Toronto Manulife Centre Podium and Streetscape Renewal | 9.75m | 2s | Manulife Real Estate | MdeAS Architects

My eyes.


I'm not saying the before is much better, but holy cow, that last image screams "contemporary monochrone" like no tomorrow. We all know Toronto is a grey city, why celebrate it inside as well as out?

I'm glad I havent passed this renovation in a while. The podium here was never too great, but this cheaply done method of renewing exteriors looks awful.
 
When I first glanced I thought the older yellow hallway photo was the completed renovation, and I was like...hmmm... small improvement I suppose. ;)
 
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The new cladding is lit.
 
I am sure JLL and Manulife are thinking about the rest of the building. Their rents are all-inclusive, and the tower is older and energy inefficient; most of my windows are originals and date back to 1974. Heating and cooling are done with PTAC units - I like them as you can switch from heating to air conditioning whenever you want (outside temps permitting), but the insulation around them isn't great.
 
I guess somebody thought it would be cool to install LED panels there, but they have no discernible use whatsoever, unless they wish to annoy residents across the street.

In other news, Manulife asked for an insignificant 0.9% additional rent increase this year for all the renovations, so I won't take to the barricades just yet.
 
Hopefully they are programmable so they can display artworks like this one on the project that Westbank just sold in Vancouver:

dailyhive.com

New illuminated public art installation at Davie Safeway officially unveiled | Urbanized

The "Zephyr" lighting public art installation at the Davie Safeway grocery store in downtown Vancouver's West End is subtle.
dailyhive.com dailyhive.com

dailyhive.com

New illuminated public artwork shines bright in Vancouver's West End | Urbanized

Pink Apocalypse by Vancouver-based artist Neil Campbell has been revealed on the façade of 1661 Davie Street.
dailyhive.com dailyhive.com
 
...it's very apparent that the owners/developers of this tower are embarrassed of this tower's legacy as we are of alterations they've made in attempt to cover that up. /sigh
 
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