Downtown Yonge

[intervention]

I also think BB&B is a ghost town at the moment, but I would imagine it will pick up once Aura is complete and populated with people in the position to decide ... "hey, I need a taco bowl AND a Wilton checkerboard cake pan." (...these were my actual thoughts a few weeks ago; no checkerboard pan in BB&B, though).

That being said - the biggest failure of the at-grade "retail" is that at the moment, it's just two financial service institutions, no restaurant (my understanding was that one was forthcoming) and two big box stores lopped on top of the at-grade uses which are not that busy to begin with. AND, we've got the half-dead College Park just up the road.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

AND, we've got the half-dead College Park just up the road.

College Park does well plus during office hours it's really busy. Some people are just moving through the mall to and from the subway, maybe not shopping.

 

[Thernan]

I shudder to say it but downtown and high end stores sometimes don't mix. They need something akin to a Walmart, which would capture a lot of people beyond the urban elite and yuppies. The demographics of downtown are still fairly poor once you get out of the condo towers. You get folks living on subsitance wages, folks on social assistance or students, for the most part, who either don't want what BB&B has or can't afford it.

BB&B is great but the times I have gone in, they've been quiet and with the way the signage is, you barely know they are there when walking on street level. Without street presence, this will be an issue. It is too bad. As an amature chef, I could spend hours in there and I fear it will die.

 

[DTowner]

I like BB&B as a walk-through. It smells nice when you walk in and the washrooms are OK. Its big and bright and the prices aren't that bad at all. Marshall's (if the one on Spadina is anything to go by) is terrible and is an exact copy of Winners. The restaurant below was initially supposed to be Canyon Creek (ugh) but I haven't heard of anything recently. The two banks next to each other is weird (isn't that a bank no-no? Not illegal, but just 'not done'? Across the street, maybe, but right next to each other like that?) And, no, they shouldn't have been been on the Yonge St side of the building.

 

[jett]

The banks could have the Gerrard side. They should not have occupied the two prime spots. Those spots belong to bars and restaurants!!! Imagine there are two/three Joey similar type of restaurants there, it will create a lot of traffic, especially during summer patio time. BB&B should have taken all the College Park spot.

 

[devjohnson]

I like BB&B as a walk-through. It smells nice when you walk in and the washrooms are OK. Its big and bright and the prices aren't that bad at all. Marshall's (if the one on Spadina is anything to go by) is terrible and is an exact copy of Winners. The restaurant below was initially supposed to be Canyon Creek (ugh) but I haven't heard of anything recently. The two banks next to each other is weird (isn't that a bank no-no? Not illegal, but just 'not done'? Across the street, maybe, but right next to each other like that?) And, no, they shouldn't have been been on the Yonge St side of the building.

Marshall's came way before Winners. But besides that, they are also owned by the same company as well!

 

[marsh]

I;m surprised they didn't put a grocery store in at Aura as part of the retail (even if the basement) - you would think that would be a service the residents would need and given all of the towers being built or proposed in the core could serve other residents. The closest grocery store I think would be the one at College Park and that seems to be pretty busy. But I agree its a shame to have two banks at street level - restaurants would have made much mores sense, but one of the problems with mixed condo developments is that condo developers want to stable tenants so we get banks and starbucks etc. One of the things I like about Yonge Street currently is that alot of the stores and restaurants stay open late even on weeknights. So not only does it bring people onto the street I think it contributes to the safety of the street as well - its not a ghost town at night. Well let's Aura works out.

 

[bleu]

Aura doesn't need a grocery store. There is a Metro, a Sobey's and a Loblaw's within 5 minutes walking distance.

You are right about banks vs. restaurants. Most new restaurants fail within their first year of operation. We all want more restaurants but would think different if we were the owner of the property.

 

[jett]

If the restaurants are decent, they will be fine. Look at Joey and 3 Brewers. Even crappy food Spring Rolls is doing good business. People LOVE patio, especially in the summer time, so I don't think they will have problem attracting people. I don't mind Starbuck as long as it has long evening hour and patio. I know I said patio a lot. But it's part of the ingredient to create traffic on the street.

 

[Bloor101]

If the restaurants are decent, they will be fine. Look at Joey and 3 Brewers. Even crappy food Spring Rolls is doing good business. People LOVE patio, especially in the summer time, so I don't think they will have problem attracting people. I don't mind Starbuck as long as it has long evening hour and patio. I know I said patio a lot. But it's part of the ingredient to create traffic on the street.

Expect banks and corporate chains such as Starbucks in most of the condos that will be going up on yonge. Sad but true.

 

[Torontovibe]

Aura doesn't need a grocery store. There is a Metro, a Sobey's and a Loblaw's within 5 minutes walking distance.

You are right about banks vs. restaurants. Most new restaurants fail within their first year of operation. We all want more restaurants but would think different if we were the owner of the property.

That thinking is very shot sighted. Sure, it might be the easy thing to do, putting banks in those large Yonge Street spaces but will it attract customers to the whole complex in general? You need to create a shopping/dining destination. The right mix of stores, services and entertainment will attract large enough crowds to make it profitable. Those banks will do nothing to animate Yonge Street or attract customers. Sure, bank customers might go there to take out some cash but it won't keep them around, spending money? If BB&B and Marshall's don't bring in steady customers, those banks may seem more of a liability, than an asset. I know I certainly won't be going there to those banks and most likely, not to shop at BB&B or Marshall's. The restaurants and maybe the basement retail, might be of some interest.

I think it's pretty sad that Yonge Street has lost much of its entertainment value. I realize that Yonge Street is mostly a retail street but I would like to see it also have a touristy entertainment/night club vibe. We need to bring back some fun to Yonge Street and make it more of a 24 hour destination. I would like to see some large themed restaurants, bars, night clubs and also some amusement or entertainment venues. (bowling, more cinemas, live theatre, paintball) Yonge Street really does close down a bit too early, for a city the size of Toronto. It certainly needs wider sidewalks and LOTS more sidewalk patios for bars & restaurants. A few after hours clubs and 24 hour restaurants, would be nice too.

Yonge Street used to be a fun place and with a little creativity, I think it could be again. (and yes, up until around the late 1980's, Yonge Street was lively and FUN!)

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I agree Torontovibe but I'd take that to about the mid to late 1990's, then the street took slowly became less of a destination except the area roughly about Gerrard to Queen.

 

[Peepers]

Those banks will do nothing to animate Yonge Street or attract customers. Sure, bank customers might go there to take out some cash but it won't keep them around, spending money? If BB&B and Marshall's don't bring in steady customers, those banks may seem more of a liability, than an asset.

I agree , successful Mall operators would not allocate prime space to Banks. Take for example the Eaton Centre. There is not one Bank in the entire complex (years ago there was a CIBC in the area where the SONY store is now).

Canderel should have partnered with a successful Mall Developer to handle the retail part of this project since it seems they didn't have a clue about what they were doing.

 

[jett]

That thinking is very shot sighted. Sure, it might be the easy thing to do, putting banks in those large Yonge Street spaces but will it attract customers to the whole complex in general? You need to create a shopping/dining destination. The right mix of stores, services and entertainment will attract large enough crowds to make it profitable. Those banks will do nothing to animate Yonge Street or attract customers. Sure, bank customers might go there to take out some cash but it won't keep them around, spending money? If BB&B and Marshall's don't bring in steady customers, those banks may seem more of a liability, than an asset. I know I certainly won't be going there to those banks and most likely, not to shop at BB&B or Marshall's. The restaurants and maybe the basement retail, might be of some interest.

I think it's pretty sad that Yonge Street has lost much of its entertainment value. I realize that Yonge Street is mostly a retail street but I would like to see it also have a touristy entertainment/night club vibe. We need to bring back some fun to Yonge Street and make it more of a 24 hour destination. I would like to see some large themed restaurants, bars, night clubs and also some amusement or entertainment venues. (bowling, more cinemas, live theatre, paintball) Yonge Street really does close down a bit too early, for a city the size of Toronto. It certainly needs wider sidewalks and LOTS more sidewalk patios for bars & restaurants. A few after hours clubs and 24 hour restaurants, would be nice too.

Yonge Street used to be a fun place and with a little creativity, I think it could be again. (and yes, up until around the late 1980's, Yonge Street was lively and FUN!)

Yup. Services don't belong on Yonge street. How many Cash or Credit Union type of stores do we need? And now those banks are occupying which is just not cool. Another reason the City is doing shit about it. Things they should be doing, they are not. Yet wasting on so much time on other things they shouldn't be wasted on.

And I thought each area has some sort of Business Development Committee or some sort? If they want to reclaim Yonge St. again, like they tried last summer, why don't they do something about it?

Oh, and I think Eatons Center needs to open LATE during weekend in the summer. Closing earlier than Yorkdale is inexcusable.

 

[Torontovibe]

I can't remember where I read this but I did read something about NYC planners/zoning, putting a stop to new banks at street level. I think now new banks can only go in the basement or the second floor of a building now. The city doesn't want any new banks at street level because it kills any chance for animation. (exactly what's happening at Aura) I think this is something Toronto might have to consider because banks are growing like weeds on our main streets and a number of prominent corners in this city are being ruined by banks. (Spadina & Fort York, Spadina & Dundas) Two banks fronting Aura is just ridiculous!