The Tenor (10 Dundas St E, Ent Prop Trust, 10s, Baldwin & Franklin)

[alklay]

This building (at this location) was once a piece of art. Its a shame the 'improvements' did nothing of the sort.

 

[3Dementia]

^careful... you just paid a compliment to a much maligned Canadian/Toronto architect (Eb Zeidler).

Your post will be deleted for this infraction.

 

[caltrane74]

I think you have to consider the economics of the Mall loosing its biggest tenant and having to create additional revenue streams to maintain overall profitablity.

Things happen, Things change. Nothing stays the same forever.

 

[pancsi]

I think what I was trying to say is that Paris doesn’t have (as of yet) a public square that is eternally plastered with commercial advertising boards and video screens all over it, the way New York has its Times Square and we have our grotesque Toronto Life Square.

The Citroën sign above was taken down 74 years ago (almost three quarters of a century) and nothing else had graced the Eiffel tower’s metal beams ever since, not even today with all the branding, advertising, and commercialism that surrounds us in every corner.

Not excactly true. When I was there last summer there were signs and flags for the Rugby World Cup hanging between the lower two levels.

 

[egotrippin]

Sure the mall was less busy looking pre-ads, but as it is today there's still too much of that garish tile siding. The tiling looked even more offensive back then.

 

[interchange42]

Those enamel tiles garish? Naaaaaah. The building - and especially its original atrium at the north end, was much better back when...

42

 

[egotrippin]

The atrium looks nicer, but there's something about the tiles. Perhaps it's the colour, too pastel/tacky vintage 70s looking.

 

[ganjavih]

Yes, I meant Place Blanche where Moulin Rouge is. No, it's not as loud as Times Square or Dundas Square but it's loud for Paris. Anyway, what's wrong with having one uniquely gaudy intersection in the city?

 

[Urban Shocker]

I agree. Go gaudy or go home. Get it out of our system. Commerce gone wild. Dundas Square ought to serve the same cautionary purpose as Dubai does.

 

[ganjavih]

Yup. By the way, I want that neon Coca Cola signage in the second pic.

 

[Urban Shocker]

I wish there was neon at Dundas Square. Can't there be a special corner reserved for old neon advertising signs for products that no longer exist?

 

[3Dementia]

We don't need the Coca Cola signs.... Toronto's most iconic neon signs will end up in the crapper if something isn't done soon... 'cause Ryerson ain't gonna do it.

I know lots of people have thought of this, but the perfect home for SAM's neon is living in the square courtesy of CityTV's redesigned media tower (aka Torch/Spirit).

The "that's entertainment" slogan works fine for them, City TV is just the type of "caring broadcaster" who can get some deserved mileage from the preservation, and what better place to have some "original" Yonge Street electrics?


And it would look bloody good (no more backlights thanks).

 

[adma]

The atrium looks nicer, but there's something about the tiles. Perhaps it's the colour, too pastel/tacky vintage 70s looking.

And, big freaking deal. The argument against anything from Uno Prii apartments to the Riverdale half-round used to be that they were too tacky vintage 60s looking...

 

[Cancerous]

Yes, I meant Place Blanche where Moulin Rouge is. No, it's not as loud as Times Square or Dundas Square but it's loud for Paris. Anyway, what's wrong with having one uniquely gaudy intersection in the city?

Nothing.
Actually… if anything, Place Blanche is distinct in the vulgar way it screams through the earnest Haussmann uniformity of Paris.

However, when it comes to a city like Toronto, having a gaudy intersection right in the geographical heart of downtown does far more damage.

 

[adma]

However, when it comes to a city like Toronto, having a gaudy intersection right in the geographical heart of downtown does far more damage.

Except that, what is this "geographical heart of downtown"? Some might make similar arguments for Bay + King, or NPS, or whatever--and neither are as "gaudy", and rightly so...