Toronto CIBC SQUARE | 241.39m | 50s | Hines | WilkinsonEyre

[Michael62]

Some drawings to visually show the South Bridge from CIBC to ACC.

Artist conception of CIBC to ACC Bridge (Ivanhoe Cambridge Hines, 45 Bay St)

Street View Drawings CIBC to ACC Bridge (Ivanhoe Cambridge Hines, 45 Bay St)

This looks tricky cause the view is reversed from the actual, in reality, the ACC should be on the left and CIBC on the right, but the drawing shows the view looking towards the south without the tracks blocking the view. I think they made this view so it could show the location of the escalators egressing into the ACC Atrium interior I am amused by the cute little streetcar images running in the tunnel underneath Bay St.

Aerial View CIBC to ACC Bridge (Ivanhoe Cambridge Hines, 45 Bay St)

Credit (Ivanhoe Cambridge Hines, 45 Bay St)

 

[DSC]

Thanks, I actually went to look at the ACC 'atrium' @ Bay Street today but was not sure what is behind the north wall so am still not sure if they can continue the PATH right through at the higher level so that it could link to the current PATH at the top of the steep stairs. The drawing certainly shows escalators going into the ACC atrium area BUT if you then need to walk further west and climb the steep stairs to get back on the PATH going to Queens Quay you are really not much better off!

 

[whatever]

I don't think I like the placement of the bridge. That entrance to the Galleria has always felt dingy to me (maybe because of the way it leads to the Bay teamway?), and having the bridge running overhead is just going to make it feel even smaller and more constricted

 

[DSC]

I don't think I like the placement of the bridge. That entrance to the Galleria has always felt dingy to me (maybe because of the way it leads to the Bay teamway?), and having the bridge running overhead is just going to make it feel even smaller and more constricted

The equivalent is the PATH bridge that crosses York further west. That one seems to work so I think its possible to do it successfully.

 

[whatever]

I thought of that, and I think there are some differences. The big difference is that the area under the York bridge isn't a "place" in the same way that the area under the proposed Bay bridge is. As one end of the ACC's Galleria it's almost like the front door (ok, the Bremner side is more prominent, but still) to one of the city's biggest venues. And with CIBC Square going up across the street that entrance is only going to become more woven into the fabric of the city.

The other big difference I see is that the built form along York south of the tracks is much more spread out. It doesn't feel claustrophobic at the west end of Telus House. But on the east end of the ACC the old postal building really doesn't leave a lot of space along Bay St. And then you add in the overhang of the office tower, the low(er) ceiling of the teamway, and now a bridge coming in overhead, and it just doesn't feel like a recipe for a welcoming public space.

I'm not crazy about the utility of the bridge, either, so maybe that's colouring my impression. I don't mind elevated walkways when they're part of a coherent pedestrian network, but this bridge just seems disconnected from everything around it. It's like a connection for the sake of being able to say that there's a PATH connection to CIBC Square. At least the bridge on York leads to a walkway that actually takes you somewhere (though I'd still like to see them connect the Delta to the Skywalk over the railway tracks)

 

[DSC]

I thought of that, and I think there are some differences. The big difference is that the area under the York bridge isn't a "place" in the same way that the area under the proposed Bay bridge is. As one end of the ACC's Galleria it's almost like the front door (ok, the Bremner side is more prominent, but still) to one of the city's biggest venues. And with CIBC Square going up across the street that entrance is only going to become more woven into the fabric of the city.

The other big difference I see is that the built form along York south of the tracks is much more spread out. It doesn't feel claustrophobic at the west end of Telus House. But on the east end of the ACC the old postal building really doesn't leave a lot of space along Bay St. And then you add in the overhang of the office tower, the low(er) ceiling of the teamway, and now a bridge coming in overhead, and it just doesn't feel like a recipe for a welcoming public space.

I'm not crazy about the utility of the bridge, either, so maybe that's colouring my impression. I don't mind elevated walkways when they're part of a coherent pedestrian network, but this bridge just seems disconnected from everything around it. It's like a connection for the sake of being able to say that there's a PATH connection to CIBC Square. At least the bridge on York leads to a walkway that actually takes you somewhere (though I'd still like to see them connect the Delta to the Skywalk over the railway tracks)

I agree with you, partially, but think you underestimate the need for a bridge/connection between the east and west sides of Bay. The CIBC building will have LOTS of people working there and will have the GO (and Greyhound etc?) bus station below it. There will also be a similar bridge across Yonge going into Backstage and, one day further east through the Green P garage. There will be LOTS of foot traffic to and fro and you cannot have an under-street link due to streetcar tunnel (at least not a safe one!). Of course, as I said above, the link from CIBC to ACC needs to provide LEVEL access to the PATH that already goes further south through ACC (thus eliminating the steep stairs) in addition to an escalator - shown in the plans above, - taking people down to the ACC ticket lobby and the new routes to Union Station.

 

[whatever]

That's fair. If the eventual plan is to connect that bridge to a +2 network then I can see the utility of it. But if it's just a one-off I think it might be better to just have a bridge on the north side of the tracks and utilize the park as the PATH connection for the south tower.

Maybe what needs to happen is a rethink of that entire Galleria entrance. It might work better if they created a new atrium on the east side by enclosing the sidewalk all the way up to the Bay St curb, eliminating the existing entrance vestibule, and improving the connection between that atrium and the Bay teamway. And then that way when the bridge punches into that space it could be a simple catwalk with a glass balustrade (like what they have in the west atrium), which wouldn't be as visually "heavy" as a curtainwall-enclosed bridge

 

[interchange42]

<snip>(though I'd still like to see them connect the Delta to the Skywalk over the railway tracks)

The Delta is connected.

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[idc24]

The Delta is connected.

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https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/562105597232588987/

 

[Contra]

Very beautifully so too! Loved that addition, feels like it's on little building given the fun design.

 

[ushahid]

Im hoping that when Larco submits its plans for the Canada Dominion building it includes a tower at the back and the development of the rest of the rail park east to Yonge street
H]

does anyone know the height of the building Larco is going to build and is it a condo or office?

 

[Automation Gallery]

does anyone know the height of the building Larco is going to build and is it a condo or office?

No firm info on it yet?...but urbandreamer on UT posted this last year

^Thanks. Looks like it's 65-70 storeys of hotel and office by Quadrangle Architects:

W Hotel, Bulgari or another Marriott?

Dominion Public Building (1 Front St W, Larco Investments)
https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...g-1-front-st-w-larco-investments.7882/page-11

 

[MetroMan]

View attachment 146406

Wait... where is the park going to connect to since the north building won’t be constructed for several years? Will the park just end abruptly or will there be a connection (stairs?) to the street on the north side?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Wait... where is the park going to connect to since the north building won’t be constructed for several years? Will the park just end abruptly or will there be a connection (stairs?) to the street on the north side?

From the Architectural Plans dated Feb 9, 2018 as part of the 45 Bay Site Plan Approval:

(Hines/IC/WilkinsonEyre)

The Phase II tower (141 Bay) will be off left - this portal is the permanent connector to the park - from the Architectural Renderings dated May 20, 2016 Rezoning Application:

(Hines/IC/WilkinsonEyre)

AoD

 

[interchange42]

I take escalators to all my parks. I won't go into a park that doesn't have escalators.

(It's going to be a bit weird riding up three escalators to a park.)

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