Toronto Forma | 308m | 84s | Great Gulf | Gehry Partners

[RC8]

Adma - the way you presume to know all about me from the little that was in my comment is amazing. I did not pass any judgement on my feelings with respect to the buildings. As it so happens, I do like their built form, they do add character to the city. I walk by them every day. What I indicated was that in the grand scheme of things, amongst the many attributes which a building may be judged when assessing its historical merit - unique design, site of important events, association with notable historical figures, and so on, on those attributes, these buildings do not have major, outstanding characteristics. An attempt to try and bring some balance and perspective into the dialogue.

Frankly, I find your arrogance and intolerance to those with other perspectives than your own is a wonder to behold - astounding, and not in a good way.

One of the buildings in question. It housed the Toronto Sun in the 1970s.

The Anderson Building meanwhile has one of the only mid-rise terracotta façades in all of Toronto.

As I said, keep some of the façades, bring the buildings down to 40 stories, and with TIFF on one side and Theatre condos (or whatever they are called) on the other we'll have one of the most incredible streets in North America without completely sacrificing a human scale.

 

[gristle]

So which is it? On the one hand, you say that no one has seen the final design....on the other, you say that these will be 'ordinary condo buildings'....you can't have it both ways...

In case you've missed, the three towers are to be residential buildings - as in condo towers. They are just condo towers. Get it?

I think anyone with an ounce of intelligence can immediately see from the models, that the Gehry structures will be amazing - there is nothing 'ordinary' about them at all....and this is not even mentioning the base, which promises to be incredible....

Ah, I see. You like them, so be extension those who don't find them particularly intriguing lack intelligence. Nice.

There are a lot of people out there that 'give a hoot', and not all are supertall fan boys...this project will add to Toronto, not detract from it.

You should seriously go back and read the origins of my comments. AG suggested that the existing buildings are just boring old warehouse buildings and no one gives a hoot about them. According to him, they're a dime a dozen. I pointed out that ultimately, the Mirvish towers are just three more condo towers in a city with hundreds of condo towers, and who really gives a hoot about that. It's sarcasm based on his words. But your just too damn intelligent for that, right?

 

[Wrenkin]

Adma - the way you presume to know all about me from the little that was in my comment is amazing. I did not pass any judgement on my feelings with respect to the buildings. As it so happens, I do like their built form, they do add character to the city. I walk by them every day. What I indicated was that in the grand scheme of things, amongst the many attributes which a building may be judged when assessing its historical merit - unique design, site of important events, association with notable historical figures, and so on, on those attributes, these buildings do not have major, outstanding characteristics. An attempt to try and bring some balance and perspective into the dialogue.

Frankly, I find your arrogance and intolerance to those with other perspectives than your own is a wonder to behold - astounding, and not in a good way.

Yes, but I see you didn't answer about Pevsner

 

[adma]

Sometimes, I wonder if there's a mindset that clinging to these old crocks is like clinging to typewriters and rotary dial phones--and if we did so on behalf of a "victory for preservation" in the 1970s, well, we were still using typewriters and rotary dial phones then, too...

 

[rpeters]

just give the people what they want, I don't care for this whole "preserve for the sake of preserving" argument. I think people have learned their lesson from the destruction of old toronto in the 50s and 60s, now let's show some respect for people's intelligence and opinions and let them vote on it.

 

[RC8]

Why don't we respect people's intelligence by not framing intelligent opposition as "preserving for the sake of preserving" instead?

 

[yyzer]

from Daily Commercial News, posted with the usual caveat....

MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT Proj: 9166732-3
Toronto, Metro Toronto Reg ON PREPARING PLANS
266 - 270 King St W, M5V
$300,000,000 est

Note: This project is preliminary. Application for rezoning approval has been submitted. Schedules for design and construction are not known at this time. Further update early summer 2013.

Project: mixed-use development which will include three condominium towers; 82, 84, and 86-storeys in height containing a total of 2,709 residential units, two museums, an OCAD university facility building as well as retail space.

Scope: 86 storeys; 3 structures; 2709 units; parking for 311 cars
Development: New
Category: Apartment bldgs; Public bldgs; Retail, wholesale services; Educational bldgs

 

[fedplanner]

Hmmm... $300,000,000 cost. I wonder how much profit this will generate for Mirvish?

$250,000 x 2,709 = not bad.

 

[DtTO]

As I said, keep some of the façades, bring the buildings down to 40 stories, and with TIFF on one side and Theatre condos (or whatever they are called) on the other we'll have one of the most incredible streets in North America without completely sacrificing a human scale.

No thanks. One of the reasons I'm excited about this project is to have these "sculptures" prominently displayed on the skyline. At 40s, they won't even be seen from most views.

 

[diminutive]

I would prefer to see these 3 towers pushed down to 40 stories and see the historical facades kept. Fund the museum through whatever means (and call it Princess of Wales gallery), increase the number of retail spaces available (ala Queen and Portland), and build bike lanes along Richmond and Peter (while funding some of the John St revitalisation).

What difference would 80 vs. 40 stories make, though? In terms of street impact, tower height on the standard point-tower-on-podium really isn't very important. Podium design and height more so.

 

[fedplanner]

In terms of street impact, tower height on the standard point-tower-on-podium really isn't very important. Podium design and height more so.

If only more people understood this concept! How buildings meet the street and interact with the pedestrian realm is the key.

 

[Mike in TO]

Hmmm... $300,000,000 cost. I wonder how much profit this will generate for Mirvish?

$250,000 x 2,709 = not bad.

That cost figure from DCL has no basis in reality and is a very very rough estimate of only the hard cost (both Aura and 1BE as single towers are over this figure)

 

[Irishmonk]

Without any cheapening this project is more likely to cost in the 2 billion range. Not sure if there is enough demand in this city for that many million dollar shoe closets.

 

[Hanlansboy]

Without any cheapening this project is more likely to cost in the 2 billion range. Not sure if there is enough demand in this city for that many million dollar shoe closets.

Perhaps not in this city, but from what I've been reading, Toronto is becoming a very popular place to invest throughout the world, particularly from Asia. Finding buyers isn't the problem, trying to get it built, and hoping it compliments the neighbourhood, is.

 

[TrickyRicky]

Honestly, I don't think anything we are building right, nor anything Gehry could come up with now, would be considered better architecture than that photo of the Anderson Building RC8 posted from the perspective of the vast majority of Torontonians.