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671 Yonge Street (@Charles, future redevelopment)
- Thread starter AlbertC
- Start date
Ramako
Moderator
That's some pretty forgettable architecture, but the problem remains the substitution of diverse and interesting retailers with long, sterile storefronts housing banks and the like. That aside, I bet you could get 50 or more storeys here no problem. This is a block from Yonge & Bloor.
Automation Gallery
Superstar
Now there is no love-loss for what exists
someMidTowner
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Very true. This is a pretty important block for the counterculture types and it would be a shame to see it replaced with something sterile. I highly doubt a head shop and Vapour Lounge would ever be allowed to set up shop in a new condo. They certainly aren't short on business so I wonder if they would relocate nearby. Places like this, though hated by many, are important parts of Yonge Street's character.
Thoughts?
androiduk
Senior Member
^ There will eventually be a tipping point when we get enough new condo density. You can only have so many drug stores, dry cleaners, nail salons, etc. before the niche businesses pick up the remaining empty slots.
Ramako
Moderator
Agreed. There's also a restaurant and patio on Charles.
SP!RE
°°°°°°
AG once again writes off a stretch of the urban fabric in favour of height.
You do realize that right off of Yonge Street is WISH which adds a ton of character to this neighbourhood? I used to live on Charles right near it and it was one of the only things in that immediate area that brought pleasant street life into the neighbourhood. Not to mention there are tons of different businesses (a Noah's Health Foods and Vapour Lounge among them) that are important to many people in the neighbourhood.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Another highrise to provide afternoon shadow on the few remaining green spaces in the neighbourhood.
SP!RE
°°°°°°
I also imagine the people who live there will bitch about SANCTUARY, even though it was there long before they moved into the neighbourhood.
Niche businesses (especially small businesses) can't afford commercial rents in these residential developments and many types of retail/services are barred from setting up shop in new condos.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
Funny how you complain about park shadows here, but ICE and other south core developments are more than welcome despite shadowing over roundhouse park.
SP!RE
°°°°°°
That's a much bigger park and it's rarely in the shadows.
balenciaga
Banned
now when one can't use "heritage" as the excuse since these buildings are outright ugly, "urban fabric" becomes the catch word A 50 storey condo is part of the urban fabric too in case you forget. And urban fabric evolves with the need of the people.
There is no regret over the loss of these 1-2 storey shacks literally steps from Yonge/Bloor. No matter what we are losing here (like a couple of boring chain stores?), the added density and living space is totally worth it.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
Gotta agree. People here seem to have a hate on for any developments on yonge, and I must admit, they often have points about heritage preservation. But to be opposed to a development simply because we are loosing a couple of stores, which will likely be gone by the end of the decade anyways, is just silly.
SP!RE
°°°°°°
Why is it silly to raise concerns? Every neighbourhood should just allow every development unimpeded and just lay down and let developers give it to us? That's not how good developments are created, nor is it how democracy works.
I have supported many of the towers going up along Yonge Street in theory. (Though their designs and the way they displace private businesses is problematic and needs to be addressed in our city planning).
SP!RE
°°°°°°
Why?
And please don't give me a response that claims that density automatically makes a city more sustainable or more lively. (Because those are extremely naive claims which we see a lot of on UrbanToronto and they are untrue.)