Toronto 25-55 St Clair Avenue East Building Rehabilitation | ?m | 11s | PSPC | DIALOG

thecharioteer said:
According to this diagram produced by the feds, the only "green" feature on the façade is bird-friendly glazing, which implies that the green objectives could have been met for the entire project with just new windows in the existing façade. What a travesty!


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25 St. Clair Avenue East Rehabilitation Project – Federal property construction and maintenance projects – Federal properties and buildings – About government – Canada.ca

A summary of the PSPC rehabilitation project at the Arthur Meighen Building in Toronto and the expected environmental benefits that will be achieved due to the sustainability features of the project.
www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca
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It does not say that bird friendly glass is the "only 'green' feature on the facade".

It lists it as one improvement. It does not say that this is an exhaustive list.

Obviously this brand new envelope is high performance.

https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/biens-property/construction/arthurmeighen-eng.html This link refers to "a high-efficiency building envelope"

Yes I wish we had more details. No I don't think we can make assumptions from one infographic.
 
Kenojuak said:
It does not say that bird friendly glass is the "only 'green' feature on the facade".

It lists it as one improvement. It does not say that this is an exhaustive list.

Obviously this brand new envelope is high performance.

https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/biens-property/construction/arthurmeighen-eng.html This link refers to "a high-efficiency building envelope"

Yes I wish we had more details. No I don't think we can make assumptions from one infographic.
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My point was that the existing facade of brick, limestone and granite did not have to be removed to achieve a “high-efficiency envelope” given that the same objective could have been achieved with triple-glazed windows and a higher-insulated wall assembly behind the solid portions of the facade. The green argument is a smokescreen for the aesthetic decisions by those in the federal government who had no appreciation for the existing building and looked at it as a blank slate to “modernize” the facade. We’ve already seen that a sophisticated owner like Oxford can upgrade a building like 111 Richmond Street West and still maintain its architectural integrity. On the other hand we’ve seen what happened to the Simpson Tower and the Bell building on Adelaide. While we may find it unbelievable that previous generations demolished dozens of Victorian buildings like the Temple Building, the Queen Street Asylum and the Board of Trade Building in the 60’s, this generation is doing the same with its nonchalance towards our modernist heritage.

Not to beat a dead horse, but our heritage guardians at City Hall clearly are more concerned with spending time batch listing third-rate stores on Eglinton, Mt. Pleasant and north Yonge than, at a minimum, listing these modernist buildings (and their silence at the proposed destruction of I.M.Pei’s brilliant ensemble of flanking buildings at Commerce Court speaks volumes).
 
thecharioteer said:
My point was that the existing facade of brick, limestone and granite did not have to be removed to achieve a “high-efficiency envelope” given that the same objective could have been achieved with triple-glazed windows and a higher-insulated wall assembly behind the solid portions of the facade. The green argument is a smokescreen for the aesthetic decisions by those in the federal government who had no appreciation for the existing building and looked at it as a blank slate to “modernize” the facade. We’ve already seen that a sophisticated owner like Oxford can upgrade a building like 111 Richmond Street West and still maintain its architectural integrity. On the other hand we’ve seen what happened to the Simpson Tower and the Bell building on Adelaide. While we may find it unbelievable that previous generations demolished dozens of Victorian buildings like the Temple Building, the Queen Street Asylum and the Board of Trade Building in the 60’s, this generation is doing the same with its nonchalance towards our modernist heritage.

Not to beat a dead horse, but our heritage guardians at City Hall clearly are more concerned with spending time batch listing third-rate stores on Eglinton, Mt. Pleasant and north Yonge than, at a minimum, listing these modernist buildings (and their silence at the proposed destruction of I.M.Pei’s brilliant ensemble of flanking buildings at Commerce Court speaks volumes).
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Now that's a great comment that I soundly agree with. Thanks for spelling it out for us.
 
I wonder if this might have an impact on this building? Surely it would be one of the ones kept, if only for its new age?

Federal government aiming to dispose of half of its office buildings with hybrid work here to stay​

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ottawa.ctvnews.ca

Federal government aiming to dispose of half of its office buildings with hybrid work here to stay

The federal government is planning to offload up to half of its office buildings across the country, citing the rise in remote and hybrid work.
ottawa.ctvnews.ca ottawa.ctvnews.ca

Now for commentary on this building- from what I've seen so far- the ground floor is disastrous, largely from its lack of activation and blank walls. The unification of the two facades under a new contemporary minimalist design didn't help either.
 
jje1000 said:
I wonder if this might have an impact on this building? Surely it would be one of the ones kept, if only for its new age?
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I doubt it will, a lot staff from the Front Street offices are being relocated over here so i'd take this building out from the disposition list.

But it's going to be interesting to watch how badly the Federal government screws up disposing of these assets (ie: selling them without virtually no requirement for any affordable housing whatsoever like we've seen with recent dispositions).

On a side note, there's still construction (minor) going on here. Typical lack of government oversight leading to contractor milking here.
 
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thecharioteer said:
If Heritage Preservation Services (which operates under Planning) had listed the building, there would have been at least some control over the redesign. I believe that even federal buildings can be listed (i.e. the Dominion Public Building/Customs House at 1 Front St.W.). The city did drop the ball on this one.
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Exactly. This is what I meant to imply in my post but it was unclear.
 
This one is finally just about complete (garbage); with just one small piece of scaffolding yet to come down.

Two pics to document the crime; taken March 8th, 2024:

DSC03221.jpg


DSC03222.jpg
 
If you are in the vicinity and can get us a fuller look at the rehabilita — oh, I can't even finish that word — at the completed work here, it will allow us to present a fair look at it for people rating this during the upcoming year end poll. Thanks in advance!

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