Toronto 31R Parliament Street | 165.8m | 49s | Cityscape | SHoP

I like the contrast of these glass towers in the area however, I would prefer if this proposal came down in height. I don't think its necessary to replicate the historic buildings but I do agree that this area deserves more than a bland podium design.

Maybe we'll get lucky and that atrocious art piece they added in the square will meet with an accident during construction. No idea who decided that art piece was a good idea ... but man ... it's bugged me ever since it arrived.

*fingers crossed*
 
I actually don't mind the height of the distillery towers. They're tall but their simple, modern designs don't really draw the eye away from the heavy red stone that surrounds you at eye level. You really need to crank your head up to notice those top 20 storeys or so anyway.
 
Maybe we'll get lucky and that atrocious art piece they added in the square will meet with an accident during construction. No idea who decided that art piece was a good idea ... but man ... it's bugged me ever since it arrived.

One can only hope. I've always thought that the square would look far better without that pile of... art.
 
I actually don't mind the height of the distillery towers. They're tall but their simple, modern designs don't really draw the eye away from the heavy red stone that surrounds you at eye level. You really need to crank your head up to notice those top 20 storeys or so anyway.

Not to mention that if the towers had not been "allowed", the DD project would never have happened, and the historic buildings would still be quietly decaying into ruin, with almost zero people visiting the site.
 
I think in adding anything to the Distillery, one has to think about what it currently is, and what issues exist with it. Any project that is brought it, should address those issues in order to make it a successful community.

As it stands, we've got three large towers, and a few surrounding low-rise buildings - and from the time I've spent here, it seems as though most residents tend to live here, maybe utilize the restaurants from time to time, but generally get in their cars and spend most of their free time elsewhere.

Due to the unique nature of the area, the nature of the businesses here have to be one-of-a-kind, all in order to create a shopping/dining/tourist destination. And from what I understand, thats why the distillery has a rule about no chain stores.

But when you keep adding more and more residential, theres an increased demand for those drudge-tastic, boring, everyday services like dry cleaners that should not be in these old classic structures.

So naturally, it begs the question - will the retail in the ribbon be "no-chain"? Will the retail service the residents, or become high-priced boutiques that add to the one-of-a-kind-shopping destination that will bring in tourists? What's the point of bringing in residential density to an urban area, if you're going to keep them in their cars for daily errands? (trust me, I do not see neighbours here walking in droves over to No Frills/Loblaws/T&T or even St. Lawrence Market)

I say if anything, build the ribbon - chop the tower down to 10 storeys, and instead of residential - put in place the "Innovation Centre" that WaterfrontTO wants to drop in beside Sugar Beach. Anything left over in the buildings become retail, that we can all debate about at a later date.

The jobs that come from the centre would help the restaurants here stay flush throughout the year, and any of the parking being built under these buildings would arguably empty out in the evenings and weekends to accommodate the tourist traffic. Win, win.
 
Not to mention that if the towers had not been "allowed", the DD project would never have happened, and the historic buildings would still be quietly decaying into ruin, with almost zero people visiting the site.

Oh give me a break. Are you trying to tell me what we presently have is the best we could have hoped for?
 
Oh give me a break. Are you trying to tell me what we presently have is the best we could have hoped for?

No, but I am saying that if the towers had not been allowed, there would have been no Distillery District as a tourist destination.
 
If the city had restricted the towers to 20 stories in the Distillery, the developer would have pouted and built 20 story condos and it still would have been the Distillery District, except the scale would have been better suited to the district. Everything more than likely, would have been pretty much the same and it would have been a better development.
 
Is this a typical scenario where they ask for 57 and get 50 storeys?

I agree re: too much glass towers.

But since all of you like to complain I spent 2 hours of my precious time being proactive: designing an alternative to a "glass box" tower here could be more like
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featuring ... OMG ... brick or brick-style cladding
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And just a little bit of curves to shake it up
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The Distillery District isn't our Old Montreal. It's a unique and interesting district, but it was a Victorian whisky distillery and not an old town district. It was brilliantly converted into a mixed-use district in our time. To put skyscrapers in without bulldozing the place isn't inappropriate.

Old Montreal was the city's first downtown core--where all its most important institutions and most prominent companies were located. St. Lawrence and the pre-1950s Financial District were our Old Montreal.
 
Oh give me a break. Are you trying to tell me what we presently have is the best we could have hoped for?

In terms of local firms? Absolutely. The quality of building in the DD is exceptional. Some of the best detailed podia and most sculptural towers in the entire city.

What 'more' were you hoping for?
 
The Distillery District isn't our Old Montreal. It's a unique and interesting district, but it was a Victorian whisky distillery and not an old town district. It was brilliantly converted into a mixed-use district in our time. To put skyscrapers in without bulldozing the place isn't inappropriate.

Old Montreal was the city's first downtown core--where all its most important institutions and most prominent companies were located. St. Lawrence and the pre-1950s Financial District were our Old Montreal.

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I was initially hesitant about condos in the DD, until Pure Spirit went up and I realized that it actually enhanced things.

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Beyond aesthetics, I also think it's important to better integrate the DD with the modern city in order to make it a real neighbourhood. The alternative is that it remains an artificial theme park - kind of a high-end version of Pioneer Village without the entrance fees.

And by integration, I don't just mean bringing modern buildings into the DD, I also mean extending the pedestrian experience of the DD out into the neighbouring areas (just as they seem to be doing with Cherry Street). I dream of a time when Trinity Street will be seamlessly integrated all the way up to Front street with brick paving and attractive architecture.
 

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And get rid of that @&%$ sculpture in the main square! I honestly think that the square would look far better without it.
 

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