Bay Street

[buildup]

For a long time Bay Street got no respect outside of the King/Bay intersection. But the incredible Bay density forming between Yorkville and King is stunning. Its stealing more energy from University I think than from Yonge. Yonge is a gritty, high energy pedestrian retail experience. University has a grandeur and institutional feel. But the huge number of parking lots and c-grade buildings on Bay offered easier opportunities for developers.

I am trying to think of a counterpart in another city to three parallel specialized arteries- Yonge/retail; Bay/residential; University/institutional. Sort of interesting and efficient.

 

[ungodlycrosscheck]

I'm sure there are others, but I'd offer Montreal. Bookended by Atwater on the West and Berri on the East, Sherbrooke, De Maisoneuve, Ste-Catherine, and Rene Levesque are all quite different. Sherbrooke and Ste. Caths are the densest in terms of development with a few underdeveloped lots still on Rene and lesser so De Mais. Sherbrooke is the more institutional and residential (McGill, arts Museums - McCord and the Art Gallery), Ste. Cath's is retail, Rene is commerical, and De Mais has been the focus of considerable residential/condo construction, particularly between de la Montagne and Peel.

 

[milanista]

In my opinion, Bay Street sort of has a split personality.
Solidly financial below Queen, solidly residential above Dundas(ish).
I'm generalizing of course, but you get my drift.

 

[elle]

I'm still amazed how much bay street has changed in the (relatively) short 8-years since I started living in the area. I've lost count of the number of new condos that cropped up between dundas and bloor.

 

[sodapop]

i agree with milanista, i wish all of bay was financial mixed with acouple residential towers, it is like wall street is to new york for us, i'm not sure because i haven't gone to new york but wall street doesn't look to residential, with new glassy balcony covered towers (correct me if i'm wrong) it should stick to what its known for, being torontos buisness street not a residential street (just my personal strange opinion)

 

[Bayer]

I'm still amazed how much bay street has changed in the (relatively) short 8-years since I started living in the area. I've lost count of the number of new condos that cropped up between dundas and bloor.

Imagine how I feel after 22 years. Sometimes I think, what are all these crowds doing in my neighbourhood? It sure is busier than it used to be.