Toronto Maple Leaf Square | 185.92m | 54s | Lanterra | KPMB

mckarisma said:
I think you have your argument backwards. More highways = more people move to live near highways and use highways. Cities are trying to be less car dependent. That doesn't mean trucks are being discouraged, as the majority of traffic is caused by commuting by far, not delivery trucks of various size. What you should be arguing for is less highways, and more restrictions on commuting vehicles, to discourage people living far from a CBD to travel to and from it each day by road. I guarentee if we built more highways, we would have a similar situation to LA's highway system and other major US cities. A system seen as beautiful in the 50s, and seen as a major problem today.
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I would like to agree with you however there is a catch. If you are proposing to ask more people to take transit - you actually have to provide the transit.

I used to take the subway but it is jammed during rush hour and I got tired of being treated like a sardine. They have been on this ridiculous “Transit” mantra for decades now (since stopping the Spadina expressway) and yet there are no new subway lines or other mass transit options available or even underway. The city is still waiting for $200,000,000 dollars in infrastructure money the Federal government promised four years ago – I don’t see it happening. It’s easy to get a bunch of tree huggers to say “tear down the Gardiner” but the reality is there is no impetus from the Federal or Provincial governments to help pay for the necessary transit improvements. If you take down the Gardiner before some major transit improvements, there will be traffic chaos ten times as bad as it is now and then jobs will begin to shift to the suburbs in even greater numbers.
 
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I was @ the ACC for a game tonight and had an opportunity to experience the "square" created by Maple Leaf Square and Telus.

It's going to be amazing when finished. As it stands now, still very much under construction, a great atmosphere is already achieved. I can't wait to see everything all cleaned up and the big screen displays blasting out light. This will be one to rival Yonge-Dundas Sq.
 
It is a great photo Automation, thanks for posting. I'm just not as in love with development south of the highway as some here are, and I think the picture captures the reason why. If you replaced the ACC with a shopping mall like Square One for example does the area really look that vastly different from MCC? I do tend to avoid this area at all costs but when I was stuck there a couple of weeks ago I was very disappointed by Bremner, and this is the street that many here tout as the up and coming urban thoroughfare for the area. I am convinced more and more that condos make for good infill but that condo development does not usually equal good city development. I will grant that the area is still very new and much under construction and hopefully time will improve things here as change starts to happen organically, fingers crossed!

Automation Gallery said:
I couldnt help but snatch this pic from Jasonzed over at Skyscraper City.
What an amazing photo.

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Tewder said:
It is a great photo Automation, thanks for posting. I'm just not as in love with development south of the highway as some here are, and I think the picture captures the reason why. If you replaced the ACC with a shopping mall like Square One for example does the area really look that vastly different from MCC? I do tend to avoid this area at all costs but when I was stuck there a couple of weeks ago I was very disappointed by Bremner, and this is the street that many here tout as the up and coming urban thoroughfare for the area. I am convinced more and more that condos make for good infill but that condo development does not usually equal good city development. I will grant that the area is still very new and much under construction and hopefully time will improve things here as change starts to happen organically, fingers crossed!
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Yes and no! Ignoring all the parking lots ... these buildings, the ones on bremmer seem to meet the street very well - not only that, this whole area is connected to an area which is already developed / urban i.e. Queens Quay (which is improving even more).

I think the combination of factors make this quite different. But the remaining developments will make all the difference.
 
One lot I am curious about is the lot at the lower left corner of the photo, directly west of (=below) the 18 York pit. It looks like it currently houses trailers etc. for the 18 York project.

Has anything been announced for that site, or is it being held for future development? It would be an excellent site for a future office building.
 
I think an application was a submitted a while back for a hotel.

No new information regarding it though
 
That photo should be captioned "Podium Time". I am optomistic that Bremner/Union Station district will be a success. I, however, have a wishlist for how I'd like to see the remaining lots developed.

* More variety in the built form along bremner. For example, I'd like to see brick used as the primary material for the hotel at Simcoe/Bremner. It would be a great way to connect the older buildings on station street and a way to integrate the Roundhouse.

* More accessibility of the cultural diversity in the area. Really, this strip is blessed with the most diverse set landuses and big city amenities. There is no other district like it. It has the CN Tower, ACC, Rogers Centre, Roundhouse, Roundhouse Park Convention Centre and Union Station all within its boundaries. Better signage and neighbourhood identification should be used to flesh out these features.

* More nods to heritage. This is reclaimed railway lands. There should be a museum, or at the vary least, some public art, that speaks to the fascinating history of this area. If Toronto were ever to build a transportation museum, this or Dundas square would be my ideal spots.
 
this area will look alot better in 5-10 years (i know, depressing, since none of us are getting any younger).

but imagine that picture with: PWC, Ice, an office tower at 45 Bay, Success 2, a new park where the bay off-ramp is currently located, and plenty of trees.

the waterfront revitalization should also be done by then.
 
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