Toronto IMMIX | 131.06m | 38s | QuadReal | a—A

NBGtect said:
You may not be able to see it but some of us 'get' how it meets the street correctly. This is top shelf stuff. Put me in the "I love the clock tower" camp too. And yes, this project would not be proposed in an Asian ghost city.
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Pray tell, how, exactly?

AoD
 
it meets the street correctly because they have put thought into the street level unlike many developments. Interesting materials, incorporation of historic elements. The clock tower is to be viewed almost as a statue, which certainly gives something to the public realm. The podium itself has interesting angles which creates interest, and they have given pedestrians more space while keeping an inviting feel.

How does it not meet the street correctly?
 
I love that clock tower. I'm curious about the base, will it be a new base to support the clock or does the base exist within the structure of the existing building (apologies if this is a stupid question).
 
Tewder said:
I love that clock tower. I'm curious about the base, will it be a new base to support the clock or does the base exist within the structure of the existing building (apologies if this is a stupid question).
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I believe what is pictured in the renderings is a new base for the tower... which I must admit I do not love 100% But I believe it was stated in the Homepage story that they do not currently know how much of the tower might still exist below the current roof.
 
The clock tower is important, and it's good they are planning on preserving it.... but the clock tower base? Who came up with that? Looks ugly to me, and if the spaces between the bricks are open, as it appears, it will quickly fill up will papers and rubbish...why not simply continue with the attractive brick at the top?

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Edit: wonder if they could use the tower base for a small commercial spot - crepes to go, of something like that? instead of just a monolith in the courtyard?
 

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AlvinofDiaspar said:
Pray tell, how, exactly?

AoD
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How does it not meet the street well? It has awesome and interesting cladding, a historic feature in the clock tower, a large space for a restaurant and large patio space, ample sidewalk and public space, cool terraces as common elements overlooking the street, great sightlines to the clock with varying angles, demolition of uninteresting structures currently, and on and on. Maybe I'm totally wrong about these being desirable 'wants' for new developments in Toronto. Maybe it's me who's being difficult and demanding wanting these types of features.
 
stjames2queenwest said:
it meets the street correctly because they have put thought into the street level unlike many developments. Interesting materials, incorporation of historic elements. The clock tower is to be viewed almost as a statue, which certainly gives something to the public realm. The podium itself has interesting angles which creates interest, and they have given pedestrians more space while keeping an inviting feel.

How does it not meet the street correctly?
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NBGtect said:
How does it not meet the street well? It has awesome and interesting cladding, a historic feature in the clock tower, a large space for a restaurant and large patio space, ample sidewalk and public space, cool terraces as common elements overlooking the street, great sightlines to the clock with varying angles, demolition of uninteresting structures currently, and on and on. Maybe I'm totally wrong about these being desirable 'wants' for new developments in Toronto. Maybe it's me who's being difficult and demanding wanting these types of features.
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It's not just about the materials or retention of historical elements - one has to consider the issue of scale and I am not convinced that the space given to pedestrians is as ample or generous as it was depicted in the renderings. See photo 6 in the database link for example.

http://urbantoronto.ca/database/projects/484-yonge-street

Not a major complaint, but that's besides the point (which is realism in renderings vs. actual massing). This is the sort of thing Oculus should be used for.

yyz:

Actually I don't mind the way they cladded the base of the clock tower (though vandalism could be an issue). Terracotta might look quite nice too.

AoD
 
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yyzer said:
The clock tower is important, and it's good they are planning on preserving it.... but the clock tower base? Who came up with that? Looks ugly to me, and if the spaces between the bricks are open, as it appears, it will quickly fill up will papers and rubbish...why not simply continue with the attractive brick at the top?

Edit: wonder if they could use the tower base for a small commercial spot - crepes to go, of something like that? instead of just a monolith in the courtyard?
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The front page article says that's corten steel, not bricks at the base, and those would be something like glass block in the punched section. Looks great to me, not ugly in the slightest.

One of the reasons not to continue with the same brick as at the top is that you're not kidding people about what sections are honest heritage, and which sections aren't. By using the same corten that they're planning for the base of the tower, you tie the whole project together.

For whatever reason, you don't find this attractive, but it calls out to me as one of the most textural, most engaging street realms planned for any project in town right now, and for me that's very attractive.
 
hmm had not read the front page article...corten steel with glass block is better, but it is still not talking to me......

Do respect your opinion though..
 
I think the new proposed clock tower base rocks. The idea of a creperie operating out of it, however... well, to each his own.
 
I like the steel base too, and i like the fact that this tower will live on as a landmark on Yonge as so many other parts of the street change (as they should, in many cases at least). I mean, it's no Stollery Stone but whatever.
 
Tewder said:
I like the steel base too, and i like the fact that this tower will live on as a landmark on Yonge as so many other parts of the street change (as they should, in many cases at least). I mean, it's no Stollery Stone but whatever.
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I wonder what the original tower looked like - can't seem to find any archival image of it prior to getting "built in".

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
I wonder what the original tower looked like - can't seem to find any archival image of it prior to getting "built in".

AoD
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There are very few photos of the original fire hall / clock tower. Most of those currently available have been posted at the bottom of the front-page story.
 
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