Sarah Thompson to fast-track "beautiful buildings"

[Team Me]

From thestar.com

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/art...fast-tracked-thomson-promises-developers?bn=1

In Sarah Thomson’s Toronto, developers willing to invest in design will be fast-tracked through city hall bureaucracy.

If mayor, Thomson would create a “concierge service†to essentially shepherd developers through the various layers of red tape — and reduce bureaucratic delays — which Thomson says can take years to navigate.

Put one person in charge of each account and then “the file doesn’t just sit on someone’s desk and get forgotten about,†she said.

Thomson, who according to a June poll is running a distant third in the mayoral race, ahead of Rocco Rossi and deputy mayor Joe Pantalone, will announce her architecture and design policy at a press conference Tuesday. The plan will surely be a hit with developers, provided they buy into her vision.

“I’m so sick of boring, glass, concrete blocks. I want to encourage developers to build buildings that will (aesthetically) last for centuries,†she said. “I think when long-term thinking is applied, beauty and savings can be had.â€

A Thomson-led city hall would build tree-lined boulevards, demand innovative architectural design and restore forgotten heritage sites. The Women’s Post publisher would give a heritage designation to every city-owned building that predates 1920.

She would also create a “design for excellence†program headed by local talent. Developers would submit plans hoping for the group’s stamp of approval, then use it as a selling point.

“It would be like the LEEDs program,†the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System, she said. “It would be a status symbol. Developers would want to have that designation.â€

Thomson would also usher in a “buy local, use local talent†mentality. The city should stop showcasing the work of architects from around the world when there is so much talent right in Toronto, she said.

The final component of the plan would be to rethink zoning in neighbourhoods that have been designated as high transit. Those areas will need to be higher density, she said.

“So go to the neighbourhoods now and give them a say of what they want it to look like. You’re going to hear me talk a lot in the next few months about community consultation,†she said. “Neighbourhoods will get a say before the developers come in and that is the key.â€

Tuesday’s announcement will be the first major policy announcement for Thomson since her campaign manager Wendy Stewart quit abruptly nearly a month ago.

Her camp plans to announce a new manager sometime next week.

I don't think she has much of a chance of getting elected at this point, but I do like how she's bringing important urban issues to the forefront. And while I would disagree with her opinion that glass and concrete are "boring," and might be worried about what kind of designs get fast-tracked, I hope this sparks conversation over a design committee that would approve and help shape the long term planning of the city's architecture.

As for the point later in the article about zoning, I'm pretty sure almost every neighbourhood consultation would result in NIMBY-ism when it comes to increasing density.

 

[taal]

From thestar.com

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/art...fast-tracked-thomson-promises-developers?bn=1



I don't think she has much of a chance of getting elected at this point, but I do like how she's bringing important urban issues to the forefront. And while I would disagree with her opinion that glass and concrete are "boring," and might be worried about what kind of designs get fast-tracked, I hope this sparks conversation over a design committee that would approve and help shape the long term planning of the city's architecture.

As for the point later in the article about zoning, I'm pretty sure almost every neighbourhood consultation would result in NIMBY-ism when it comes to increasing density.

It's almost a non issue because she has 0 chance of being elected

And I agree with your NIMBY-ism concern, that's why as mayor, I'd stop the silly practice of community consultation altogether They have their say every 4 years when it comes time for election - outside that it's not worth the time / money.

 

[to-enthusiast]

Too bad she has such a small chance of getting elected - it's as if she's reading all our grievances on UT and speaking directly to them. I like her.

 

[picard102]

Surprising that someone with such little sense of design and aesthetics would be championing such a crusade.

 

[Team Me]

Surprising that someone with such little sense of design and aesthetics would be championing such a crusade.

The same thing occurred to me. I worry that we'll have nothing but MCC-like monstrosities that are "more" designed, but not neccessarily better designed. But having a design advisory board with enough power to ensure that developers commit to quality design and materials – and also make sure they don't put their building through "the cheapening" later – would be a huge asset to the city.

No offense to Sarah, but I'm just hoping that a candidate with a better chance of winning takes notice of some of these ideas and builds them into their own platforms.

 

[adma]

Well, in her architectural thumbs-up, interesting how she mentions TD Canada Trust, as opposed to the TD Centre...

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

While it is nice to see someone talking about architectural excellence in the race, the specifics are troubling:

The Women’s Post publisher would give a heritage designation to every city-owned building that predates 1920.

If she hasn't noticed, it isn't city-owned buildings predating the 1920s that is the hertiage preservation problem - it is privately owned buildings of worth from all eras.

She would also create a “design for excellence” program headed by local talent. Developers would submit plans hoping for the group’s stamp of approval, then use it as a selling point.
...
Thomson would also usher in a “buy local, use local talent” mentality. The city should stop showcasing the work of architects from around the world when there is so much talent right in Toronto, she said.

Considering how few projects in Toronto are really designed by international firms (read: starachitects), I don't know what the huge kerffle about that is one. If anything, one can argue a few of our local firms, merits aside, has been overexposed in Toronto.

The final component of the plan would be to rethink zoning in neighbourhoods that have been designated as high transit. Those areas will need to be higher density, she said.
...
“So go to the neighbourhoods now and give them a say of what they want it to look like. You’re going to hear me talk a lot in the next few months about community consultation,” she said. “Neighbourhoods will get a say before the developers come in and that is the key.”

To a certain extent that has already happened. Beyond that, Thompson should know that a) communities are often anti-intensification at any level and b) all the consultation in the world doesn't matter that much with appealing to the OMB as an option.

AoD

 

[old boy]

This foray into the merits of intelligent urban design may beat the other hopefuls out of the bushes on the matter. At the very least we'll see how vacuous their thinking is on the subject.

 

[to-enthusiast]

While it is nice to see someone talking about architectural excellence in the race, the specifics are troubling:



If she hasn't noticed, it isn't city-owned buildings predating the 1920s that is the hertiage preservation problem - it is privately owned buildings of worth from all eras.

Agreed - quite an oversight on her part.

Considering how few projects in Toronto are really designed by international firms (read: starachitects), I don't know what the huge kerffle about that is one. If anything, one can argue a few of our local firms, merits aside, has been overexposed in Toronto.

Definitely - do your research, Sarah.

To a certain extent that has already happened. Beyond that, Thompson should know that a) communities are often anti-intensification at any level and b) all the consultation in the world doesn't matter that much with appealing to the OMB as an option.

AoD

I think this is just lip service from an ever hopeful candidate. At least making it sound like community members will have their say - and going through those motions through (unproductive) consultations - might have more of a chance of endearing NIMBY-ers to your cause than not engaging them at all.

All said, though, I'm glad she's casting light on these issues. She does appear to be the only one who publicly gives a damn.

Still, God is in the details, and she's definitely screwed those up. I like the basic principles she's upholding, though - dramatically beefed-up public transit, quality urban design, and ultimately, a civic landscape to be proud of.

 

[junctionist]

Yeah, her principles such as massive transit expansion and a beautiful public realm are definitely admirable. I believe that at this point if our mayoral candidates don't have similar principles, they're wasting our and won't do a good job of governing the city. But the idea of fast tracking attractive buildings is problematic. Often, developers invest more in the architecture of a controversial project, which in reality might be detrimental to a neighbourhood.

 

[DanielMaloney]

I think it really helps to develop an attractive face of the city - If it gets done quicker, it may be worth the developers while to enhance the exterior design.

You reflect yourself on your surroundings, I think it's a good idea.

The company I work for has an upcoming interview with Sarah, you can ask her your questions at: http://voice.snapnews.ca/upcoming-toronto-mayoral-candidate-sarah-thomson/

 

[Second_in_pie]

It's really unfortunate. Sarah Thompson has got to be the best mayoral candidate so far, yet she's being overshadowed by a troupe of mediocre candidates who are running off of political popularity.

 

[adma]

This foray into the merits of intelligent urban design may beat the other hopefuls out of the bushes on the matter. At the very least we'll see how vacuous their thinking is on the subject.

Not that she's any less vacuous, in her way. Like, if Ford's terminally lowbrow/philistine, Thomson's terminally middle-of-the-road middlebrow.

And when it comes to city-owned buildings pre-1920, she forgets that many of the most magnificent, and endangered, examples are post-1920...
http://www.aotu.ca/buildings/symes/

 

[that_girl_there]

Sarah Thompson continues to intrigue me. Although there may be some errors with this plan (I can always tell people don't know much about LEED when they call it 'LEEDs') it's generally a good one. Communities should be in charge of deciding the architectural fate of their neighbourhoods. I went on a Jane's Walk of Leaside with our former councillor Jane Pitfield and she told me she fought to have architectural controls in place. Apparently Leaside was the first community to have its own strict design code. (Perhaps someone else here knows more details...)

 

[adma]

I went on a Jane's Walk of Leaside with our former councillor Jane Pitfield and she told me she fought to have architectural controls in place. Apparently Leaside was the first community to have its own strict design code. (Perhaps someone else here knows more details...)

Although the preservationist in me is wary of "strict design codes". After all, a teardown is a teardown, an ill-advised alteration is an ill-advised alteration, and in its smiley-face way it's even worse when it's on behalf of retro-schlock. Design codes as an alibi for destructive kitsch which thinks it's "in keeping".

And meanwhile, "strict design codes" haven't done a whole lot to shield the landmarks of industrial Leaside from destruction...