Toronto Ontario Court of Justice Toronto | 95.7m | 17s | Infrastructure ON | Renzo Piano

April 2, 2021:

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The details are great up close. From Nathan Phillips Square, though, it looks like a background building as opposed to a landmark at the moment. It might be better when the transparent lobby is finished because the lobby should add a lot of interest to the exterior.
 
I wish I had my phone with me the other morning to take a picture. I woke up early to walk my dog and looking across Nathan Phillips to this building just before sunrise was just amazing. It really fills a nice background behind City Hall's curved towers. In retrospect, I'm really glad that this court isn't too ostentatious. It defers to the real star on the block.
 
I was wondering what those knobby bits on top were for...I guess it was to help hold something much more grander.
 
Besides how understatedly beautiful this building is, the second major benefit is indirect: it'll soon free up Old City Hall and its surrounding grounds to be restored and reach its potential as one of Toronto's top historical landmarks in the heart of downtown. Bay Street needs a complete re-think from its highway edges as it meets Nathan Phillips Square and Old City Hall and I think once this new court is finished, redeveloping Old City Hall's grounds will be a catalyst for fixing Bay Street.

On that point, and turning it back to the project at hand, are there plans to fix up Armory and Chestnut streets? Both could use a good bit of TLC. The way this new court's soaring lobby opens up to the street will be a good start, but the sidewalks are too narrow for such a big institutional space and haven't been repaved in what seems like decades.
 
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..... it'll soon free up Old City Hall and its surrounding grounds to be restored and reach its potential as one of Toronto's top historical landmarks in the heart of downtown. Bay Street needs a complete away re-think from its highway edges as it meets Nathan Phillips Square and Old City Hall and I think once this new court is finished, redeveloping Old City Hall's grounds will be a catalyst for fixing Bay Street.

Yes, please.
On that point, and turning it back to the project at hand, are there plans to fix up Armory and Chestnut streets? Both could use a good bit of TLC. The way this new court's souring lobby opens up to the street will be a good start, but the sidewalks are too narrow for such a big institutional space and haven't been repaved in what seems like decades.

There is money in the budget for Armoury Street streetscape improvements.

I don't believe there's anything for Chestnut, though the sidewalk immediately adjacent to the building will be redone.
 

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