Toronto Hullmark Centre | 167.94m | 45s | Tridel | Kirkor Architects

Sep 27

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Though, relatively speaking it's not saying much, but this is by far Tridel's best glazing effort. And Kirkor's least offensive highrise at the same time. I really shouldn't be excited, but all things considered this came out much better than it should have (which is to say I can look at it and actually suppress the nausea).
 
Just took this while waiting at the red light at Yonge and Sheppard. Area is really filling up nicely, the corner has sat too long underused. Sorry for the low quality, raining, and taken from an iPhone.

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It's actually quite insane how different the area feels now with Hullmark and Emerald Park rising. With these condo towers pushing the 100m mark, it's become the second downtown with an extensive skyline (north-south wise)

Today:

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October 14:

Hullmark, Emerald, and Gibson

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It's actually quite insane how different the area feels now with Hullmark and Emerald Park rising. With these condo towers pushing the 100m mark, it's become the second downtown with an extensive skyline (north-south wise)


For me the official "second downtown" would be Yonge & Eglinton. It's more vibrant, more urban, and has better transit.
 
As of today Yonge and Eglinton doesn't really have better transit, just a single subway line. NYCC actually has 2 subway lines, even if one of them is crappy. NYCC isn't the second downtown for me yet, but as it urbanizes further I think it will become it. It's bones are much better than Y&E's, especially for taller buildings.
 
Y&E is a much more cohesive urban area, whereas NYCC just runs N-S; walk one block East or West, and you're back in suburbia (not that Yonge in this area is very urban to begin with).
 
As of today Yonge and Eglinton doesn't really have better transit, just a single subway line. NYCC actually has 2 subway lines, even if one of them is crappy. NYCC isn't the second downtown for me yet, but as it urbanizes further I think it will become it. It's bones are much better than Y&E's, especially for taller buildings.

When I said better transit, I was considering the future crosstown lrt. It will provide much better service in the east-west direction than the sheppard stubway.
 
Y&E is a much more cohesive urban area, whereas NYCC just runs N-S; walk one block East or West, and you're back in suburbia (not that Yonge in this area is very urban to begin with).

Other than at the corner, along Eglinton and a couple of side streets you are also surrounded by suburbia at Y&E. NYCC has more density now (though also a larger area).
 
I think Y&E wins just because its close to many interesting retail stretches:

Yonge north of Eglinton up to York Mills. Bayview south of Eglinton, Eglinton around Avenue ... so on ... its just closer to many other areas.


But NYCC does feel like a more traditional downtown, not based on activity just the built form ... and even more so now ...
 
It's actually quite insane how different the area feels now with Hullmark and Emerald Park rising. With these condo towers pushing the 100m mark, it's become the second downtown with an extensive skyline (north-south wise)

I would agree, if only there were a reason for people to actually stop at Yonge/Sheppard. The area needs more focus on commercial retail and less on residential condos.
 
I'm not too familiar with the specifics on the retail layout, but i'm assuming most of the podium is office, but if this had been an Empress Walk-like complex I think that would have been killer. Say, close down the sheppard Centre and move it here instead with a Time-Warner Centre layout.. one can dream with a project that looks this good.

Today:

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