Toronto Park Hyatt Renovation | 62.48m | 18s | Oxford Properties | KPMB

interchange42 said:
Some scenes from the preview opening, last night;
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I apologize for referring those installations to as "Your-in-alls", Mr. 42. I should of known better even if I was just joking. They're very Henry Moore'ish in retrospect...and that's good thing, IMO.

I just also wanted to note while passing there to drop off my current opinion on federal politics (read: I voted) over the weekend, that lobby entrance where those sculptures are is absolutely huge! None of the wonderful photos of this place does it quite justice in scale as walking directly under it. It made me feel tiny, tiny...and I wasn't quite expecting that.
 
1936:

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The only regret is that we didn't build 50+ buildings like this all over the city. Buildings from that era have stood the test of time. They're elegant, refined, and their heaviness give a neighbourhood a sense of solidity and permanence. This is something lacking in many of the glassy buildings that have risen 1990-2020.
 
Khaloody said:
Nice but lacks trees/landscaping along Avenue road. This city lacks landscaping
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They did do the sidewalk in granite.

There is no room for trees along side this building; that may change if the City agrees to narrow/road diet Avenue Road, it will depend even then on what space is allocated to cycle tracks (something I favour which reduces the amount by the which the sidewalk here might be widened.
 
Yes, pedestrianization of city streets hasn't really taken hold in Toronto yet. When we do reduce the number of car lanes, the results often fall short (like happened on Bloor through the Annex). We could have had both a bike lane and wide sidewalks but they tried to accommodate street parking too when there just isn't room for it.

2 steps forward and 1 step back seems to be where we're at but I can't see us going on like this much longer. I suspect we'll get both wider sidewalks and trees on Avenue Road but we might have to wait another 5-10 years to achieve it. Hopefully, the trees are between the bike lane and the car lane instead of the bike lane and the sidewalk.
 
The space where Annona restaurant was (not sure when it closed) — next door north of the lobby along Avenue Road — is reopening today for a holidays themed pop-up bar — called Bothy at the Park (bothy is a Scots/Irish word for a small cottage) — operating until January 1, Thursdays through Sundays only. A party was held there last night to launch it, and I thought they did a great job with the space. It's part gutted-concrete-and-pipes chic, and part Winter Wonderland, there's a really relaxing scent in the air, good dj, really nice nibbly bits to eat, great vibe all 'round, Toronto needs more of these holiday fun spots! Here are a few pics from last night!

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From the drinks menu above, the Alpine Lights, below. Too sweet for me in that quantity, but it has a somewhat luminescent sparkle in it (citrus pulp maybe, only guessing from the ingredient list) and will appeal to others!

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If you're like me, however, you want the off-menu Holidiay Mojito served to you by the tray-load (DO NOT drink a tray-load!!!). All the cocktails are inventive (and definitely special-party-priced). Frankly, I hope this place will be popular enough that they extend it another week or two into January!

42
 
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