Toronto Massey Tower Condos | 206.95m | 60s | MOD Developments | Hariri Pontarini

...or what about a glass cube-like atrium like the one at the Apple store in Manhattan, only taller, to link the two heritage buildings? It would create a sort of transparant courtyard/foyer, housing entrances to a new multi-storey addition that could run the length of the back end of the site, and escalators leading to further new space below. Has anbody seen the new 'Place Royale' heritage museum in Quebec City? It does a fantastic job of combining the heritage with the modern in this way.
 
299 bloor call control. said:
whoo! the board did feel a lil constipated for the past few days...

annnyway. back on topic...

I think using the two buildings as lobby "arms" to link a tower development behind it to Yonge Street would be really cool. And then the middle courtyard section could be developed a la Paley Park -- it would be an awesome location for something like that... all done with additional bonusing on the tower portion to build another supertall? ;)
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Hard to do, given that there is only a small parking lot then the auditoria of the Elgin and Wintergarden theatres where the tower would go. But I like the Paley Park idea
 
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If the two properties were ever joined, I think a tower is doable here in the rear of the property. The tower can join the two buildings in the rear only and then take up the rest of the parking lot in the back.

As great as an Apple-store-esque atrium would be, I personally advocate for my idea a little more.. we seem to have too many indoor atria in the downtown core as it is... but few hideaway parkettes. this would be a great spot for it, considering the pedestrian volume isn't so high that it would overwhelm a space like this (compared to areas further north or south on Yonge, thanks to Eaton Centre), but high enough that people will still venture by it and step in for a little break.
 
I think that small parking lot around the Elgin & it's rehearsal space is privately owned. That area also serves as a secondary delivery zone to the back of the Elgin & Wintergarden's lobby near where the elevators are.
 
299 bloor call control. said:
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If the two properties were ever joined, I think a tower is doable here in the rear of the property. The tower can join the two buildings in the rear only and then take up the rest of the parking lot in the back.

As great as an Apple-store-esque atrium would be, I personally advocate for my idea a little more.. we seem to have too many indoor atria in the downtown core as it is... but few hideaway parkettes. this would be a great spot for it, considering the pedestrian volume isn't so high that it would overwhelm a space like this (compared to areas further north or south on Yonge, thanks to Eaton Centre), but high enough that people will still venture by it and step in for a little break.
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dt_toronto_geek said:
I think that small parking lot around the Elgin & it's rehearsal space is privately owned. That area also serves as a secondary delivery zone to the back of the Elgin & Wintergarden's lobby near where the elevators are.
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The parking lot may be privately owned, but that means it could be privately sold too, and any development that would take place on this site would have to take into account the delivery areas for the theatres - I am sure that's all doable.

I'm not against a courtyard parkette facing Yonge, but I wouldn't leave the whole of the space between the buildings that way; I would have an atrium start a third of the way back and have the tower at two thirds of the way back and continue into the parking lot area.

Does Parasuco still own the southerly of the two banks? I've just seen their Spring Street store at Lafayette in Soho, and it's in a similarly spectacular old building with soaring ceilings. It would be super if they could sex up this site too. (Hmm, seems to be enough alliteration - time to move on.)

Anyway, there are lots of possibilities at this site, and depending on who owns what, hopefully we are soon to see a proposal of some kind that respects the old banks and works a little magic between them.

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There are two vacant properties that abut one another; the 199 Yonge parcel that is the topic here, and the one that faces Victoria street and is presently used for parking. The properties are offset from one another just a bit.

For the longest time now (actually since the failure of Roy Thomson hall) I have fancied that these two properties would be combined and used as a space for a "back lobby" to Massey hall, just to the north. Remember, Massey Hall backs onto the empty Victoria St. property.

I nominate KPMB to do the work.

You'd have the Yonge "back" entrance to Massey hall through atria / lobby space built on 199 Yonge, and you'd have the Victoria St. frontage as well--presumably all street frontages could be three- or four storey glass.

Here comes the hard part (remembering that Massey Hall backs onto these lots from the north) -- designing a way for patrons to get from a beautifully restored Massey auditorium to the new "back" lobbies and washroom space. It's a challange but it can be done, it just takes a bit of imagination. My suggestion is to have the exits which flank the stage on east and west interior (on all levels; the main level and both balconies) funnel into the new space. Backstage would be isolated from the new passageways. Perhaps an under-the-stage access could be designed for the performers to get to their much needed lounge / rehearsal / instrument storage areas.

Massey Hall is my favourite building in Toronto. It posseses the kind of acoustics concert hall planners dream of -- flattering to small and large ensembles. At the time that Massey was abandoned, a chief reason was lack of lobby and comfort space. I believe that perhaps a solution to that has presented itself. This solution needs cooperation from the city (assistance in the land matters).

Maybe I should put this in the 'reasons to be hyped about 2000' thread. This is my favourite Toronto fantasy and I've never let go of it since the possibility occured in my own wee brain.
 
I'm with you TonyV, Massey Hall is a terrific venue.
What your describing was also imagined for the Uptown Theatres back in the early 90's. An Architect and a team of Engineers studied several proposals to get people into the low profile and inefficient Backstage Cinemas on Balmuto Street using the Yonge Street entrance. In the end it was possible (much the same way that the Imperial Six cinemas accomplished the same feat) but it would have been so expensive that it would have taken years to realize the return on the investment so the idea was quashed. Looking at the properties, I see very similar problems that would be faced with trying to link Massey Hall to a Yonge Street entrance.

massey.jpg
 
Thanks dt. I am a 'never say never' type. You mentioned price. Maybe some folks who lead the arts community will get together and mount the 'let's refurbish Toronto's really great concert hall' campaign. The money's there. ROM and AGO surely have been successful in their campaigns. And Massey already possess excellent acoustics, that's a selling point. What I am suggesting is that the days when money was always the issue are (perhaps) the bad old days. The current cultural renaissance has changed some attitudes hugely.

Don't mind me I am a perpetual optimist.
 
Tewder said:
...or what about a glass cube-like atrium like the one at the Apple store in Manhattan, only taller, to link the two heritage buildings? It would create a sort of transparant courtyard/foyer, housing entrances to a new multi-storey addition that could run the length of the back end of the site, and escalators leading to further new space below. Has anbody seen the new 'Place Royale' heritage museum in Quebec City? It does a fantastic job of combining the heritage with the modern in this way.
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Might be nice but have you ever been there? Its like an iceberg! Looks small on top but its the size of the average Suburban WalMart once you get in the damn thing! I'd advocate somehow putting it in the foyer of 199 Yonge but I've never had the pleasure of entering its hallowed halls so I'm not exactly sure how big it is.
 
TonyV, one way to get the funds for your Massey Hall refurb & lobby/rehearsal space/lounge expansion plan, would be to incorporate these facilities in the base of a new multi-use project whose developer has been granted density bonuses for incorporating such Massey Hall improvements.

Just trying to help, 'cause I like your idea...

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The parking lot may be privately owned
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It was recently included as part of the sales package for 199 Yonge but the city's mapping program is now showing it as park space which would kiabosh any redevelopment scheme
 
interchange42 said:
TonyV, one way to get the funds for your Massey Hall refurb & lobby/rehearsal space/lounge expansion plan, would be to incorporate these facilities in the base of a new multi-use project whose developer has been granted density bonuses for incorporating such Massey Hall improvements.

Just trying to help, 'cause I like your idea...

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thanks so much for this, it's valuable encouragement. I have thought recently that the two historic buildings facing Yonge which embrace 199 Yonge may be an excellent lead-up to a condo tower -- as far as towers go, I would prefer to see something extremely slim and glassy in this situation. Perhaps Clewes' tallest effort yet. The tower would need to be situated well back, in order to incorporate "back lobby" space that we've discussed here. I don't doubt that this is a doable thing.
 
Is Parasuco's dream of revitalizing this building back on track? If it is, we missed the announcement. This long-dead thread should have been updated back in March of 2009, when on the 16th of that month Parasuco put the following up on their website:

- - -

PARASUCO HOTEL IN TORONTO PROJECT FOR 2012

The Yonge Street landscape will be forever changed when fashion, architecture, design and bliss come together to create the most ambitious project Parasuco Jeans Inc. has put into action: The Parasuco Hotel.

With more than 160 rooms, the signature Parasuco Hotel will offer quality design, high levels of customer care in a very distinctive universe. Upscale and with an impeccable service, the trendy Parasuco Hotel will go to par with the brand's strong image.

If you are interested in being part of this exceptional project, contact us via the Business Opportunities section and send us a message.

- - -

So, let's hope that some businesses have taken them up on their offer, as this is what the 26-storey building, designed by Quebec-based LeMay Michaud, looks like:

HotelParasucoExt.jpg


HotelParasucoInt.jpg



LeMay Michaud are also responsible for, amongst many projects, both Le Germain hotels in Toronto.

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I don't mind it, but it doesn't seem to be paying any reverence whatsoever to the two hertiage buidlings between which it's awkwardly wedged.
 
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