Living in the Distillery District?

[rsgnl]

Deleted.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I have to think it's terrible during the winter market.

 

[junctionist]

I have to think it's terrible during the winter market.

I disagree. You get to be part of a vibrant community, which is what downtown living is all about. The foods and products are wonderful at the Christmas Market. Even if you don't care, it's easy to just walk by the crowds in the parking area or on Mill Street.

 

[DSC]

Different strokes for different folks!

 

[Avenue]

I'm not a fan of the public transportation situation but I guess it's mostly people who are new to the city who prefer driving and are drawn to the highway access anyway. I definitely don't consider it downtown living and there isn't enough amenities for my liking. Maybe it'll get better once Canary District fills out.

 

[DSC]

I'm not a fan of the public transportation situation but I guess it's mostly people who are new to the city who prefer driving and are drawn to the highway access anyway. I definitely don't consider it downtown living and there isn't enough amenities for my liking. Maybe it'll get better once Canary District fills out.

The Distillery is actually quite well served by the TTC. The 121 bus runs every 15 minutes, and the 514 streetcar is often every 10. It is also close to the 65 Parliament bus and the 504 King streetcar. I agree it's not 'downtown living' like King or Queen west but .....

 

[rsgnl]

Epic bump of my August topic! I ended up staying in the King West neighbourhood. But I agree with @DSC that the Distillery District is actually pretty well served by TTC with the addition of the 514 Cherry streetcar last year.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I disagree. You get to be part of a vibrant community,

I like being part of a vibrant community, that's part of the appeal of living in Cabbagetown, with our local shops, high walkability and front porch lifestyles. However if the local government decreed or permitted a massive, multi-week retail event to take place in Cabbagetown's public spaces that went well into the night, attracting tens of thousands of folks from across the GTA, thus making it difficult to get to or to enjoy my home, well, I may not be so pleased. My friend who lives in the Distillery basically can't get in or out of her parking spot to get to work during the event, and forget about a quiet evening walk with the dog. Her neighbour intentionally books his vacation to be away during the market, just like many Montrealers plan their vacation to miss the Grand Prix.

I have to wonder, who decided the Distillery was to be the spot for a Christmas market? Did the residents of the area get a say? The Distillery is foremost a community of homes, not a theme park.

 

[junctionist]

I like being part of a vibrant community, that's part of the appeal of living in Cabbagetown, with our local shops, high walkability and front porch lifestyles. However if the local government decreed or permitted a massive, multi-week retail event to take place in Cabbagetown's public spaces that went well into the night, attracting tens of thousands of folks from across the GTA, thus making it difficult to get to or to enjoy my home, well, I may not be so pleased. My friend who lives in the Distillery basically can't get in or out of her parking spot to get to work during the event, and forget about a quiet evening walk with the dog. Her neighbour intentionally books his vacation to be away during the market, just like many Montrealers plan their vacation to miss the Grand Prix.

I have to wonder, who decided the Distillery was to be the spot for a Christmas market? Did the residents of the area get a say? The Distillery is foremost a community of homes, not a theme park.

Actually, the Distillery District is a commercial area first and foremost, like it has been since at least 1859. Condos around the edges are but a recent phenomenon. If you move into a mainly commercial area, you must expect that there will be a lot of commerce like a Christmas Market. By contrast, if you live in a residential area like the side streets of Cabbagetown, you expect quieter streets and mostly residential-oriented uses.

The Distillery District is actually a private space that was designed and programmed as a public space. It's owned by a private company that organizes the market and develops the land called Cityscape. There's no better location for a traditional Christmas market than a car-free district with beautifully restored heritage buildings and brick streets.

Kudos to the Distillery District for putting on such a successful event and for their honesty and frankness in calling it a Christmas Market. Its success goes to show that we need more of a certain kind of public space: large, car-free, framed by heritage buildings, with a focus on commerce, with a mix of uses, with interesting programming, and with a well designed and maintained public realm. I'm thinking of something along the lines of the old market squares of Europe that traditionally hold Christmas Markets. There's a lot of demand for that sort of space, but neither the government nor the private sector have created it in Toronto, except for the owners of the Distillery District. They deserve the success.

 

[TheSix]

I like being part of a vibrant community, that's part of the appeal of living in Cabbagetown, with our local shops, high walkability and front porch lifestyles. However if the local government decreed or permitted a massive, multi-week retail event to take place in Cabbagetown's public spaces that went well into the night, attracting tens of thousands of folks from across the GTA, thus making it difficult to get to or to enjoy my home, well, I may not be so pleased. My friend who lives in the Distillery basically can't get in or out of her parking spot to get to work during the event, and forget about a quiet evening walk with the dog. Her neighbour intentionally books his vacation to be away during the market, just like many Montrealers plan their vacation to miss the Grand Prix.

I have to wonder, who decided the Distillery was to be the spot for a Christmas market? Did the residents of the area get a say? The Distillery is foremost a community of homes, not a theme park.

Wow. I don't even know where to begin with this close minded thinking. Distillery has always been commercial first and is a huge asset to the City of Toronto. It is a shame your friend didn't do their research before purchasing. If you don't want noise and events around your home, move to Oakville or buy a $2M house in Cabbagetown. Reminds me of owners complaining about the noise in the Thompson Hotel. A multi-use building with multiple night clubs/bars, which were planned from the beginning of pre-construction.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Wow. I don't even know where to begin with this close minded thinking. Distillery has always been commercial first and is a huge asset to the City of Toronto.

Well, I suggest you begin here, https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/living-in-the-distillery-district.27722/#post-1290038 since you're parroting much of the same.

As for the "should have known better" thinking. If you remember what the Distillery area was when the condos were first being built, it was rather quiet. Sure there were shops in the old G&W buildings, and community events, but a huge event of the Christmas market's scale is another thing. Junctionist and those echoing same make good points, and certainly the prevailing thinking is going to be buyer beware and lump it if you don't like it. I have to admit I'm a fan of quieter urban spaces, and I don't like it when corporations take over public spaces for massive events. I grew up in the Beach(es) and well remember the calm and quiet summer days before the jazz festival, volley ball festivals, and all the other corporate sponsored events that take over spaces (to it's credit, the Distillery tossed most corporate sponsorship a few years back).

 

[TheSix]

Well, I suggest you begin here, https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/living-in-the-distillery-district.27722/#post-1290038 since you're parroting much of the same.

As for the "should have known better" thinking. If you remember what the Distillery area was when the condos were first being built, it was rather quiet. Sure there were shops in the old G&W buildings, and community events, but a huge event of the Christmas market's scale is another thing. Junctionist and those echoing same make good points, and certainly the prevailing thinking is going to be buyer beware and lump it if you don't like it. I have to admit I'm a fan of quieter urban spaces, and I don't like it when corporations take over public spaces for massive events. I grew up in the Beach(es) and well remember the calm and quiet summer days before the jazz festival, volley ball festivals, and all the other corporate sponsored events that take over spaces (to it's credit, the Distillery tossed most corporate sponsorship a few years back).

Not sure I agree with these as "good points" as I am not a fan of this type of NIMBY thinking. Without events like the Christmas Market (and other "corporate events"), the city might as well be as exciting as sliced bread (aka, the Beaches before the Jazz Festival and volley ball events). If anything, we need more open street festivals like in Montreal or New York City. Events like this help a city develop culture, come to life and help businesses thrive. This is all part of living in a city and why I loved when I lived in Distillery or the Village.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Events like this help a city develop culture, come to life and help businesses thrive. This is all part of living in a city and why I loved when I lived in Distillery or the Village.

I can see your POV, and I always enjoy the Cabbagetown Festival. However I'm not sure I'd be as happy about the CT Festival if it morphed from a community weekend event to a 21 day city-wide tourist-trap extravaganza. So, I guess I'm in the right neighbourhood, not overly commercial and not touristy, but still with a dense, urban vibe.

 

[blixtex]

My sister lives there at the Trinity Street Condo. So close to the Distillery but also close to King St and Parliament. She does shift work, and preferred that location as it was quieter and generally more low rise, although there were less taller than now when she bought it a few years back. It definitely has seen more development given the saturation in the other parts of the city.

 

[Admiral Beez]

preferred that location as it was quieter and generally more low rise, although there were less taller than now when she bought it a few years back.

For a property trying to promote its Victorian feel I am surprised that they built such tall towers, and in designs that make no attempt to meet or even transition with the older feel of the place.