Sheraton Centre (123 Queen West, new windows & exterior repairs)

[MetroMan]

Pardon the language but it's needed for emphasis: the Sheraton still looks like shit. I just walked by and noticed the scaffolding has come down. I looked at the walls and the concrete is still stained and chipped. It looks like all they've done was replace the windows. Not that that the windows didn't need replacing but the concrete facade still looks terrible and is a scar on one of the most visited tourist areas of Toronto.

 

[interchange42]

@inerchange42 - No indication of anything happening to the Queen exterior? Particularly the retail spaces and the old theatre marquee area?

Not yet. I would be surprised if they wanted to do anything with their frontage unless the City made some changes to the Nathan Phillips Square parking garage entry on the south side of Queen, e.g. get rid of it.

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[MetroMan]

I've been told that the property on which the Sheraton Hotel is built was leased from the city. If that's true and there's a buyback clause, then it's possible that we may yet see the demise of this tower at some point in the future. I'll try to find out the details.

 

[junctionist]

It would be great to replace it with something that doesn't obscure views of the downtown core from NPS and with a building that animates and beautifies the street.

 

[AndreaPalladio]

I've been told that the property on which the Sheraton Hotel is built was leased from the city. If that's true and there's a buyback clause, then it's possible that we may yet see the demise of this tower at some point in the future. I'll try to find out the details.

I'd guess that it's on a 99 year lease, that calls for the land to be returned vacant if the lease isn't renewed. The head lease for First Canadian Place has a similiar provision.

 

[interchange42]

It would be great to replace it with something that doesn't obscure views of the downtown core from NPS and with a building that animates and beautifies the street.

Of course, there's no chance this is coming down any time soon, and in my opinion neither should it, especially for such a trivial matter so as to not "obscure views of the downtown core". It's part of the downtown core itself. If we cleared the Sheraton Centre for that, why not keep going until all we have left is, uh, pick a building, the Royal York?

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[Waterloo_Guy]

It would be great to replace it with something that doesn't obscure views of the downtown core from NPS and with a building that animates and beautifies the street.

It is the downtown core. I'm not sure what it is you're trying to look at. The lake perhaps?

 

[junctionist]

It's too wide in profile. I want to see more than just one building. It also has an ugly south facade. The way it treats the street is brutal. I wouldn't mind seeing it knocked down for something better.

 

[TonyV]

It's too wide in profile. I want to see more than just one building. It also has an ugly south facade. The way it treats the street is brutal. I wouldn't mind seeing it knocked down for something better.

I can only agree. I've always found this a dreadful building, not only for its treatment of the street, but also for its total lack of style. Certainly can't get excited about this update.

 

[Waterloo_Guy]

It's too wide in profile. I want to see more than just one building.

Well then go downtown and actually look at it. Unless you have your nose pressed against it, you'll see a lot more than one building.

 

[junctionist]

It's the view from Nathan Phillips Square that matters.

 

[ksun]

It's the view from Nathan Phillips Square that matters.

can't believe people are actually defending the Sheraton hotel as if it is not an ugly sore thumb right at the best location in Toronto.

I would dislike it less if the tower is more south-east facing, instead acting like a giant wall blocking the view of NPS. It would be less hateful if the building itself were not that hideous. It reminds me those thorncliffe park apartments facing the DVP.

 

[gabe]

Ugly or not, it's one of the busiest hotels in the entire city, with 130,000 sq ft. of ballroom space. Not many hotels downtown can accommodate larger events.

 

[ksun]

Ugly or not, it's one of the busiest hotels in the entire city, with 130,000 sq ft. of ballroom space. Not many hotels downtown can accommodate larger events.

I don't deny that it is highly functional.
And Things can be done to make it a bit more appealing to the eye. Some colours at night maybe? A better entrance?
Seriously don't understand all the concrete theme at that particular location (NPS + Sheraton + the concrete bridge). Probably there is some artistic motif behind them as people keep defending it, but I am sure 90% of residents and visitors are bored by the sea of dreary concrete (I have heard comments like this on for than one occasions).

 

[Tewder]

Yeah, i'm not really a big fan of all that concrete either but I do recognize its importance (NPS itself in particular). As for the hotel though, there is so much that could be done to improve it, especially at street level. It's already a highly successful and popular hotel so why would they bother?