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OT - The railway tracks are not aesthetically questionable - the Gardiner is; also, the former does not suffer the ill effects of having a high speed roadway underneath it either.

Perhaps a selective rebuild of the Gardiner might be a good idea - just thinking of a scenario where you have different architects designing rebuilds of the elevated expressway at key intersections (e.g. Bathurst, Spadina, York, Bay, Yonge, Jarvis) and create decent portals for the view corridors. Or say, have Frank Gehry design a underside cladding for the entire length of the expressway and create an illuminated artspace. Ah, the possibilities.

AoD
 
I believe the Gardiner and the Lakeshore are not such a big problem. The REAL problem is the railway tracks. Highways you can walk under, streets you can cross. But there are only a couple of tunnels to get across the railway tracks - hence , "north core" and "south core" will never likely meet.

I say bury the tracks. Toronto's version of the "Big Dig".
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You've obviously have never walked down there. Walking under the rail lines is easy. Crossing Lake Shore not so much.
 
Why can't the GE's concrete pillars be given a coat or four of bright colourful paint, perhaps with sculptural qualities mimicking tree trunks... take a look: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottnorsworthy/2241285956/

Of course, LT solution is to deck over the RR tracks with a new GE replacement, if you look at the route it takes it would solve all the traffic problems in the city--west would dump you on the QEW west of humber bay area, NW would dump on on the Black Creek route; East onto Kingston Rd etc.

Let's call this new highway the "Ford Way." :)
 
Edward said:
You've obviously have never walked down there. Walking under the rail lines is easy. Crossing Lake Shore not so much.
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You are so right! It's waiting for the lights on Lakeshore, then not being given enough time to cross both lanes of traffic, that really pisses me off. Going under the railway is no problem at all. It takes less than 30 seconds, so how is it a physical barrier?
 
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Is there really a long term solution that doesn't require taking down the GE anyway? How long was it originally built to last for? Its integrity is already starting to look a little questionable, to my untrained eye at least.
 
Edward said:
You've obviously have never walked down there. Walking under the rail lines is easy. Crossing Lake Shore not so much.
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Not true a at all, I walk down there all the time. Crossing Lakeshore is not simple, but there sre crosswalks at the intersections AND it's far, far easier than crossing the tracks. Haven't you ever been in the tunnel (walking that is) thinking there isn't enough oxygen to keep you alive till you exit the other end? You suck up more exhaust in that ten minutes than you do the rest of the year combined.
 
I don't mind walking under the tracks (sometimes) as a kind of 'industrial interlude' between regular ol' downtown and what's going on south of it. The teamways have helped a lot to make them humane, as has the recent GO access renovations.
I remember when in the late '70's, the tunnels for roads under the rails were a lot longer than they are now. They were a formidable barrier then - now, not so much. Now, choosing between which obstacle to the waterfront you dislike the most is almost an exercise in taste, instead of a horrible fact.
I wish more north-south streets had underpasses under the viaducts though. Church Street might be be the worst casualty - since it dead-ened at the viaduct, the people who built the co-op there put up a flourescently-lit, concrete parking garage as it's termination. I wouldn't mind seeing that go.

Perhaps a selective rebuild of the Gardiner might be a good idea - just thinking of a scenario where you have different architects designing rebuilds of the elevated expressway at key intersections (e.g. Bathurst, Spadina, York, Bay, Yonge, Jarvis) and create decent portals for the view corridors. Or say, have Frank Gehry design a underside cladding for the entire length of the expressway and create an illuminated artspace. Ah, the possibilities.
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Heee! That sounds like fun. LED Lighting's a good start (colours that 'follow' the cars on Lakeshore along the underside of the Gardiner could be an attraction on their own) - but how about hardcore recladding of pillars and undersides (glass, stainless steel), innovative uses (skateboard parks, sculptural spots, unusual kiosks), attached walking and bicycle lanes to the onramps and gardiner itself? Plus nifty things like light-up inbedded pavements and crosswalks, hanging gardens and fixtures (industrial-strength chandeliers?), steampunk for the rails...etc.

Lots could be done.
 
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Ideally, the railway viaduct and the GE would be buried to restore vistas of Lake Ontario from Front Street and downtown in general. I would include that in a 100 year master plan for the city. But in the interim, I like the idea of urban design investments to make the spaces under the Gardiner more comfortable and alluring for pedestrians and for interesting new views from afar. There's something about those spaces as they currently stand that feels alienating to me as a pedestrian, like it's purely machine space with the pedestrian as an interloper. It has been softened already and made more inviting at some points, but crossing under the Gardiner often still has that feel.
 
A development board is up on site now.... the rendering looks blah... and it says twin 70 storey towers too.
 
Wouldn't it be fun if a 40 Wall St. vs. Chrysler Building type rivalry between Menkes vs. Tridel. Imagine, Tridel starts with a 75s, 240M design. Menkes changes their twin 70s design to an 80s, 270M and 60s, 225M. Tridel is approved an additional 10s, thanks to their in at build Toronto and is now 85s, 280M. But they also changed their plan to accommodate a 60M spire. bring its total height to 340M. The Menkes folks get wind of it from a leak by a UrbanToronto insider, and apply for addition density with the promise of reducing their smaller tower to 45s. The taller one jumps to 95s, 310M and adds a 40M spire to top out at 350M. While racing to completion, a worldwide recession hits. Construction is halted, and both buildings are no more than 10s concrete stumps.
 
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LOL, toto, love it, except for the last bit....
 
I havent figured out how to operate the flash on my new phone yet... if no one has a picture tomorrow I'll be sure to post one myself as I'll be armed with my dslr tomorrow...
 
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