Distillery District

[Archivistower]

Re: .

and it's no less consumerist than opening a power center in Vaughan

Ridiculous statement. The district has the Young Centre, a theatre school and live theatre, it has the Centre for the Deaf, and it has quite a few art galleries that, in fact, provide free shows for browsers-by. I've seen some amazing stuff down there.

I accept that it is contrived, in the same way that say, Granville Island is contrived. I have no problem with that.

 

[tudararms]

Re: .

Andrea: "Agreed. It's nice over there, but about as real as Colonial Williamsburg."

Well who claimed that 'reality' was an objective here? That would mean opening up the complex as an actual Victorian distillery again. That said, the Distillery is in fact more 'real' than Williamsburg as a place with a relevent function, rather than simply existing as a museum. Although one can argue that certain aspects of its form/architecture are museum-like, its vitality overall is reborn as its life and function evolve from industrial complex to that of a home for studios, workshops, commerce and the Arts.

 

[alklay]

Re: .

Its interesting that this district can be viewed as "artificial and very contrived" when in fact it could easily be argued that the stores and galleries are a lot more genuine than those of, lets say, Fairview Mall.

 

[interchange42]

Re: .

Contrivance?

Museums don't have 'relevant' functions?

This forum is a contrivance set up to talk about contrivances!

It's all artificial - all of it! Wonderful!

What kind of airy-fairy worlds are we making comparisons to here?

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[tudararms]

Re: .

^I didn't intend to set up this dichotomy. I do agree that museums have a function. I am talking in relative terms, that the vitality of the Distillery is over and above that of a museum.

 

[ganjavih]

Re: .

Who cares if it's contrived? It's a unique new pedestrian-oriented neighbourhood that resulted in the restoration and preservation of the largest collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America. There's not much there that I would buy except for a hot drink at Balzac's perhaps, but it's a nice place for a stroll and a great addition to the city's diverse collection of neighbourhoods.

 

[interchange42]

Re: .

Fair enough, tudararms, and I didn't mean to aim my exclamation marks exclusively at your comment.

I just tire easily when confronted with complaints about 'contrivance', which have been spelled out or alluded to in a number of posts here.

I do not find the Distillery District any more contrived than anywhere else I spend time. Certainly it is larger and more all-encompassing than most places one experiences daily, and its age and architecture remove it entirely from the everyday that we see in Toronto. Those elements give it landmark status, the way that a skyscraper has it, or a major mall, or an massive airport terminal, or an amusement park has. Do we spend a lot of our time walking about Pearson grumbling about the contrivance of it all? (Well, maybe the restaurants' rather kitschy and tenuous connections to popular neighbourhoods in town...)

Point being, the Distillery is owned by one company, one that has chosen a business plan that differentiates the district from other offerings in this city, in the same way that the company that created the computer that I am typing away on now has managed to make its products stand out from the rest. We even manage the forests and wildlife in our provincial and national parks - so they are rather contrived too.

I love a good contrivance, and I can't get enough artifice.

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[Archivistower]

Contrived artifice

For me, the "contrivance" to which I referred are things like the faux-historical lamps and clock, and the gates at the entrance that in my mind segregate the district even further from its surroundings. I don't prefer these things, but I can live with them.

I agree with inter about artifice. Bring it on.

 

[SD2]

Re: Contrived artifice

If the Distillery was left for dead, we'd all be asking why they couldn't do something similar to what's being done with it now.

 

[adma]

Re: Contrived artifice

Keep in mind, of course, that the gates aren't just a contemporary conceit, they're a de facto "historically correct" legacy from brewery days, when they announced "Arbeit Macht Frei" to everybody who passed by (just joking--though it *is* the most Auschwitz-like setting in Toronto)

 

[Darkstar416]

And also, hardly anyone lives there. If there were a lot of people living there, there would be more dry cleaners and Rabba's and Subways and Starbucks because people need or want stores like that as part of their day to day life.

There's more of that stuff opening in the area all the time (especially as more and more people move into the area). I think those stores will all come, but will just be off the property line of 55 Mill St (as Interchange said as well).

I like the idea of no chains, but I'd frankly be happy if a "Gooderham and Firkin" opened down there. They seriously need some not-so-upscale and not-so-pricey imbimbing locales.

Couldn't agree more! Despite living close to The Distillery, it's not the type of place I consider going to very often as there's nowhere to sit and have a lovely downscale beer. Even that Mill Street Brewery has nowhere to sit! It could be an independent pub too and not part of the Firkin (or any other) chain.

Keep in mind, of course, that the gates aren't just a contemporary conceit, they're a de facto "historically correct" legacy from brewery days, when they announced "Arbeit Macht Frei" to everybody who passed by (just joking--though it *is* the most Auschwitz-like setting in Toronto)

Agreed, but they keep the gates closed at all times, save the little opening that pedestrians can squeeze through. It's never seemed that inviting to me to be honest.

 

[Ed007Toronto]

Actually I don't mind the gates closed.

 

[Archivistower]

I would mind the gates less if the rest of the district were more open to its surroundings. Though I think the Young Centre is an attractive buildings that skillfully blends old and new, I am disappointed that they didn't allow for an entrance onto Mill Street. I would prefer that the district be more fully integrated into its surroundings over time, and the gate, however historically accurate it is, works against this for me.

 

[beaconer]

It definitely has that "amusement park" entrance type feel to it ie. single entry point (or at least single user friendly entry point). The Distillery district begins and ends at this point rather abruptly, and definitely agree with points made above, that it would serve itself better by somehow being more open and integrated rather than barricaded.

Would be nice if they had multiple entry points or if possible store frontage onto Mill Street?

Although I guess maybe in the short term they are doing this for security since at night when the place closes there is no pedestrian traffic.

 

[interchange42]

There are multiple entry points actually - they jiust are not as obvious as the Mill & Trinity Street gates.

The east end of the internal pedestrian street that accesses the Young Centre empties directly on to Cherry Street - no gates.

Parking entrances along the south edge allow access (for not just cars) from both Parliament and Cherry Streets.

The walkway along the north side of the existing Parliament Street condo allows access (although it may be closed temporaily during construction of the Pure Spirits condo - I don't know.)

All of these accesses will become more well known, simply with the passage of time, but also as upcoming development around the site makes more of the area attractive for pedestrians.

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