Toronto The One | 308.6m | 85s | Tridel | Foster + Partners

Toronto was finally set to enter a new tier in "Big City" and "World Class" scale projects, but alas, no. Toronto has just been sent back down to the minors; House League thinking and disappointing decision all the way. Why am I not surprised. 300 metres is not the next level and does not achieve "Supertall" status. It has to be 1000' tall to be truly recognized as such, and even though very close, it becomes less about the final height and much more about the "small town" and "just not ready yet" mindset this town has developed---This is the reputation Toronto has earned in the global community. Sad.
 
It's not just about one project, it's the cumulative affect of decades of small-minded thinking and petty nimby-ism. This decision is icing on a sagging multi-tiered wanna-be wedding cake. Trust me, global investors do take notes.

Though the city has grown, there have been so many wasted opportunities, including: subway expansion, high-speed rail lines, waterfront development, infrastructure renewals and upgrades, easing of universal height restrictions and high-density planning, highway and city street improvements, parks and green space revival and community integration, sustainable occupancy and alternative/renewable energy development, improvements to Toronto Hydro electrical grid (including burying service lines) incentives to attract multi-national foreign companies, social programs and housing, and of course, The Leafs.
 
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Yeah, it's decades of shameful squandering of opportunities. Why, just look how little the city has changed in the last twenty years. Hardly any new buildings or population growth at all.

Riiiiiiiight.
 
maestro said:
My guess heighters tend to be GTA tourist and/or daily commuters.
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wmedia said:
While I'm just as disappointed about the height reduction, to claim this is somehow affecting our global reputation is laughable.
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It's been a really rough week for the crybabies who insist that Toronto is a global backwater until we get a bunch of pencil-thin, unoccupied luxury eyesores for the billionaire class to live in 3 days a year.

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Seriously, if people gave as much care and thought to affordable, family housing as they do about "luxury" towers full of 400sq.ft. one-bedroom units, then we might be able to deserve that arbitrary, BS "world class" moniker so many like to bandy around. Until then, it's just the equivalent of the architecturally-inclined whipping out their members and feeling inadequate.
 
DarkSideDenizen said:
It's not just about one project, it's the cumulative affect of decades of small-minded thinking and petty nimby-ism. This decision is icing on a sagging multi-tiered wanna-be wedding cake. Trust me, global investors do take notes.

Though the city has grown, there have been so many wasted opportunities, including: subway expansion, high-speed rail lines, waterfront development, infrastructure renewals and upgrades, easing of universal height restrictions and high-density planning, highway and city street improvements, parks and green space revival and community integration, sustainable occupancy and alternative/renewable energy development, improvements to Toronto Hydro electrical grid (including burying service lines) incentives to attract multi-national foreign companies, social programs and housing, and of course, The Leafs.
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I think you are dumping a whole lot of angst into an issue that doesn't have to do with any of it. Honestly, if it was the old way of doing things, they would have canned Foster and got Kirkor or G+C for the job instead. Or better yet went straight for them and saved themselves some pricey architectural fees.

I mean if we are *really* honest with ourselves, I have a feeling some might be happier with said lesser firms building a mediocre tower at the original height, vs. A shorter tower by Foster, because we rather have a crappy buffet than molecular cuisine. If so, I think the "world class" notion got some way to go yet.

As to the Leafs, just how world class is it to keep rooting for the loser and feeding cash to the machine?

AoD
 
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I'm surprised by the melodramatic reactions to something rather trivial and arbitrary. If the height of the tallest building is that significant to your view of a city's greatness, we have something far taller than this tower was ever proposed to be.
 
wmedia said:
While I'm just as disappointed about the height reduction, to claim this is somehow affecting our global reputation is laughable.
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Sorry to tell you but having traveled around the world now, I have heard many other people's thoughts on Toronto... And where it stands. And sadly it's very true that people think of Toronto as "cute" or " getting there" in regards to heights and glamour.

So then this all being said here means you have all accept that Toronto is at its peak with anything truly special. (Height wise) Yes this building is still going to be a looker. There are plenty of other opportunities in the future in areas where surely a shadow isn't an issue. It's just disappointing tho think we could have just about had something real special here and that might have gained us "some" bragging rights.again at least in terms of a monster building.
 
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ptbotrmpfn said:
Sorry to tell you but having traveled around the world now, I have heard many other people's thoughts on Toronto... And where it stands. And sadly it's very true that people think of Toronto as "cute" or " getting there" in regards to heights and glamour.
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And sadly, people still try to pawn off personal anecdote as irrevocable truth.
 
ptbotrmpfn said:
Sorry to tell you but having traveled around the world now, I have heard many other people's thoughts on Toronto... And where it stands. And sadly it's very true that people think of Toronto as "cute" or " getting there" in regards to heights and glamour.
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Just where are you travelling to? I can't imagine anyone with credibility assessing Toronto's stature based on building heights. Besides, have they ever heard of the CN Tower? You know, tallest structure in the world for decades.
 
Tewder said:
Just where are you travelling to? I can't imagine anyone with credibility assessing Toronto's stature based on building heights. Besides, have they ever heard of the CN Tower? You know, tallest structure in the world for decades.
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Because gawd knows Aura is real world-class. Probably wins the spandrel olympics or something.

AoD
 
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