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222 Jarvis Street LEED retrofit (former Sears office building, 9s, WZMH).

Nothing wrong with a courthouse. But this site is prime for better utilization and a mix of uses (none of which include above ground parking). I'm not the biggest fan of the building it self (and it doesn't offend me so I'm fairly indifferent I suppose) but I would like to see the lot used better. This corner could be a real gateway to "Downtown Yonge" and make Dundas running from Jarvis to Bay a really interesting and dynamic street full of retail, instutional uses and public spaces. People would live there too.
 
I wonder whether this will cause Kyle Rae to start talking about replacing the middle lane on Jarvis with a median again so that it looks more like University. This would be a nice touch to help get the revitalization of this part of town going.
 
isn't there a courthouse already just on the other side of jarvis? will these be linked somehow?

i agree 100% that the parking lot should go and a green space be put instead. i think it would be highly used during lunchtime and throughout the year. the space gets amazing sun exposure because there is nothing blocking it on south or east side.
 
I'm all in favour of anything being done with that lot.

I wouldn't be surprised if they tore the old Jarvis street courthouse down. It's a horrible dump, apparently, despite it's interesting facade.
 
My guess is that they are just going to move the facilities from the old courthouse into the Sears building. Perhaps you will see them selling the old facility for development.
 
Since this is such a large building I would think that there would be some consolidation at this spot. I would be surprised if the ones across the street didn't move over. Would the College Park courts also move here? Would the Old City Hall courts?

It would be interesting to see what would happen to Old City Hall if the courts in that building relocated. I had always thought that it would be a great place for the Ontario Archives, but that is going to be in Downsview. . . Maybe the City of Toronto museum?
 
The location would be a good one for courts, especially as, as Interchange points out, the architecture of the structure already lends itself somewhat to an "august" institution.

The building occupies, I believe, about half the site. I look forward to seeing something useful and attractive put on the other half. I continue to wonder if it wouldn't be ideal for Ryerson, who have been crying the "lack of space" blues for some time now. Maybe a residence building?
 
I think a Ryerson residence at that corner would be a terrible use of the space for the reasons I've already mentioned. I have never quite understood Ryerson's complaint about the lack of space. Ryerson could always seek expropriation as they are trying to do now with the old Sam the Record Man building. There's a parking lot on Church between Dundas and Gould that I am sure no one would really miss if Ryerson bought or expropriated it. Also, Ryerson has not done a very good job atmaking the best available use of the buildings that they already have. There's a building used as copy shop at Gerrard and Mutual that they could easily tear down and build a residence.
 
AndreaPalladio said:
I'm all in favour of anything being done with that lot.

I wouldn't be surprised if they tore the old Jarvis street courthouse down. It's a horrible dump, apparently, despite it's interesting facade.
Click to expand...

Isn't that a Peter Dickenson?

adma said:
I believe it might have been Maxwell Miller, who was something of a Simpsons-Sears "house architect"...
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Thanks so much adma - google was proving to be quite fruitless
 
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