Toronto One Bloor East | 257.24m | 76s | Great Gulf | Hariri Pontarini

Because it's still not enough. It's a matter of opinion but I agree with the practising architects who teach me that the standards have been held back from why they could be.

There are many easily implemented changes to code that would make a significant difference.

We can pay ourselves on the back for our standards because they are better than the extremely lax ones that exist around us, or we can push to make the interventions that are necessary I improve.

I like the metaphor of a doctor who passes his exams. I don't want a doctor who just passed, I want a doctor who excels and exceeds the expectations.

I am currently on the road to being LEED AP accredited, and let me tell you-- it's not without its major, systemic flaws.
 
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Superficially they do, yes. But one of the biggest issues in the industry at the moment is that condominiums (obviously the most-constructed type of building in Toronto) are handed over to their new owners and condo corporations and are essentially "out of the developer's hands". Energy use, long-term viability, etc., are not big concerns.

This, combined with lax standards for building energy use, longevity, etc., (thanks, lobbyists!), creates some big issues in the longterm.

Anyways, I don't want to derail this thread but it has to be reiterated on here. Let's not be in denial about the issues that condominium development, in its current form, is presenting to Toronto.

The new condo act should help address some issues here.
 
The new condo act should help address some issues here.

I would doubt that the new condominium act would address issues such as construction standards, energy efficiency, etc. Two reasons - first, the focus of the condominium act is on roles, responsibilities, governance and procedures for the management and operation of a condominium complex, starting with duties and obligations of the declarant prior to turnover of the project to the condominium corporation. Construction standards are outside the scope of the condominium act legislation and regulations. Given the range of building types (including conversions) which can be used for condominiums, establishing a coherent set of construction standards that would be applicable would be a challenge.

The second reason is that if the condominium act were to get involved with construction standards, it would soon find itself in conflict with other areas, such as the building code, and the Tarion warranty program, where issues such as these properly reside. The prospect of having to coordinate parallel updates to multiple acts through legislation would be far worse than the already difficult process of getting a single act updated.
 
Jul 16

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Is there still a possibility Apple might open a two-storey store at the base of 1 Bloor St E.?

The rumors were never really valid. They just come from a lot of us who think a two-storey Apple store would make perfect sense at this location, and that a flagship store in Toronto is greatly needed.
 
When this was a Bazis project, a company rep said at a public consultation that Apple would be one of the retail tenants…

And now the Great Gulf renderings of the podium include a generic computer store at the corner which helps fuel speculation.

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Apple NEVER confirms locations until they have to (black hoarding goes up/positions at the store are advertised/permissions required from the municipality that might identify Apple—whichever comes first).

Across the street, Stollery's still claim that the Apple rumour for that building is just that, a rumour. If Apple has bought 1 Bloor West, Stollery's would have signed a Non-Dosclosure Agreement.

So, for now, who knows?

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Good things come for those who wait. Other than Yonge & Bloor, I could see a couple other viable locations.

In the meantime we have to put up with Apple stores in malls.
 
I think this render from Bazis fueled the idea of an Apple store in this location - coupled with the persistent rumors Apple was looking fr a location for a store here. The render doesn't say "Apple" but the iPod toting banner does convey the idea.

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I still think 205 Yonge, the former Bank of Toronto building, would be a dynamite location for an Apple Store. It's a beautiful landmark building and has plenty of space in there.
 
205 Yonge would be nice but it's a designated heritage site, no? That means Apple won't be able to change a lot, right? The windows are pretty small and would they be allowed to hang up an illuminated apple logo?
 

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