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

  • Thread starter billy corgan19982
  • Start date
Or something like this
86-Mendelsohn,%20Magazzini%20Schocken%20%5BStuttgart%201930%5D_jpg.jpg
 
It also means this thread will most likely remain in projects and construction for a while. Between this project and the Torch, Pen Equity has had its name up in this forum for quite some time. Looks like they just don't want to go away.

PS. the thread title should be 10 Dundas East (Former Toronto Life Square, Former Metropolis, etc.)
 
Looking at some of the past projects Pen Equity has been involved with, it's insane that they were given access to such valuable and potential-rich property. They're responsible for the damn Appleby Mall in Burlington - one of the worst suburban malls I've ever seen.

I still don't think they should tear-down-and-start-over, though, as between the movie theatre and the food court, there's a lot of utility in the building as it is. I'd rather it not go back to being a hole in the ground.
 
The building feels like a painful, painful fluke. But I guess starting from scratch would cost so much money and would just be a disaster for pedestrians, the life of the city, etc.

I do think the Schocken department store (someone posted the image) or Berlin Quartier 207 (Galeries Lafayette department store) would be some appropriate, tasteful inspiration.

I wouldn't even mind big neon letters across a glass facade declaring "M E T R O P O L I S" because that would not only be a cool name for the building, it would highlight the area's urban feel. People would be reminded they are in an exciting city.
 
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PS.

I noticed this design flaw aaages ago this summer and forgot to post it:

The rather unfinished ceiling of the basement and all its many ceilingnooks and crannies may look dirty and like a ground zero for dust.

But the food places around the base of the escalator down to the basement make me worry. Looking down from the escalator, one can clearly see huge amounts of dust built up around the opening (there is no roof) on top of the Crepe-de-Licious place. CLUMPS of dust. I know it seems trivial, but it's an interesting juxtaposition with the counters they prepare food on just below.

Every retail kiosk in this whole building looks like it was haphazardly planted down in a random location. Nothing lines up, nothing "fits". It's a thoughtless building.
 
The building feels like a painful, painful fluke. But I guess starting from scratch would cost so much money and would just be a disaster for pedestrians, the life of the city, etc.

Renovating it may cost more than starting from scratch. I give this building ten years depending on the next boom and Ryerson.
 
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The major problems with this building were created by:

1) The decision to build it around a functioning parkade
2) PenEquity's intention to never spend a penny more than necessary to get this building to function for time enough to sell it and turn a profit. They did the same with the Olympic Spirit Centre.

I would hate to see this become a hole in the ground again, specially now that the area is beginning to feel complete with the Eastern edge finally gaining an attractive use (CityTV) and AMC and FutureShop attracting a good crowd into the building.

While it may seem that renovating the building may cost more than demolishing it and restarting from scratch, there is a lot of money hidden in the details. A new owner would have to buy out the leases of all the tenants who invested vast sums of cash in their spaces -- especially AMC, the restaurants, FutureShop, Adidas, Shoppers Drugmart, and Extreme Fitness. Demolishing is NOT an option for atleast 10 to 20 years (whatever AMC's lease is).
 
It might be salvageable if they demolish the garage right out from from underneath the theaters and then expand to the east and north. If they did that there would be much possibility to fix the circulation issues while leaving most of the existing tenants alone.
 
Talk of demolishing this building, even within a time frame of twenty years is insane. There is a great deal right with this property. What's wrong can be fixed relatively inexpensively. To go back to ground zero would be irresponsible not to mention uneconomical.
 
well with Ryerson booming I think most of the places inside will continue to do well.


The only reason I go inside this building is because of Saute Rose... :cool:
 

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