Toronto Market Street Redevelopment | ?m | 2s | Woodcliffe | Taylor Smyth

egotrippin said:
I'm also really hoping the pedestrianization of Market Street happens, since the preliminary plans look fantastic.
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On October 4 the Toronto and East York Community Council passed this:

The Toronto and East York Community Council:

1. Directed the General Manager, Transportation Services, to report at the earliest opportunity to Toronto and East York Community Council on all required approvals and agreements necessary for the enhanced Market Street streetscape project.

I assume the time for streetscape work has really now passed until next April so I remain optimistic it will be done next summer. The local BIA is in favour as is Pam McConnell.
 
The historicist facade looks impressively authentic. It's inspiring to see such work because I think that there are cases when it's worth rebuilding heritage architecture that was needlessly demolished for plazas and architecturally dull developments, or poor-quality speculative apartments, strip malls or parking lots. It's a way of restoring our lost heritage because heritage isn't just about the age of the bricks. Age is important for perceptions of authenticity, and preserving old buildings is the most logical and practical route to keeping our heritage alive since it was built with different expertise and craftsmanship than that of the mainstream today. But if a building design in the 19th century was a sophisticated accomplishment in our society, then it may be worth bringing it back to life. That's arguably the ultimate commitment to heritage: nothing can take it away, and it's at the core of our culture and fills us with pride. We should be proud of the fine buildings that we have built in Toronto since the city's first century. We need all the practice we can get to rebuild the expertise to get the fine details right.
 
The temporary LCBO on the main floor of the 'new' Market Street building is being fitted out, lots of shelving is up and there are even new carts. Staff in the old store say they will be moving on December 5. As soon as the current store is empty they will start renovating it and linking it to the upper floor of the 'new' Market Street building and when that's all ready they will move back and the ground floor will become cafes or ?? The loading dock area of the new store will be accessed through the still half-finished building at the corner of The Esplanade and Market.
 
DSC said:
I think that most of the bricks are actually old, just from elsewhere. Some from the old building were saved and the structure of the old wall was held up by scaffolding during the reconstruction.
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About 70% of the original bricks were re-used in the project. The existing bricks were carefully taken off the old facade and then flipped around as they were re-installed. In other words, what was once the back face of the brick, became the new front face of the brick. The remaining 30% of the bricks were in too rough of shape (chipped, split, broken) and therefore could not be re-used. Replacement bricks were shipped over from England where they still manufacture to the original size used 130 years ago. All brick manufacturers in Canada & the US have switched over to a different size which made their implementation impossible. All the existing keystones, window sills, sill brackets & skewbacks were saved and re-installed as the wall was re-constructed. The application of Lime based mortar was specified in keeping with the historic accuracy of the project.
 
gadamz said:
About 70% of the original bricks were re-used in the project. The existing bricks were carefully taken off the old facade and then flipped around as they were re-installed. In other words, what was once the back face of the brick, became the new front face of the brick. The remaining 30% of the bricks were in too rough of shape (chipped, split, broken) and therefore could not be re-used. Replacement bricks were shipped over from England where they still manufacture to the original size used 130 years ago. All brick manufacturers in Canada & the US have switched over to a different size which made their implementation impossible. All the existing keystones, window sills, sill brackets & skewbacks were saved and re-installed as the wall was re-constructed. The application of Lime based mortar was specified in keeping with the historic accuracy of the project.
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Wow. Thanks for sharing the info. The brick manufacturer info is particularly enlightening. I had no idea.
 
gadamz said:
About 70% of the original bricks were re-used in the project. The existing bricks were carefully taken off the old facade and then flipped around as they were re-installed. In other words, what was once the back face of the brick, became the new front face of the brick. The remaining 30% of the bricks were in too rough of shape (chipped, split, broken) and therefore could not be re-used. Replacement bricks were shipped over from England where they still manufacture to the original size used 130 years ago. All brick manufacturers in Canada & the US have switched over to a different size which made their implementation impossible. All the existing keystones, window sills, sill brackets & skewbacks were saved and re-installed as the wall was re-constructed. The application of Lime based mortar was specified in keeping with the historic accuracy of the project.
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Thanks for the details, it REALLY looks VERY nice - a fitting tribute to Paul Oberman.
 
That these streets are being transformed into a market district is fantastic and long awaited. After visiting the Byward Market in Ottawa a few years ago I couldn't understand why a similar ambiance hadn't been established around the St. Lawrence Market.

http://www.byward-market.com/
 
ProjectEnd said:
The architect's website indicates that it will be 'retail.'
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I thought a few pages ago someone mentioned it was to be a high end restaurant. Certainly looks like it could be, with the design of the second floor windows looking out onto to the future park and the renderings showing a patio in front of the building.
 
The City's proposed Capital Budget for 2012 has this item in it: "Renovation of St. Lawrence Market South is a new $1.260 million project funded from debt. This project will create approximately 4,000 square feet of prime rentable street frontage space."
I assume this is to do something with the Market Street side of the SLM and tie it into the building opposite and the whole revitalisation of Market Street and its possible (probable?) pedestrianisation.
 
Before & After

Before & After
 

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DSC:

Maybe it's renovating the space occupied by Market Gallery - which is one of city museums to be closed - for rental space?

AoD
 
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