Toronto Waterlink at Pier 27 | 43.89m | 14s | Cityzen | a—A

[adma]

It's just my opinion that the factory no longer belongs in this area, not only because of the rise in land values, but also because of its position between Corus Quay and Pier 27.

Though the ironic thing here is: what's the name of the park around Corus Quay--Sugar Beach, named after...


That said, back to ladyscraper's

I have never heard anyone mention that sugar factory as detrimental to the city's image except for you just now.

I'd beg to differ: however untutored (or not), I *have* sensed a certain not-*too*-uncommon perspective of Redpath as an "urban detriment". And yes, a lot of that has to do with the "dead zone" natural condition of active industrial operations, esp. highlighted against a tableau of pending urban redevelopment all around. Indeed, even certain of Redpath's *architectural* defenders are resigned to the possibility that Redpath may, just may, choose to bail from the site someday, and that nothing's eternal. (And we must keep in mind the controversially enduring dormancy of Victory Soya and Canada Malting, too.)

So, it isn't so much that ahmad.m.atiya is labelling Redpath an "urban detriment": it's that he's labelling it from the perspective of McMansion-level, EIFS-quoins-reclad-level abject ignorance--the "little architectural knowledge" crowd...

 

[dcc008]

I love the smell of Redpath on days the wind comes rolling in from the lake.

The only thing obnoxious about Redpath is that damn mural of whales!!

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

The only thing obnoxious about Redpath is that damn mural of whales!!

I don't mind Redpath -- it's kind of an awe-inspiring view from Sugar Beach when they've got a freighter docked. That having been said, it's a pain to walk/bike beside or on the tracks past the sugar shack if you're on the south side of QQ. When/if they get the proper bike path in, I'll be all for leaving Redpath as is.

 

[Urban Shocker]

I've got my "bigger picture" sights set on Redpath - 20 or 30 years hence - as Distillery District II.

 

[Mongo]

I could see the main Redpath "shed" repurposed some day, into a St. Lawrence Market type of structure.

 

[adma]

The only thing obnoxious about Redpath is that damn mural of whales!!

I was *wondering* when someone would mention that...

 

[adHominem]

I love the smell of Redpath on days the wind comes rolling in from the lake.

The only thing obnoxious about Redpath is that damn mural of whales!!

I've often wanted to modify the mural - paint in a little Spock in a white terrycloth robe, swimming with them.

 

[Tewder]

A mural of zebra mussels would be more apt.

 

[barrytron3030]

It would be nice if they could extend the sidewalk in front of RedPath and include some trees and benches. Other than that, I say leave it as it is. It's a landmark and not something that can easily be replaced.

The only conceivable (but not necessary) grievance residents could claim against Redpath would be its smell and noise. To which I reply: "Next time, don't buy a condo next to factory!"

 

[T-Bor]

I think a lot of the inevitable (in my opinion) exit of redpath is how much money the city has. I sure as hell hope they don't just sell it to a developer and let them do what they want - though I can't imagien they would. As someone said i'd love to see a st lawrence style market or something here.

 

[interchange42]

How much money the City has? Meaning you hope that the City will offer to buy the site from Redpath? Don't hold your breath: there is neither the money to throw around, nor the will, as the City would not like to lose the jobs that the Redpath plant provides in Toronto.

 

[interchange42]

Just a reminder of what is under construction here at the moment:


We'll start by swooping in from the east...

The southwest buildings are the first phase of the project. Including the linking bridge, they are 14 storeys tall. The bridge contains penthouse units.

The opposite view of the same pair: the southwest buildings from the north, looking towards the harbour of course.

We swing around to the east side for a view to the west, although in reality this view will never materialize: the second phase southeast buildings are being constructed concurrently, and they are closer to the first phase than the viewpoint in this rendering.

This rendering brings us down to ground level for a close look at the fronts of the townhomes that are merely glimpsed in the rendering above.

This viewpoint is from high in the easterly of the southwest pair of buildings, looking through the courtyard towards the harbour.

Down at ground level in the same courtyard, we look to the southeast towards the outdoor pool.

As mentioned above, the second phase, a pair of buildings in the southeast corner of the site, are also under construction now. Here we look northeast from in front of the overhanging first phase.

Looking north towards the phase two buildings, we can see how long and narrow the most easterly component of the project is. This building, the only one currently being built all the way up to Queens Quay, will form a wall to separate the residential and park uses here from the industrial uses of the Redpath sugar plant to the east. Units in the building will face west and south only, as the east side will be taken up by hallways. The east wall facing Redpath will not be blank: clerestory windows will let light into the halls and keep the facade visually interesting from the east.

If you want a look at the east side, and many more views of the project as a whole, check out the video created for Waterlink at Pier 27:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/user/CityzenGroup#p/u/20/JD7Cabd2tN8[/video]


Meanwhile, the light's dropping. A look back at the southwest buildings, first looking north from the harbour, then looking southeast from the slip and across the park.

G'night.

42

 

[DSC]

I notice that they show the development going right up to the Yonge Street slip. I understood that the lot right at the foot of Yonge (to the west of Pier 27) belonged either to The Star aor "the government". - has Cityzen bought it? Should it be used for housing or is it a more "iconic" space better used for some sort of public building? (One of Mr Harper's new jails, perhaps? :->)

 

[Architecturefan]

It belongs to Water Front Toronto, so far as I know. They did a land swap with Cityzen so they'd be able to put a park/'promenade' along the Yonge Street slip.

 

[interchange42]

The renderings above are based on the original property lines, shown here,

which only had a slim amount of parkland between the slip and the buildings, but what is being built follows the new property lines after a land swap, as shown below. The image below also indicates the location of the last phases, not yet in marketing, at the complex.