1 Bloor East, DEAD AND BURIED (Bazis, -2s, Varacalli)

[interchange42]

Part of the point is that Yonge & Bloor is totally run down, but it should be one of the grandest intersections in the city because of all the reasons noted above, the most important of which, I think, is that you have hundreds of thousands of people in the subway station below it every day as potential patrons of whatever gets built there.

42

 

[Edward]

Don't forget that entire strip of Bloor is getting a major makeover in the next few years.

 

[investor]

Part of the point is that Yonge & Bloor is totally run down, but it should be one of the grandest intersections in the city because of all the reasons noted above, the most important of which, I think, is that you have hundreds of thousands of people in the subway station below it every day as potential patrons of whatever gets built there.

42

The HBC/Marriott wall of shame is a disaster that will forever haunt this intersection.

 

[interchange42]

Back before Bramalea Ltd went backrupt (end of the 80s? anyone remember) they had plans to cut windows into The Bay's blank concrete walls. Subsequent landlords have not revived that plan, although we certainly enjoy harping on it here. In fact, let's say it again:

Somebody! Anybody! Cut some windows into the Bay store at HBC!
Dammit.

42

 

[Jayomatic]

Even if they can't cut a window, add some sort of crazy cladding. Call up future systems and have them do a number on the front ala Selfridges Birmingham.

 

[JasonParis]

The Bay won't be there much longer any way. Mark my words!

 

[investor]

The Bay won't be there much longer any way. Mark my words!

You are probably right. My guess is that it ends up being an urban Home Depot site.

 

[jaborandi]

You are probably right. My guess is that it ends up being an urban Home Depot site.

Guess again. It's future is not retail.

 

[investor]

Guess again. It's future is not retail.

Really? Tell us oh wise one- what would you do with a 200,000 square foot department store? Call centre?

 

[JasonParis]

If I had to guess...condo/hotel with some retail component (but not necessarily anything more than the current councourse level of the HBC Centre).

 

[maestro]

^There is a small hotel already which I don't see expanding and condo apartments would only work as highrise floors of which I doubt there is enough space or density left to build (shitty 8 Park Road ruined all hope of a block busting )

 

[canarob]

Is there room for another office or condo tower between 2 Bloor East and the Marriott (assuming as maestro said, that there is available density)? I'm thinking there might be if it was relatively slender and was built flush with the southern end of the existing structure in such a way that it didn't block too many of the views from the existing towers.

The Bay retail space would work well as office space, I think. In addition to adding windows, you could even add an atrium to add some natural light. If Sears can turn its Eaton Centre space into office, I don't see how this is any different.

 

[JasonParis]

The Bay retail space would work well as office space, I think. In addition to adding windows, you could even add an atrium to add some natural light. If Sears can turn its Eaton Centre space into office, I don't see how this is any different.

Rampant speculation, but maybe HBC could close its Brampton offices and move them into this old Bay store!

 

[investor]

Rampant speculation, but maybe HBC could close its Brampton offices and move them into this old Bay store!

Works better as a giant bingo hall.

 

[junctionist]

In terms of importance, I would argue that nothing matches Avenue and Bloor for its cache. There you have the University, the ROM, the Four Seasons, the city's (country's?) most expensive retail strip, a well maintained park, and of course the provincial legislature. It also serves as the de facto epicentre for the TIFF which is probably the only event that puts Toronto on the world stage consistently. This may change when the Festival Tower is finished but I don't believe that King and John will ever be able to pull off the faux-Hollywood thing.

To me this intersection signifies the height of importance in Toronto whereas Yonge and Bloor signifies street meat, filth, homelessness and the hideously monolithic HBC structure.

The problem with that is that Avenue road is not the crucial divider that Yonge is. Avenue Road begins at Bloor. South of Bloor there's Queen's Park Circle and then University Avenue. If it is was all one road, it could compare to Yonge's geographic importance.

Besides, cities divided into areas of extreme wealth and extreme poverty are socially undesirable. Yonge represents the mingling of people of diverse backgrounds and salaries.