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MetroMan said:
oohh.. I'm getting creative now...

I don't know if the CN Tower can afford a Libeskind but this would be the place for a landmark collection of buildings. New landmark buildings wedged next to two already existing Toronto landmarks.

Imagine a collection of crystals à la ROM lining the sides of the plaza. Using the experience in building the ROM, Libeskind can recreate similar structures on a smaller scale but with glass cladding to allow for views up to the tower.
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Hopefully they would turn out better than The ROM crystal did. What a missed opportunity. It's panels are as uniform as the patches on the CN Tower.
 
Casey's... 5 star... haha!

I would really not want to see fine dining at the base. People want to have affordable options, not only catering for the rich. There is already the 360 in tower anyway.
 
khristopher said:
Casey's... 5 star... haha!

I would really not want to see fine dining at the base. People want to have affordable options, not only catering for the rich. There is already the 360 in tower anyway.
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True. But it's not up to par with Casey's. And if that doesn't work out then St. Hubert's would be a good alternative.
 
There's a Baton Rouge right behind the tower which falls in the Casey's category...

I do see dining as a great use for these spaces.
 
Dugmor said:
Hopefully they would turn out better than The ROM crystal did. What a missed opportunity. It's panels are as uniform as the patches on the CN Tower.
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The mismatching isn't Libeskind's fault, the company that was hired to do the cladding was at fault. I think the ROM should have sued them.

William Thorsell, President of the ROM said that the explanation given to him was that different batches could never be matched perfectly and that with time the panels would even out. Bull crap. The majority of the panels are identical. There are a small amount that don't conform. They should have been redone to match the others.

In private, Thorsell was furious but for good PR he gave a more mellow response to the media and ROM members inquiring.

Anyway, what I'm envisioning would be glass clad buildings to allow for a view of the tower from within the structures.
 
Dugmor said:
True. But it's not up to par with Casey's. And if that doesn't work out then St. Hubert's would be a good alternative.
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St. Huberts is not allowed in Ontario as far as I know. They closed all of the old locations. I think there is some agreement between them and Swiss Chalet to stay off of each other's turf.
 
khristopher said:
St. Huberts is not allowed in Ontario as far as I know. They closed all of the old locations. I think there is some agreement between them and Swiss Chalet to stay off of each other's turf.
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Scores is the new St.Huberts, and it's lovely....their coleslaw is delicious :)
 
khristopher said:
St. Huberts is not allowed in Ontario as far as I know. They closed all of the old locations. I think there is some agreement between them and Swiss Chalet to stay off of each other's turf.
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There was one in my neighbourhood that sat empty for over a decade. But the signage on the roof remained intact. Sadly it wasn't considered a heritage space and was eventually turned into a restaurant/bar. The atmosphere suggested that it was probably being run by a bunch of Double Dragon goons. Back when 'thugs' were 'punks' and wore creeper leather and denim cut off jackets and had tall mullets.

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The key to the CN Tower base is connectivity. How will it connect to the waterfront? How will it connect to Bremner or any of the other important thoroughfares emerging in the area. We already know how it connects to Front and this could probably be improved.

I don't know that restaurants and retail will have much of a chance here save one of a very seasonal and touristy nature like you'd find in Niagara Falls or save a real destination-type one-off that would lure enough locals when the Dome is dark or tourists have left.

A gorgeous plaza with fountains and landscaping etc that serves as a meeting place for crowds during overflow peaks as well as the sort of hub of roads and travel patterns I was referring to above is probably the best bet. I'm just thinking about what I see around the Eiffel tower in Paris which isn't very much other than tourists, and Paris certainly gets a lot of them.


Other than that unless this includes some major anchor of a tourist-type attraction that would also appeal to locals (zoo, aquarium, casino, etc) I think a more modest tower base will likely be adequate.
 
I'll let you know soon enough but I'm sure this is a done deal. My brother put me in touch with a senior management person at the Tower. They should get back to me with some useful info.
 
Really, the main thing will be getting rid of the slope. It kills any potential "hanging out".

I live in the area and often use the area to get anywhere north in the city. It's a quick shortcut to get to Front St and Union, so to me as long as they keep the connectivity with those two, I'll be happy. Mind you I can't imagine them not keeping connections with those two places. They'd be crazy not to.

I don't know if we need something amazing at the site, but it'd be worthwhile ensuring that the tower is the emphasis. Whether we put in rooftop patios and/or gardens, or whatever, it should make people feel like they're under something awesome (in the same way people love to be near the Eiffel Tower). I'd love to see the fountain act as another focal point or even twinned as well. It's probably the most frequented fountain in the city and is a real asset to the area.
 
The SkyWalk will continue to be connected to the CN Tower. In fact, it will be even more so. Currently, the SkyWalk opens to a path lead down to the tower's front plaza. With this plan, it will lead directly into the building without going outside. The CN Tower's base will become a true PATH member.
 
MetroMan said:
The SkyWalk will continue to be connected to the CN Tower. In fact, it will be even more so. Currently, the SkyWalk opens to a path lead down to the tower's front plaza. With this plan, it will lead directly into the building without going outside. The CN Tower's base will become a true PATH member.
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great news MetroMan !! finally there will be a continous sheltered connection from Union Station to CN Tower, they finally figured out that was a missing link ... hope we can see some sneak-preview plans soon :D
 
Tewder said:
The key to the CN Tower base is connectivity. How will it connect to the waterfront? How will it connect to Bremner or any of the other important thoroughfares emerging in the area. We already know how it connects to Front and this could probably be improved.

I don't know that restaurants and retail will have much of a chance here save one of a very seasonal and touristy nature like you'd find in Niagara Falls or save a real destination-type one-off that would lure enough locals when the Dome is dark or tourists have left.

A gorgeous plaza with fountains and landscaping etc that serves as a meeting place for crowds during overflow peaks as well as the sort of hub of roads and travel patterns I was referring to above is probably the best bet. I'm just thinking about what I see around the Eiffel tower in Paris which isn't very much other than tourists, and Paris certainly gets a lot of them.


Other than that unless this includes some major anchor of a tourist-type attraction that would also appeal to locals (zoo, aquarium, casino, etc) I think a more modest tower base will likely be adequate.
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Agreed. This should rival the base of any large landmark in the world.
 
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