AndreaPalladio
Senior Member
Mediocre building now mediocre in a different way.
Toronto 401 Bay Street | 143.86m | 33s | Cadillac Fairview | WZMH
- Thread starter androiduk
- Start date
adma
Superstar
Or from Brutalist to..."modern". (Note lower case. That is, it's more about being "freshened up" than about stylistic categories. Almost like it's "post-category", much like definitions of "post-literate" or whatever)
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
I think that should be written on this respective building's tombstone. /sigh
Red Mars
Senior Member
Sat Oct 31, 2020
isaidso
Senior Member
At least it's white.
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
It's not white. >.<
thecharioteer
Senior Member
The ones who really dropped the ball were Heritage Preservation Services. The Simpson Tower is part of the block that is historically designated. Once they discovered that Buildings had issued permits, they took a very narrow interpretation of the designating bylaw by claiming that the Parkin building was not one of the reasons the block was designated (notwithstanding it is listed in the details):
Lyphe
Active Member
I realize I will get pelted with tomatoes for saying this ... but based on those pics above, it's growing on me.
adma
Superstar
Though note that it says "alt." rather than "add.". That is, it relates not to the tower, but the concurrent alterations to the store (some of which have since been "reversed", such as the renovation to the Arcadian Court). And while the Parkin stuff might have been part of the reasons for *listing* (in 1973), it might not have been part of the reasons for *designation* (in 1976)--unfortunately, the summary offered here makes it unclear.
And also keep in mind that in terms of 1973/76, the Simpson Tower might have been deemed "too new" and (as opposed to the alterations) too discrete for listing or designation. Nothing to do with qualitative judgment; rather, it needed more lee time. So despite all appearances, it might *not* have been a full-block designation.
So the ball-dropping wasn't *presently* by HPS per se; rather, it was a perfect storm of loopholes--a longer-term matter of nobody having sought to add the tower to the reasons for designation (or casually presuming that the "alt. 1968-69" referred to the tower, which tragically *wasn't* the case); plus the fact that "alterations", as opposed to demolition permits, aren't the kinds of things typically flagged to municipal urban design and/or heritage authorities. And really; as I've stated before, the whole "City Halls zone" should have been subject to a precinct designation ages ago, not unlike that which envelops the Union Station precinct--something that'd guide urban design and planning matters more intensively than the norm, and which *would* have gotten the Simpson Tower flagged. So it fell between the cracks, and the boneheaded philistines had their way because those who could have had a say had their hands tied...
AlbertC
Superstar
Nov 21, 2020
differential
Active Member
well, it blends in, so theres that.
Riseth
Senior Member
Way to ruin a perfectly fine building Cadillac Fairview. 95 Wellington is next on your chopping block...
DarkSideDenizen
Senior Member
GenerationLee
Senior Member
I just noticed that cladding continuation in the last image along the podium going east *(I took an image from the same view around the same time but never noticed). This is just awful.The hoarding at street level has been an inconvenience for a good while all for....this. This.
steveve
Senior Member
Was there ever a formal explanation regarding the design rational of breaking up the symmetry of the building on the North-West side? It’s almost as if another building is being superimposed on the existing structure. This stands out in the worst possible way, and looks as bizarre now, as it did when the renders were first released.