Toronto Ïce Condominiums at York Centre | 234.07m | 67s | Lanterra | a—A

Once Ice is finished, it will be interesting to see some before and after pictures of that whole area. Can anyone even fully recall the windswept emptiness that was once down there?
 
I can vividly remember what it was like 12 years ago, when the ACC was under construction. I remember laughing when someone said that one day it would be part of the city
 
Once Ice is finished, it will be interesting to see some before and after pictures of that whole area. Can anyone even fully recall the windswept emptiness that was once down there?
I actually took a photo of myself and two friends sitting on a wall outside the convention centre, with the intention of returning in a few years when it was all done to re-take the same photo, with the same people, from the same angle. I came across it recently, and the difference is already quite stunning. The ACC is there, but nothing else.
 
This area will come to say a lot about the city in terms of its true urban philosophy, and for me it raises a number of questions: Do we really believe in Jane Jacobs or do we merely force-fit her ideas to already existing neighbourhoods? Do these beliefs truely inform new urban development or have other ideas and forces taken precedence? Do we now truely believe in the City Beautiful and the importance of good design and aesthetics in the urban realm or are we still a 'mean' city, Hogtown? How do we really feel, in practice, about issues such as sustainability, the environment and public infrastructure including mass transit? This area and other new areas like City Place were blank slates, not just for growth and expansion but for the city to inscribe its philosophy of urbanism in a real way. Are we living up to our ideals or is it that we are simply happy and satisfied to see a once-empty space full of towers? Does this new city feel like it belongs to the old one? How do we interpret and judge our true values based on what we see emerging and does this pose a concern for other emerging areas such as those along the waterfront?
 
Remember when...

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http://www.dougloudenback.com/hornets/TorontoArena.htm

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http://cache.virtualtourist.com/849194-Air_Canada_Centre-Toronto.jpg
 
We haven't seen anything yet, wait till 2022 when aprox another proposed/planned 10-15 towers are built in that specific area.

It would be great to get a mapping of the area around 2000, 2010 and 2020 just to do a comparison.
Living in the area, I'd like to see more entertainment facilities being built. Without any games or concerts, the area is very dead at night right now. Didn't the owner of Captain John wants someone to buy his ship and turn it into a casino?
 
This area will come to say a lot about the city in terms of its true urban philosophy, and for me it raises a number of questions: Do we really believe in Jane Jacobs or do we merely force-fit her ideas to already existing neighbourhoods? Do these beliefs truely inform new urban development or have other ideas and forces taken precedence? Do we now truely believe in the City Beautiful and the importance of good design and aesthetics in the urban realm or are we still a 'mean' city, Hogtown? How do we really feel, in practice, about issues such as sustainability, the environment and public infrastructure including mass transit? This area and other new areas like City Place were blank slates, not just for growth and expansion but for the city to inscribe its philosophy of urbanism in a real way. Are we living up to our ideals or is it that we are simply happy and satisfied to see a once-empty space full of towers? Does this new city feel like it belongs to the old one? How do we interpret and judge our true values based on what we see emerging and does this pose a concern for other emerging areas such as those along the waterfront?
Interesting. I think CityPlace says something very different about the city than this neighbourhood, and Donlands and East Bayfront say something entirely different than both of those. In that way, I think it's probably not appropriate to pick one specific area to represent all emerging neighbourhoods as a whole. They're far too diverse. Also, the City and the planning department had widely varying degrees of control over each of these areas (lot sizes, density, design competitions...).
 
Great cities need Robert Moses as well as Jane Jacobs.

I want it all: the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the creamy middles! Sure, I might offend a few of the bluenoses with my cocky stride and musky odor - oh, I'll never be the darling of the so-called 'City Fathers' who cluck their tongues, stroke their beards, and talk about what's to be done with this City of Toronto?!
 
Here's a quick render that will demonstrate the impact ICE will have on our skyline from the lake.

(I also did Shangi-la, FCP Re-clad, Trump and Success II. I didn't do L-tower because judging from Google Earth and the vantage point, it will be almost entirely obscured by Success I and II... And because I felt lazy LOL)

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(Original courtesy Caltrane74 at SSP http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=145470&page=148 )
 
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Nice rendering.. I wonder if sooner or later (say 15 years from now), Queen's Quay terminal would be tore down and a new terminal + condo would be put up.
 
I can think of only one Queens Quay Terminal being the mixed-use terminal building beside Harbour Square. I only question it as the idea that it would be remotely economical to tear down this structure in 30 years time (ignoring zoning and heritage conditions on the southside of QQ) is so beyond reason. No offense by the way but the 90 existing condos are among the most expensive in the city and doesn't even count the 8 floors of commerical space to buy out.
 
No offense by the way but the 90 existing condos are among the most expensive in the city

Probably an even stronger argument against tearing down QQT than "heritage"--like, how many condos can you picture being torn down.

And for that matter, keep in mind the physical nature of the ex-Terminal Warehouse: the sheer expense (of money and of "embodied energy") would be enough to dissuade any demolition thoughts...
 
Tear down QQT, no way never. It's one of the best buildings in harbourfront. Besides that thing is stronger than a brick shithouse. And it is also the only building in harbourfront that has decent lake access and restuarants on the lake. We need them to add a few more like that along the shore.
 

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