Toronto Bisha Hotel and Residences | 146.91m | 44s | Lifetime | Wallman Architects

The massing models are interesting too. This thing, if it were allowed to go ahead as proposed, would really dominate the block. They're really trying to maximize every inch of space here, practically right up to property lines. It's a bit much (and somewhat inelegant). M5V, which isn't tiny, would look tiny in comparison.

That said... Boy, Charlie is going to be big, if it (he? she?) gets built.

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It seems like the city's primary concern is always height. I wish design was number one so that we could avoid half the crap that has gone up with a few floors lopped off the top.
 
^You're implying height is directly related to design not that it can't be in select cases.

City building is as important as architectural aestethics and I've not entirely convinced a design panel of "experts" does a better job than consumers' choice. There's a lot more North York quality schlock (albeit in point tower form) in downtown Vancouver than in downtown Toronto.
 
City Planning Refusal Report

For consideration by Toronto and East York Community Council on Sept 15/09:

This application proposed a 41-storey mixed use building with a five-storey podium incorporating the east facing heritage façade, and a 36-storey tower containing hotel and residential units at 56 Blue Jays Way.

This report reviews the application and recommends refusal of the proposal in its current form.

Staff worked closely with the previous owner of this site and approved a 62 m height in 2007, a doubling of the previous height permission. The previous approval fit well into its context and had no significant shadow impacts on King Street West. The current proposal has merit in that it provides a good condition at street level, incorporates the heritage façade, and provides some architectural and functional improvements over the previously approved development. However, its current massing is inappropriate and the report recommends that the Zoning By-law Amendment application be refused in its current form.​

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-21938.pdf
 
...except that Festival Tower will be 37 stories atop the 5 double-height stories of the Lightbox's podium, making it the equivalent of the average 46-47 storey condo.

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I'm not getting the logic of refusing this building. It's not any taller than many of the other projects and a sloping skyline has absolutely no intelligence behind it.
 
I'm kind of glad they've refused this project. The whole reason lightbox was approved was because it was on the north side of the street and it would not have any large shadow impacts along King Street.

This plan would add massive shadows running along King Street West and probably make it a less pleasant place. If developers can't follow planning guidelines why should we approve them? I know there are plenty of us who seem to have a hard on for anything tall without caring about the context. It's akin to virgins loving large breasted women only because they've never touched a pair in their lives. Meanwhile, the people who have, know that a perfect midsized pair is always the best.

It's too bad M5V was approved because it surely set a bad precident for the area.
 
Jayomatic said:
I'm kind of glad they've refused this project.

I know there are plenty of us who seem to have a hard on for anything tall without caring about the context. It's akin to virgins loving large breasted women only because they've never touched a pair in their lives. Meanwhile, the people who have, know that a perfect midsized pair is always the best.
Click to expand...

How about something like this, then?

FreudenbergArticle2Image3.jpg
 
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LOL Irishmonk ... I actually adore and think the London City Hall is an amzaing building
 
In reference to the Zoning By-law Application linked above, what do the yellow sections on the tops of some of the buildings in the last two diagrams on pages 23 and 24 mean or represent?
 
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dt_toronto_geek said:
In reference to the Zoning By-law Application linked above, what does the yellow reference in the last two diagrams on pages 23 and 24?
Click to expand...

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-21938.pdf

on page 24 of the above City Planning Refusal Report, the blue semi-transparent box in the two diagrams illlustrate ... "King-Spadina East Precinct Built Form Study's principle that heights decrease from east to west (University Avenue to Spadina Avenue) , and from south to north (Front Street to Queen Street), to acknowledge the particular context of this area."

Whereever yellow is shown, it indicates proposed/constructed buildings which exceed this "angular plane principle" :)
 
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