Toronto Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

One of my neighbours recently wrote to the City to get an update on Union Station and she just sent me the quite detailed reply that she received from the City's Project Director.:

"As with many of the construction projects around the city, COVID has had an impact on the schedule of the Union Station project also. Not having pedestrian traffic around the station has been helpful but not to any great extent as most of the work that is being undertaken is behind hoarding for the public's protection. The largest impact from COVID has been the availability of resources to work on site. Despite this, we continue with the project as best we can.

We are anticipating the re-opening of the carriageway tunnel areas under the Front Street plaza by the end of September. This area also has an Art Display but we do not anticipate the installation of the art to be completed until the end of January 2021. The floors of the Great Hall are not part of the scope of work for the General Contractor but are scheduled to be completed along with the lighting in 2021. The Bay Concourse opening is presently being reviewed by Metrolinx and the City however, we do expect the opening by November.

In general, the scope of work of the General Contractor should be completed by the end of 2020. Although the General Contractor will be completed their work there are other aspects of work that will continue. Osmington, our partner, will be completing the fit outs of the retail units in the new retail area of the station. Also, Metrolinx has planned work continuing at the south end of the station. "


I heard separately, from Councillor Cressy's office, that the art work in the Carriageway (celebrating the Walks & Gardens Trust) is delayed because the artists are 'stuck' in Belgium due to covid travel restrictions.

Excellent post; many thanks!

But I am disappointed to hear the Great Hall lighting is not til 2021.

That, to me, will be one of those cherries on top of the Sundae.
 
Just a heads up for those who have not been down to Union Station and surrounding areas. The York West Teamway Ticket Booth has been demolished. Any ticket purchases or loading of Presto Cards/Customer Service will now be at the major concourse(s). Only TVM's and AVM's available.
 
It's disappointing that in the most prominent part of the station, walked through by millions a year, shown in every photograph, they had an opportunity for some striking architecture, but they went for this off the shelf Canadian Tire Gazebo*
*Some assembly required.

Frank Gehry's DZ Bank for context:

Pics: Arch Daily
How is a showy, private, bank building a relevant precedent? Even if you're going to use Berlin (a hilarious comparison), why not show the HBF?
 
How is a showy, private, bank building a relevant precedent? Even if you're going to use Berlin (a hilarious comparison), why not show the HBF?

Berlin HBF? Impressive in scale but architecturally lumpy.
In any case, not wanting it to upstage the headhouse isn't to say the glass atria couldn't have been executed a bit more delicately - it is heavy-handed as built.

AoD
 
Lumpy? Gonna have to stridently disagree there @AlvinofDiaspar...

It's huge, sure, but filled with very fine detail that we just wouldn't do here. I mean, there ain't nothing 'lumpy' about this:

Tiergarten_Berlin_Germany_CAPAEZ0393.jpg


detail-of-glass-curtain-wall-at-berlin-hauptbahnhof-or-central-railway-BCP1N8.jpg


We wouldn't even get that detail in a bank building here...
 
Berlin HBF? Impressive in scale but architecturally lumpy.
In any case, not wanting it to upstage the headhouse isn't to say the glass atria couldn't have been executed a bit more delicately - it is heavy-handed as built.

AoD
Berlin Hbf is one of the most impressive buildings let alone train stations I've spent time in, and I'd give anything to have that utopian cyberpunk architecture here: it's a total buzz!

42
 
Lumpy? Gonna have to stridently disagree there @AlvinofDiaspar...

It's huge, sure, but filled with very fine detail that we just wouldn't do here. I mean, there ain't nothing 'lumpy' about this:

Tiergarten_Berlin_Germany_CAPAEZ0393.jpg


detail-of-glass-curtain-wall-at-berlin-hauptbahnhof-or-central-railway-BCP1N8.jpg


We wouldn't even get that detail in a bank building here...

Detail it is - but it doesn't fit my personal aesthetic - it look overwrought, fuzzy.

AoD
 
Berlin Hbf is one of the most impressive buildings let alone train stations I've spent time in, and I'd give anything to have that utopian cyberpunk architecture here: it's a total buzz!

42

You get points for the first reference I've ever seen to 'Utopian Cyberpunk' as an architectural style.
 
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You get points for the first reference I've ever seen to 'Utopian Cyberpunk' as an architectural style.
I just wanted to indicate that Berlin Hbf doesn't have dystopian undertones (or overtones for that matter) that some would associate with "cyberpunk".

42
 
To bring it back to that piece of public art....
https://urbantoronto.ca/news/2013/07/public-art-will-interact-passersby-union-station

If you actually read the article, its a bit outdated (for being posted in 2013, to be fair)

" The artwork will be installed in the last half of 2014. It has the potential to be seen by the 250,000 passengers and visitors ....."
It was not installed earlier because the Carriageway was not finished (and I think the artists were slow too). It's coming.....
 

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