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

dt_toronto_geek said:
Can't developers leave one corner alone? More quality buildings on Yonge Street will bite the dust if something significant goes up here plus getting in and out of the parking garage at this corner will be a nightmare, presuming it's a condo.[/URL]
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Sadly the Stollery's building has been as good as demolished since its unfortunate third story addition, and tacky roof signage. Clearly there are some interesting Deco touches still visible, as well as the somewhat unique (for Toronto) Spanish tiling, but ultimately it's no surprise to learn that the clock is ticking on this one.

If we are to get a truly distinct or well-designed proposal for this site, any attempt at facadism would undermine both the new design and the original Stollery's building. It goes against every instinct in my body, but I say let this one retire to the history books.
 
I agree with egotrippin and AoD on this. I have some affection for Stollery's as is, but not enough to wish to ruin what could be a very significant project (if enough land is assembled here). Yonge & Bloor should be a landmark location in this city.

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I still think you could keep the original bottom two floors and build on top of that and it would look as good or better than other projects that have kept its base. (Burano for example.) With that being said, the current base of two floors might be too small of a podium for a large tower but I really like those two bottom floors. Hope it can be kept.
 
The Stollery's bulding is not listed as far as I know, but it is art deco and downtown Toronto really lacks many buildings of this era. It would really be shame to lose it. An element of facadism could be a possibility, no?

The architecture firm who designed it was Stephen B Coon & Sons who did a number of other buildings in the neighbourhood, including the University Apartments building at 8 St. Thomas and the co-op 2 Sultan Street, both of which are still around and I think add to the character of the neighbourhood.
 
greenleaf said:
The architecture firm who designed it was Stephen B Coon & Sons who did a number of other buildings in the neighbourhood, including the University Apartments building at 8 St. Thomas and the co-op 2 Sultan Street, both of which are still around and I think add to the character of the neighbourhood.
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Wasn't one of the University Apartments demolished to make way for St. Thomas condos? We're losing way too much heritage for more bloody condos which is why I'm totally opposed to anything on this site.
 
dt_toronto_geek said:
Wasn't one of the University Apartments demolished to make way for St. Thomas condos? We're losing way too much heritage for more bloody condos which is why I'm totally opposed to anything on this site.
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Correct. It is too bad. For what it's worth though, while the one that was demolished (6 St. Thomas) looked the same on the outside, it was constructed on the cheap with worse materials and was built about a decade after 8 St. Thomas, if my memory of my research is correct (I lived at 8 St. T for a couple of years and was curious about the building).
 
Egotrippin makes some good points. If the rumors regarding the size of this potential project are remotely right the scale would make it all wrong for Stollery's. We'd lose a little character for sure but I don't know if there is enough of a case for heritage to risk what could be a significant trade off. Where is Adma?
 
I could see the Stollery's facade wrapping the elevator core inside the lobby of a new office building on the site (and still visible from the street at night).
 
The bad news is that the recent sale was actually only a partial sale, consisting of a 3/8 interest in the site. The other 5/8 is still owned by three other individuals. If any of these three had intended to sell, I would assume that it would have been done at the same time as the recent sale.

Further complications: this site is pretty small, and the existing Stollery's is also pretty small. In addition they are separated by a private lane, which also serves some other properties. I can't see any development at all unless this lane were to be closed, requiring the consent of two or three other parties.

Don't hold your breath waiting for anything at all to happen here. I'd love to see something. Just talking casually and hypothetically, I'd like to see a major developer do an assembly of four or five properties, and then do something major and iconic, preferably retail and office. The present Stollery's store is mildly interesting, but I think its architectural integrity was largely ruined when the top floor was added a number of years ago. Short of some kind of facadism (please, spare us!), I would think any new development here would mean the demolition of Stollery's. I for one would not be shedding too many tears.
 
Observer Walt said:
The present Stollery's store is mildly interesting, but I think its architectural integrity was largely ruined when the top floor was added a number of years ago. Short of some kind of facadism (please, spare us!), I would think any new development here would mean the demolition of Stollery's. I for one would not be shedding too many tears.
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The whole corner and adjacent properties are a dump and all pretty well have had a “Hack Job†done through-out the years...
most wouldn't shed a tear over any of it.
I wouldn't mind to see Bazis back with a similar plan of what they had for across the street.
 
officedweller said:
I could see the Stollery's facade wrapping the elevator core inside the lobby of a new office building on the site (and still visible from the street at night).
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Sounds almost like a "Savarin Tavern" solution (i.e. the old facade now interiorized as part of Turf Lounge on Bay)

Oh, and it does look like Stollery's never made it to the inventory. BTW personally, I *don't* think the present upper floor detracts that fatally...
 
I wouldn't want to see the Stollery building go, it adds some historical interest to an intersection that is almost entirely modern on all the other corners. If a new tall tower were to come and nearby lots were assembled, I'd prefer if Scotiabank and H&M sites took the tower while Stollery's and the buildings on Yonge got refurbished much like what is being done with the Five Condo further south.
Even if none of that happens, please somebody remove the awful green paint on the poor building just to the south.
 
Observer Walt said:
Further complications: this site is pretty small, and the existing Stollery's is also pretty small. In addition they are separated by a private lane, which also serves some other properties. I can't see any development at all unless this lane were to be closed, requiring the consent of two or three other parties.
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That lane-way serves Yonge Street businesses nearly down to the Charles Street Promenade apartments and does indeed have several owners.

ToroTO said:
I wouldn't want to see the Stollery building go, it adds some historical interest to an intersection that is almost entirely modern on all the other corners. If a new tall tower were to come and nearby lots were assembled, I'd prefer if Scotiabank and H&M sites took the tower while Stollery's and the buildings on Yonge got refurbished much like what is being done with the Five Condo further south. Even if none of that happens, please somebody remove the awful green paint on the poor building just to the south.
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Agreed re: H&M/Scotiabank properties if people are so obsessed with having a highrise on that corner. The Burgundy's/Florida Jacks building does indeed need that patchwork of green paint stripped and attention to a few other details too. There are 3 or 4 other buildings of note between Bloor & Charles on the west side that badly need some attention yet still have the potential to be beautifully restored instead of being bulldozed.
 
If it comes to it I say knock it down... I'm not that fond of the design. Although my dislike of the building might be mostly fueled by my dislike of the window displays.

I'm just sayin...
 
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