Toronto Ryerson Student Learning Centre | 50.59m | 8s | Ryerson University | Zeidler

If you read through Ryerson's Master Plan 2008 http://www.ryerson.ca/about/masterplan/ you'll notice the aggressive project planned for the SLC site. There will definately be a retail component on the ground-level, especially if Ryerson partners with someone like Primaris in order to fund the project. I like the gateway concept they have planned since Ryerson being setback off Yonge doesn't have a visual marker on Yonge Street.
 
A presence on Yonge St. will definitely go a long way in establishing a greater presence for the campus. Despite it's central location it's historically fractured campus of mostly reused non- prestigious architecture has really provided little sense of community. The recent new buildings and Image Arts project have helped boost the schools profile considerably, yet I think still among the general populace and academic community the school is still very much associated with it's polytechnic roots. A more consolidated campus with an entrance on Yonge, along with the MLG project, should help garner this University more attention and hopefully translate into greater academic prestige as well.
 
I've never been a big fan of the idea of Ryerson's 'presence' on Yonge. It becomes just another visual message competing with so many others, and to me Yonge should be about crass commercialism where it should be concentrated around the Yonge/Dundas and Eaton Centre node. The destruction of commercial buildings in the area and the likelihood of the increasing encroachment of Ryerson seems at odds to this. As for Ryerson I've always thought it should have concentrated its gateway/presence east towards Church where there is very little existing identity south of the gay village. Ryerson could really have stamped its mark on this stretch, turning its back on Yonge rather than trying to stick its foot in.
 
Yes excellent point, especially with the more eastward gentrification of the downtown. I suppose a more landmark gateway on Church is still a possibility down the road- even with the new student centre on Yonge.
 
as I've stated before, I take the same position as Tewder - it seems so wrong to have an institutional presence here, I can only see it detracting from the Yonge Street experience for future generations. I also hated the Ryerson presence at Bay and Dundas (not to mention Crappy Tire!) Certainly it would make more sense for them to expand to the east of the existing campus.
 
I like to see things mixed up in this way, Rye High embracing the city rather than trying to go the U of T "Forbidden City" route. I don't really see how it could be otherwise, given the proximity of Yonge.
 
I agree -- Ryerson has always been an urban, downtown institution, intermingled with the rest of the city by necessity. I think that trying to make that a conscious part of the university design, instead of trying to fight against it, makes a lot of sense.
 
I also hated the Ryerson presence at Bay and Dundas (not to mention Crappy Tire!) Certainly it would make more sense for them to expand to the east of the existing campus.
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Not a fan of the new business building, but is it really the Ryerson presence you hate (which amount to what, an entrance in the middle of the block, and the lack of presence above the street level) or the generally sub-par built form which is dictated by a) the parking garage and b) the big box stores? And do recall what was at that corner prior and it wasn't exactly much of a presence of any kind either.

AoD
 
Indeed just by proximity I believe the campus will have to be open to the city. It will never have the traditional campus grounds and openness that you see at UofT. Ryerson afterall evolved from a very small post war technical school and slowly spread into acquired buildings designed for other purposes. However one already gets the sense of walking through an institution in that area, largely due to the newer purpose built campus buildings and proliferation of Ryerson signage.
 
Yes, I'm not sure that Yonge/Dundas needs more institutional buildings, and we've seen how Ryerson handles retail...

I'm a little concerned that the further encroachment of Ryerson, along with the mall effect of the Eaton Centre, may prove the coup de grace for retail in an area that seems to be holding on to it so precariously. Yonge Street has already lost so much of what made it vibrant and urban. And it's not like I'm suggesting we build a wall around Ryerson either. Ryerson can still have gateways, and Ryerson will always be a part of downtown, naturally flowing to Yonge and Church.... which come to think of it *is* the very antithesis of an isolated 'campus'.

Having said all this, If Ryerson handles the mix well, respecting what Yonge/Dundas is while adding its presence, then I guess there would be no loss. Such a big 'if' though!
 
But even as Ryerson goes up on Yonge Street, so does Aura, with its large retail podium base filling in a long time empty space. And no doubt Aura will encourage other development and retail along Yonge. I think it is very early to ring the death knell of retail on Yonge.
 
I think the elimination of vehicular traffic on Gould St has given Ryerson a sense of a 'main street', allowing it to turn in on itself, while at the same time reach out to present more of a face to the rest of the city.

I do agree with others though, that a 'gateway' on Church St would be beneficial, because there is a pretty clear deliniation along Church St what is 'Ryerson' and what isn't. That block between Gerrard and Carlton though is a bit of a no-man's land in terms of identity though. Too north to be Ryerson, too south to be the Gay Village. Although with Ryerson doing the whole MLG thing, Ryerson will hopefully push further north, filling the gap.
 
341 YONGE ST
OPA / Rezoning 11 146654 STE 27 OZ Ward 27
- Tor & E.York Mar 16, 2011 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Standard Rezoning application for new 8 stories (plus mechanical) Student Centre for Ryerson University - with retail at and below grade - No Parking. Library and Study space. - Please see 11 146675 STE 27 OZ for Rezoning Application
341 YONGE ST
Site Plan Approval 11 146675 STE 27 SA Ward 27
- Tor & E.York Mar 16, 2011 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Standard Site Plan Approval application for new 8 stories (plus mechanical) Student Centre for Ryerson University - with retail at and below grade - No Parking. Library and Study space. - Please See 11 146654 STE 27 OZ for Rezoning Application
Click to expand...

From toronto.ca dev aps.
 
There was a lot of activity down there yesterday when I was by. Looked like they'd dug up a bunch of random spots
 
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