slew of Green P entrances creates. (can we shrink the damn garage and put a proper path connection w/retail underneath instead? ) ; the idea being to reduce the volume of traffic such that few entrances would be needed.

Then work on eliminating blank spots, creating a uniform, wide sidewalk, with nice streetscape; and adding more transparency.

Also, shrink the carport/pick-up/drop-off of the hotel, shift some of the service underground or something.

 

[junctionist]

I'd love to see a tall replacement condo-hotel tower with a slender and unique profile. The podium would ideally be a fine-grained podium with a variety of different facades similar to the Honest Ed's redevelopment. The varied mid-rise facades would have traditional cladding materials to evoke the traditional Queen Street streetscape but with contemporary architecture. However, I think @Northern Light makes good points about improving the existing building in the meantime.

 

[pman]

I don't remember one. I certainly would have smelled it since I walked through there every day. It's so close to the Sheraton that I think it would have wafted up into the Sheraton lobby too.

Cause Cinnabon was a key element of the BCS saga.

 

[88drums]

I'd love to see a tall replacement condo-hotel tower with a slender and unique profile. The podium would ideally be a fine-grained podium with a variety of different facades similar to the Honest Ed's redevelopment. The varied mid-rise facades would have traditional cladding materials to evoke the traditional Queen Street streetscape but with contemporary architecture. However, I think @Northern Light makes good points about improving the existing building in the meantime.

Yes to all of this! Would also love to see a mid-block pedestrian connection lined with retail and aligned to Sheppard Street, offering a view terminus of City Hall from Adelaide.