Future of the Hearn Generating Station

[maestro]

Something fishy about this. How can a company that is merely leasing the station obtain a demolition permit for the building? Ontario Power Generation claims it is not behind the demolition permit.

I believe the lease is structured as a land lease which means OPG owns the land but they own the structures

The Hearn has been 75% demo'd already and the exterior looks very different than the summertime aerial photos. There is no longer a physical connection between the stack and the building. Still think what remains should be adapted for reuse though

 

[Automation Gallery]

I thought i heard a while back that even if they are able to retrofit the Hearn to whatever, the stack goes.

 

[Cast_Member]

In my opinion, the city should reuse the building to generate energy by using human waste. At least, its not going to be another Smartcentre.

 

[Bruvyman]

I believe the lease is structured as a land lease which means OPG owns the land but they own the structures

The Hearn has been 75% demo'd already and the exterior looks very different than the summertime aerial photos. There is no longer a physical connection between the stack and the building. Still think what remains should be adapted for reuse though

I'm not sure what you mean by "no longer a physical connection between the stack and the building". As of two weeks ago, it didn't look like any demolition has taken place or any change other than the state of disrepair evident at the site. The ducting was still very much connecting the stack to the building.

 

[junctionist]

Some minor structures connected to the exterior have been removed, but it looks quite similar to that aerial. The interior, on the other hand has seen a lot of demolition but there's still so much left.

 

[hawc]

When is the stack coming down? It would be fun to watch it fall.

 

[CanadianNational]

Never, I hope. I'd personally rather see it kept and floodlit.
Heck, I'd rather see people bungee jumping off it than have it demolished. Not to give any unwarranted thanks to the Ford's Portlands scheme, but I think having it become a slender little observation tower might be a nice landmark for the area. That put it at about the same height as the Sky Tower (minus the antenna) in Auckland, or the entire Fernsehturm in Stuttgart.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

CN:

The scheme of turning Hearn into a "ice palace" is probably the only one redeemable element out of the mess - and the Behnisch plan predates the attempted takeover in any case. Wish there is more info available for that scheme.

PS: There is - including building floor plans - http://behnisch.com/projects/426; general project description pdf - http://behnisch.com/content/02.projects/426/426.pdf

AoD

 

[hawc]

Tear it down! Turn it into a parking lot. The sooner the better.

 

[RC8]

I'm incredibly glad this city didn't have more people like you to tear down the Flatiron, St. Lawrence Market, etc. when these were in the cards.

 

[jje1000]

Tear it down! Turn it into a parking lot. The sooner the better.

Build more CityPlaces!

 

[hawc]

Build more CityPlaces!

Are you crazy!? We don't need another ghetto!

 

[adma]

I'm incredibly glad this city didn't have more people like you to tear down the Flatiron, St. Lawrence Market, etc. when these were in the cards.

Well, you gotta remember: hawc's also blithely proposed plowing an expressway through this intersection

 

[nfitz]

Are you crazy!? We don't need another ghetto!

Ghetto? I fail to see the point of such trolling.

 

[hawc]

I'm incredibly glad this city didn't have more people like you to tear down the Flatiron, St. Lawrence Market, etc. when these were in the cards.

Easy there cowboy. Where did I say I wanted to tear down the Flatiron or St. Lawrence Market? I love those two buildings. I'm saying tear down a smokestack. And possibly an ugly old industrial box of a building beside it. (And possibly Yonge Street from Bloor to the Lake)