Toronto Tableau Condominiums | 124.05m | 36s | Urban Capital | Wallman Architects

voxpopulicosmicum

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Didn't see another thread started yet, so here goes...

Just returned from the second of Adam Vaughan's two "pre-application development proposal presentations" this week. On tonight's roster were this site, the Joker site, 21-31 Widmer, and 60 John / 12+18 Mercer.

The site has been conditionaly-acquired by a trio of developers led by Urban Capital Group (Camden Lofts, Charlotte Lofts and Boutique) and including Malibu Investments (18 Yonge, Malibu Tower at Bathurst/Lakeshore and Gramercy Park in Downsview) and Alit(?). For this site, they commissioned Core Architects to render a 28-storey east-west, slab-like (in the non-perjorative sense) building consisting of a full-lot 8-storey podium with 20-storey, multi-faceted tower. The tower shaft is divided into approximately 8-layers in 4 "bands": "Band 1" coinsists of 4 layers of alternating floorplates of 3 or four stories glad in glass (think of stacked cross-sections of folding screens). "Band 2" is a 2-sorey layer of columns with glass panels set back from the face about 8(?) feet. "Band 3" is a 6-8 storey repeat of the first band, with only two alternating layers of panels. "Band 5" is the bulding's hat, which is of the peaked beret form.

I've requested renders. In the meantime, the architect made reference to a building in Europe that served as inspiration that I'll try to find.

The developer announced (by way of softening the crowd prior to revealing the building's design and height) that it had bought out the leases of the three existing club tenants at great expense (some of which, he claimed, had terms up to 15 years including renewal rights). Tonic will be closed "immediately" and the other two clubs will stay until demolition. During the discussion phase of the presentation, many people offered their thanks to the club-killers. On more than one occasion, people who spoke out against the size or design of the proposed building were reminded by the subsequent commenter of what the building would replace.

The building is situated along an angular part of Richmond as it jogs south just before intersecting with Peter. The building retains that general angle in its northern face and so it is off-kilter to the "natural" Toronto grid axes. The "diagonal" effect is noticeable at all elevations, but the effect is lessened above the podium by the off-kilter poses of the bands on the tower's shaft.
 
I wonder if the Canadiana Backpacker's Inn Hostel will remain at 42 Widmer? It shouldn't be too difficult getting this building approved--right next door there's a midrise (and ugly) office building. Sounds sort of like that little condo at Richmond and Portland St.
 
Vaughan is going to support this one for sure.he wants the club district dead.i think this area is going to
change dramaticaly in the next 5 years.
 
So do I: Once you get to a certain age you realize you don't wanna get stabbed, shot or roughed up by some drunken 20 year old brats who think they're "men." A few small intimate clubs in the area sure; but 50 enormous clubs with acres of surface parking all around?
 
Well if the city is that determined to kill Clubland, then the time has come for them to eliminate the silly by-law restricting clubs from opening anywhere else.
 
Well if the city is that determined to kill Clubland, then the time has come for them to eliminate the silly by-law restricting clubs from opening anywhere else.

Agreed. I too believe that there are too many clubs in this area however the by law that prevents other clubs opening in other areas of the city is ridiculous.

This city should adapt to change now or eventually wake up to all this gentrification and release it has lost part of its soul - its nightlife.
 
I wonder if the Canadiana Backpacker's Inn Hostel will remain at 42 Widmer? It shouldn't be too difficult getting this building approved--right next door there's a midrise (and ugly) office building. Sounds sort of like that little condo at Richmond and Portland St.

The site for this proposal only extends as far east as the N-S laneway that is used to access the rear of 111 Peter (the big ugly silver box). Nothing on Widmer will be touched.
 
So do I: Once you get to a certain age you realize you don't wanna get stabbed, shot or roughed up by some drunken 20 year old brats who think they're "men." A few small intimate clubs in the area sure; but 50 enormous clubs with acres of surface parking all around?

Yeah, and because you no longer want to go there, absolutely nobody else should be allowed to. Most of those clubs aren't my scene, but all the talk of them being so dangerous is such total bullshit. When I walk up to Burrito Boyz at 2:30 in the morning on a weekend, the only intimidation I feel is from the cops on horseback. There are more cops than at an East Berlin riot, though of course they're all just standing around on the street rather than going into any of the alleys, the location of most of the minimal violence that does occur.

If Adam Vaughan actually wanted to reduce the concentration of clubs, he'd be trying to get that by-law repealed rather than going off on a crusade for publicity against those that aren't "his kind of people." He wants to run for mayor, and what better way to get votes in Etobicoke than being known as the slayer of the club district?
 
Yeah, but how specifically is Burrito Boyz part of the least-denominator clubster scene?
 
If Adam Vaughan actually wanted to reduce the concentration of clubs, he'd be trying to get that by-law repealed rather than going off on a crusade for publicity against those that aren't "his kind of people." He wants to run for mayor, and what better way to get votes in Etobicoke than being known as the slayer of the club district?

Aren't those two statements contradictory, though? If Vaughan champions the repeal of the bylaw and that leads to the dispersal of the club scene into Etobicoke, won't Vaughan have shot himself in the foot in terms of his appeal to the burghers of God's Country?

Having said that, I agree that Vaughan should be a vocal proponent of allowing clubs to open elsewhere in the city. All of the "centres" identified in the OP should be looking to have entertainment district-style amenities. But if you were a politician with future plans that extended beyond your own ward, would you really want to be known as the guy who brought Tonic to central Etobicoke?
 
Aren't those two statements contradictory, though? If Vaughan champions the repeal of the bylaw and that leads to the dispersal of the club scene into Etobicoke, won't Vaughan have shot himself in the foot in terms of his appeal to the burghers of God's Country?

Having said that, I agree that Vaughan should be a vocal proponent of allowing clubs to open elsewhere in the city. All of the "centres" identified in the OP should be looking to have entertainment district-style amenities. But if you were a politician with future plans that extended beyond your own ward, would you really want to be known as the guy who brought Tonic to central Etobicoke?

That's the whole point. That's why he's adopting his current approach. Killing the club district while still protecting the good burghers (and potential mayoral voters) of Etobicoke. It's not a policy for the people and businesses of our ward. It's not a policy that benefits anyone other than his mayoral election prospects.

adma, Burrito Boyz is one of the many businesses associated with the club district that don't meet Adam Vaughan's 905 clubber thug stereotype. It's in the middle of the club district. When I walk there right after the clubs have let out and don't feel intimidated, that shows that the club district isn't the terrifying place Adam Vaughan likes to portray.
 
You should keep on walking up to Johnny Banana at Bathurst and Queen: their burritos kill burritoboyz:)

Speaking of clubs, 117 Peter St is gonna be exclusive, VIP's only and an enormous "cover" charge. Stunning design, beautiful young people, flash cars, nice drinks, what a club it shall be!
 
i worked in the club district this past summer flyering. i was at the corner of richmond and peter beside a "thug" club. i was never intimidated by anyone passing by except by the cops. the best thing is to ignore the idiots and blend in with the crowd.

i don't see how someone is in danger when ur walking through that part of town.

same goes for the guvernment complex and the docks. there are plenty of cops and security which i know is there to keep order and keep me safe.
 
Most of those clubs aren't my scene, but all the talk of them being so dangerous is such total bullshit. When I walk up to Burrito Boyz at 2:30 in the morning on a weekend, the only intimidation I feel is from the cops on horseback. There are more cops than at an East Berlin riot, though of course they're all just standing around on the street rather than going into any of the alleys, the location of most of the minimal violence that does occur.

i worked in the club district this past summer flyering. i was at the corner of richmond and peter beside a "thug" club. i was never intimidated by anyone passing by except by the cops.

Wow! For years I have struggled with the fact that I feel comfortable in "seedy" areas except around the police. I had come to suspect that it was all part of some antisocial personality disorder (alas, that suspicion may still be correct). But ^these posts give me hope.

Are there any others out there who think, at the very least, the community would be better served if the po-po would "soften" their presence in clubland? I'm not saying reduce, but I don't see the need to prepare for a riot every weekend (then again, what I'm saying is antithetical to Toronto policing practice, so I'll just STFU and "move along -- there's nothing to see here").
 

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