Observation Decks/Spaces

[yrt+viva=1system]

Not sure if there was ever a thread on walk out and indoor observation spaces but this came across my mind after seeing photos of a friend's New York trip. It seems like Toronto lacks or highly restricts and are hesitant to incorporate or allow public (even paid) observation spaces in towers. It's a great shame that we don't have more of these spaces to give a new perspective of a growing modern city. Will there more of these tower observation spaces planned or coming in the pipeline? Just a general curiosity and also why we don't have more of these spaces. Would be a great tourist attraction.

I can't think of any building in the city that has something akin to New York's Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, One World Observatory, the Edge, and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. Or Chicago's 360 Chicago Observation Deck and Skydeck at Willis Tower.

P.S. Not including the CN Tower Walk as that is more of a extreme thrill attraction. Such a shame that the observation space at Nathan Phillips isn't open to the public with a fee.

 

[Towered]

Manulife Centre has a bar/restaurant on the 51st floor with a great view of downtown. I went there once on a date in the 90's, and for a second time in 2016 for my company's Christmas party. There's also Kanu, and the formerly rotating restaurant at the top of the Harbour Castle.

New city hall and the Canada Life building have observation decks as well, but it seems they're only accessible during Doors Open.

I'm guessing some of the bigger hotels must have some rooftop restaurants/bars, but I'm not sure which ones. I recently visited the one at the top of the Ace hotel (in my profane biking booty shorts!) and it was really nice up there. I also like that it was west of downtown, and not right in the heart of the financial district. Oh - there's also Lavelle at King and Bathurst, with a fancy rooftop pool that apparently attracts Instagram models I should target that place for my next desecration...

 

[Rascacielo]

I wonder if the CN Tower's owners have an agreement with the city to limit competition? NYC attracts a lot more tourists than Toronto, so there's room for multiple paid observation decks (not including rooftop bars/restaurants).

 

[Towered]

I wonder if the CN Tower's owners have an agreement with the city to limit competition? NYC attracts a lot more tourists than Toronto, so there's room for multiple paid observation decks (not including rooftop bars/restaurants).

This is just a silly idea. What competition?? There's nothing else close to its height, and even if there was, why would the city collude with them to prevent other viewing opportunities? It doesn't make sense.

 

[Natika33]

Not sure if there was ever a thread on walk out and indoor observation spaces but this came across my mind after seeing photos of a friend's New York trip. It seems like Toronto lacks or highly restricts and are hesitant to incorporate or allow public (even paid) observation spaces in towers. It's a great shame that we don't have more of these spaces to give a new perspective of a growing modern city. Will there more of these tower observation spaces planned or coming in the pipeline? Just a general curiosity and also why we don't have more of these spaces. Would be a great tourist attraction.

I can't think of any building in the city that has something akin to New York's Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, One World Observatory, the Edge, and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. Or Chicago's 360 Chicago Observation Deck and Skydeck at Willis Tower.

P.S. Not including the CN Tower Walk as that is more of a extreme thrill attraction. Such a shame that the observation space at Nathan Phillips isn't open to the public with a fee.

I'm glad someone else has noticed this! I rant about this to friends quite often. It sucks that anywhere remotely high up (Canoe, etc) also comes with a hefty price tag 9 times out of 10 and is pretty much restricted to restaurants (what if I don't want to eat?). I miss Tokyo which has multiple free observatories (Metropolitan gov't building, Carrot Tower, so many vertical malls/department stores). I believe the renewal of the silos includes an observation deck, but it would be really nice if they re-opened to the public the city hall one & the bank of commerce one.

 

[Rascacielo]

This is just a silly idea. What competition?? There's nothing else close to its height, and even if there was, why would the city collude with them to prevent other viewing opportunities? It doesn't make sense.

It’s just a speculation . Here’s another one: all the observation decks in Manhattan are located on top of office buildings. Makes sense as it’s complicated for more slender residential towers to have a separate entrance and elevators for observation decks on their top floor (and they’d rather use the top floor for a penthouse/ amenity floor for residents anyway). To attract paying guests, an observation deck has to offer fairly unobstructed views, ie. the building has to be substantially taller than their immediate neighbours. Here in Toronto all the tall office towers are pretty much clustered in the financial district, which is only a few square blocks. I’ve been to the top of the TD Tower (same level as Canoe) during Doors Open, and while the view is pretty good, it’s partially blocked by BMO (First Canadian Place) and Commerce Court - these towers are practically across the street, not 10-20 blocks away. I’m not sure I want to pay over $20 to have that kind of view. The only place where it would make sense to have a paid observation deck is the 72nd floor of First Canadian Place. Given that the CN Tower’s observation deck is so much higher (as you pointed out), maybe the owners don’t think it would attract that many visitors, it’s more profitable to lease that floor out to commercial tenants. Maybe now with low occupancy rate they may reconsider. Or maybe someday we’ll get another really tall office building away from the Financial District cluster, where it would make sense to have an observation deck.

 

[turini2]

As of the end of September 2023, London will have 3 high level observation decks for free - Sky Garden (35-37 floors up), Horizon 22 (58 floors up) and the Lookout (50 floors up). Several more under construction too, I believe one will have an outpost of the Museum of London at the top.
There's several other lower level ones - gardens or terraces that are free to visit. Usually you need to book a free timed slot, but they take walk ins.

The City of London is now mandating these free viewing galleries if a developer wants a very tall building - the developer usually builds a fancy restaurant on the floor below...

 

[gabe]

The top floor of One Bloor West, would have been a perfect spot for a new observation deck in the city.

​

 

[adma]

Of course, the TD Centre and Commerce Court (both N and W) had observation decks in the past. But FCP never did, even though it was taller than either--perhaps by the time we got to the mid-70s, the mentality was more mercenary and observation decks were seen as a quaint relic of some naive past age of gee-whiz urban tourism--except in obvious tourist-trap situations like the CN Tower. And frankly, better to fork over money for a restaurant than to fork over money for zilch--20 bucks these days just to go to an observation deck?

Another legendary rooftop restaurant/bar back in the day: the Park Plaza--dunno if the Park Hyatt maintains that pretense (and it really was best when it had a degree of open air about it).

Also, the Imperial Oil Building on St Clair apparently had an observation deck in its early years.

Another underrated "observation experience" (and free): the glass elevator of the Hilton on University Avenue.

 

[Rascacielo]

Of course, the TD Centre and Commerce Court (both N and W) had observation decks in the past. But FCP never did, even though it was taller than either--perhaps by the time we got to the mid-70s, the mentality was more mercenary and observation decks were seen as a quaint relic of some naive past age of gee-whiz urban tourism--except in obvious tourist-trap situations like the CN Tower. And frankly, better to fork over money for a restaurant than to fork over money for zilch--20 bucks these days just to go to an observation deck?

Another legendary rooftop restaurant/bar back in the day: the Park Plaza--dunno if the Park Hyatt maintains that pretense (and it really was best when it had a degree of open air about it).

Also, the Imperial Oil Building on St Clair apparently had an observation deck in its early years.

Another underrated "observation experience" (and free): the glass elevator of the Hilton on University Avenue.

The Park Hyatt’s top floor bar is now called Writers’ Bar and there’s still an outdoor area with a few coveted tables, or you can just step outside to enjoy the views.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Manulife Centre has a bar/restaurant on the 51st floor with a great view of downtown. I went there once on a date in the 90's, and for a second time in 2016 for my company's Christmas party. There's also Kanu, and the formerly rotating restaurant at the top of the Harbour Castle.

New city hall and the Canada Life building have observation decks as well, but it seems they're only accessible during Doors Open.

I'm guessing some of the bigger hotels must have some rooftop restaurants/bars, but I'm not sure which ones. I recently visited the one at the top of the Ace hotel (in my profane biking booty shorts!) and it was really nice up there. I also like that it was west of downtown, and not right in the heart of the financial district. Oh - there's also Lavelle at King and Bathurst, with a fancy rooftop pool that apparently attracts Instagram models I should target that place for my next desecration...

the Sheraton has a rooftop space - indoors only, looking down on Nathan Phillips Square from what I recall. I believe it's for guests only however and is typically used for conventions, etc.

 

[T3G]

This is, to a degree, related: does anyone know of any good vantage points where one might photograph the skyline of the city at night?

The only one I can think of offhand is the one at the end of Chester Hill Road. There are parts of the Casa Loma grounds that may qualify, having seen some stunning views during a visit to Legends of Horror in 2021, but I don't know if those are accessible to the public 'after hours'.

 

[adma]

This is, to a degree, related: does anyone know of any good vantage points where one might photograph the skyline of the city at night?

The only one I can think of offhand is the one at the end of Chester Hill Road. There are parts of the Casa Loma grounds that may qualify, having seen some stunning views during a visit to Legends of Horror in 2021, but I don't know if those are accessible to the public 'after hours'.

Well. I think of Broadway along Riverdale Pk in general as an eternal "view of the skyline from the E" classic. And how photography-friendly is Baldwin Steps alongside Casa Loma? I think of the Lake Iroquois shoreline in general as having sufficient "promontory" to it--maybe not quite like Mount Royal in Montreal, but...

 

[Natika33]

This is, to a degree, related: does anyone know of any good vantage points where one might photograph the skyline of the city at night?

The only one I can think of offhand is the one at the end of Chester Hill Road. There are parts of the Casa Loma grounds that may qualify, having seen some stunning views during a visit to Legends of Horror in 2021, but I don't know if those are accessible to the public 'after hours'.

There's a pretty decent view of the skyline from the bridge connecting Pape to Millwood/Overlea. I see photographers with tripods there all the time. If by TTC, take bus 25 or 925 from Pape station to get there.

There's also a bit of a view from the Evergreen Brickworks, but not where the vantage point was originally. Now you have to go north along the top of the ridge to a bit past where the windy path down starts. Not as good as option 1 though, imo.

 

[Natika33]

It’s just a speculation . Here’s another one: all the observation decks in Manhattan are located on top of office buildings. Makes sense as it’s complicated for more slender residential towers to have a separate entrance and elevators for observation decks on their top floor (and they’d rather use the top floor for a penthouse/ amenity floor for residents anyway). To attract paying guests, an observation deck has to offer fairly unobstructed views, ie. the building has to be substantially taller than their immediate neighbours. Here in Toronto all the tall office towers are pretty much clustered in the financial district, which is only a few square blocks. I’ve been to the top of the TD Tower (same level as Canoe) during Doors Open, and while the view is pretty good, it’s partially blocked by BMO (First Canadian Place) and Commerce Court - these towers are practically across the street, not 10-20 blocks away. I’m not sure I want to pay over $20 to have that kind of view. The only place where it would make sense to have a paid observation deck is the 72nd floor of First Canadian Place. Given that the CN Tower’s observation deck is so much higher (as you pointed out), maybe the owners don’t think it would attract that many visitors, it’s more profitable to lease that floor out to commercial tenants. Maybe now with low occupancy rate they may reconsider. Or maybe someday we’ll get another really tall office building away from the Financial District cluster, where it would make sense to have an observation deck.

I see what you are saying. Perhaps if some office tower landlords designed the top floor with plenty of small retail tenants clustered towards the centre who pay rent, they wouldn't need to charge a fee for people to access the perimeter wide walkway/ hallway/ observatory. Think little carts for coffee, gelato, jewellery, scarves, phone cases, souvenirs - anything small and fun that tourists would be likely to buy to commemorate their trip to TO and some refreshments for Torontonians who may also want to go up there sometimes just to chill.