Toronto CityPlace: Montage + Neo (Concord Adex, 47 + 16s, KPMB)

[interchange42]

I really can't see them putting an LCBO here now that there's one just a few blocks away at King.

I mean, I would love it if they did, and I'm sure it would do well, however the monopoly that is the LCBO doesn't seem to interested in serving customers well.

Wha??? The LCBO has spent more on their stores than just about any other retailer in the province. They are constantly trying to improve their appearance, add selection bit by bit, and have far better hours than most other retailers. If they didn't, they wouldn't be posting record sales year after year, and record returns to the Ontario Treasury. It's all in aid of staying in one piece in the face of forces that would see them privatized and broken up.

Spadina could easily support an LCBO at both King and at Fort York Blvd: lots of residents are moving in near both intersections.

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[ProjectEnd]

Wha??? The LCBO has spent more on their stores than just about any other retailer in the province. They are constantly trying to improve their appearance, add selection bit by bit, and have far better hours than most other retailers. If they didn't, they wouldn't be posting record sales year after year, and record returns to the Ontario Treasury. It's all in aid of staying in one piece in the face of forces that would see them privatized and broken up.

Spadina could easily support an LCBO at both King and at Fort York Blvd: lots of residents are moving in near both intersections.

42

Yes, improvements to individual stores are one part of that success story, but you are forgetting their total monopoly in the alcohol market which counts for a little more than some new drywall and fresh whisky.

 

[gei]

Wha??? The LCBO has spent more on their stores than just about any other retailer in the province. They are constantly trying to improve their appearance, add selection bit by bit, and have far better hours than most other retailers. If they didn't, they wouldn't be posting record sales year after year, and record returns to the Ontario Treasury. It's all in aid of staying in one piece in the face of forces that would see them privatized and broken up.

Spadina could easily support an LCBO at both King and at Fort York Blvd: lots of residents are moving in near both intersections.

42

Indeed... it's amazing they manage to post record sales year after year with all the competition they have.

Oh wait...

 

[interchange42]

ProjectEnd - I am not forgetting that they have a "total" monopoly on liquor retailing in the province when I state that their sales are up. The point is that their sales are increasing more quickly than either the inflation rate or the rate of population growth, so people may be getting drawn in in greater numbers in part by some new drywall. (In regards to fresh whisky, I'm not aware that anyone likes it fresh!)

I am not saying one way or the other whether I support the LCBO's monopoly or not. I am merely pointing out that since they were threatened with privatization during the Harris' tyranny, that they have been trying to make themselves look essential: nobody there wants to lose their job. That has meant that the LCBO has actually been one of the most innovative retailers in the province for many years now; one that has spent scads of money to improve their look and overall user friendliness. Look at the store they put into the North Toronto Station - that's got to be one of the most expensively (and beautifully) restored and repurposed spaces in the city.

In regards to their total monopoly - it isn't - (and I'm only going to nitpick this because you bolded the word in the first place) - you can buy wine through the various winery shops at many supermarkets in the province, or you can order in bulk through an importer or a winery. So there - they only have a 99% monopoly.

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[ProjectEnd]

In regards to their total monopoly - it isn't - (and I'm only going to nitpick this because you bolded the word in the first place) - you can buy wine through the various winery shops at many supermarkets in the province, or you can order in bulk through an importer or a winery. So there - they only have a 99% monopoly.

42

You are right to note that wine and sometimes beer are available at locations other than the LCBO. I would however, challenge you to purchase any hard liquor, spirits and the like anywhere else. But that's a bad retort for a stupid argument anyways...


I say we just get on with Cityplace before this becomes one of those annoying threads which gets moved to a backwater sub-forum and eventually dies due to lack of interest. There it will sit collecting dust, taking up space and, ultimately, contributing to that most annoying of messages: Page Cannot Be Displayed...

So, on with Montage/Neo

 

[urbandreamer]

My Sunday 25 May 2008 doors open shot from city hall:

 

[Mongo]

I saw this news at SSC -- The SSP city diagrams now show Montage as the tallest of the CP towers:

157m / 515ft -- Montage
155m / 509ft -- West One
153.3m / 503ft -- Harbourview Estates II

The speculation on the thread is that the former listed height of 137m was only to the top of the main roof, not counting the large roof element on top.

 

[casaguy]

I am not a fan of the CityPlace development at all and have never seen a shot of it that makes it look remotely welcoming. (Although the views from the CN Tower are impressive).

That said, I think the photo below may be the best angle of this development. Unfortunately the only people who will ever see it are usually speeding by at 100km/h on the Gardiner. (And the only reason Spadina looks peaceful is because the on and off ramps to the Gardiner were closed... normally every time I'm in the area it is bumper to bumper in both directions which is only going to get worse and worse and worse as more of these towers go up.)

Edit: Looking at this picture again, I think what I like about it most is the baby blue and green/brown vertical lines on the sides of Montage and Neo. I think it's just temporary sheeting, but actually that extra splash of colour really helps out this section and gives it the friendliness that it's always been missing. This is, after all, a major gateway into the city. It should be inviting. And it doesn't look to me like there is any room at all on that west side of Spadina for trees and we all know what a difference greenery makes in this city which spends much of it's time in grey, gloomy seasons.

Some other shots of Montage/Neo below.

 

[syn]

The LCBO may have a monopoly, but I generally find their stores and advertising quite impressive.

 

[syn]

What's going at the base of these towers along Spadina?

 

[Redroom Studios]

you mean other than carbon monoxide?

Casaguy, great pics! really starts to look like Vancouver when you cram all those thumbs together!

 

[grey]

What's going at the base of these towers along Spadina?

Not much, unfortunately!

 

[UrbanAffair]

I saw this news at SSC -- The SSP city diagrams now show Montage as the tallest of the CP towers:

157m / 515ft -- Montage
155m / 509ft -- West One
153.3m / 503ft -- Harbourview Estates II

The speculation on the thread is that the former listed height of 137m was only to the top of the main roof, not counting the large roof element on top.

I dunno the HVE II looks taller than West One, but perhaps my eyes are deceiving me...

 

[ArcticS]

I wonder how much CP's appeal would change if the Gardner is removed.

 

[Mongo]

I dunno the HVE II looks taller than West One, but perhaps my eyes are deceiving me...

A poster to the site says that he hauled out his old surveying equipment and measured the buildings himself, coming up with the above numbers.

I used a range finder but because the buildings are so tall and packed together it took multiple measurements from several vantage points to measure the whole structure. I held off on posting because of the potential degree of error but, in the end thought, what the heck. I did have problems getting a good reading from the steel frame of Montage's mechanical penthouse though.