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Planning at Distillery

All the more baffling since they aren't even being built in anyone's 'Back Yard', thus the 'Not In My' line of attack doesn't apply. They're signposts on the skyline to a formerly dead part of town that is now being redeveloped. And people will live in them.
 
I'm also concerned about how massive the base buildings are, looming over the existing heritage buildings. This is a concern especially at Pure Spirit, but also at Clear Spirit where the benefit of a seemingly more contextual base is cancelled out by its location at the heart of the district. Finally, I'm deeply concerned with the use of the bases primarily as a parking garage.
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I'm less concerned about the towers, which seem to be quite light modern designs. But yes I agree, if it's a large heavy base with above ground parking abutting the distillery buildings- hell that could really screw things up aestheticlly.
 
AndreaPalladio said:
And then you look across the park to Spire, and up Jarvis to where VU is, or down Jarvis to where that new building is going and realize that tall buildings at the Distillery are no cause for panic.
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Don't even get me started on Spire. We were delayed over one year because of a small group of St. James' congregants who objected to the height of the building, claiming that it would interfere with the view of the church's spire. I think it was mostly blue hairs, fearful of such a large building going up in little old Toronto.
 
One of the nuts who types for the Bulletin is still up in arms that he can't get copies of the opinions the developer and the Chapter got from their lawyers got about the air rights and whatnot.
 
unimaginative2 said:
No, a permanent population will not help the galleries and specialty shops one bit.
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How do you figure this? These people won't want to buy fresh baked goods from there area, coffee at Balzack's, furniture from one of the many stores there, or artwork for their walls? You don't think the people buying units here are doing so to enjoy the charm of the Distillery? In mid winter these people are going to be the bread and butter for the area when all the tourists go home. When was the last time you spent an afternoon mid winter down there? I worked in a studio in the Distillery for an entire winter and I can tell you it was a ghost town where all the shops and Galleries are. Right now it's almost like a cottage town, busy through the tourists season, on long weekends in the fall and around Christmas time but void of life until spring hits.

If you really think these people won't support their local businesses you must know something about the demographics of the buyers I don't. Are they all 905'er big box shopping Costco clothe wearing SUV drivers?
 
Andrew3D said:
How do you figure this? These people won't want to buy fresh baked goods from there area, coffee at Balzack's, furniture from one of the many stores there, or artwork for their walls? You don't think the people buying units here are doing so to enjoy the charm of the Distillery? In mid winter these people are going to be the bread and butter for the area when all the tourists go home. When was the last time you spent an afternoon mid winter down there? I worked in a studio in the Distillery for an entire winter and I can tell you it was a ghost town where all the shops and Galleries are. Right now it's almost like a cottage town, busy through the tourists season, on long weekends in the fall and around Christmas time but void of life until spring hits.

If you really think these people won't support their local businesses you must know something about the demographics of the buyers I don't. Are they all 905'er big box shopping Costco clothe wearing SUV drivers?
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Some of the shops would benefit, namely the ones that have work-a-day items for sale, such as baked goods, coffee, pub meals, etc. But how often can one shop for furniture or other big-ticket items? And many people (myself included) factor in price when purchasing a large-ticket item, such as a sofa or dining room table. So it's possilbe (and probable) that people that move there will shop around and purchase big items outside of the neighbourhood.
 
I am surprised that the Young Centre hasn't brought in more customers, at least for the restaurants.
 
Absolutely no-one lives around Castlefield Road and Ronald Avenue, but that's a home-design magnet for some strange reason or another.

I think big-ticket retail doesn't need tall condos next-door to do well, but need other qualities: to be established and known, concentrated for comparison shopping, be close enough to their target market (but not too close, it's not day-to-day convenience shopping by foot). I mean look at King East - land of Mozo (which I would hold as a type of development closer to my ideal for the Distillery).

The Distillery District lends itself well to this type of thing - historic architecure, close to good markets. But is part of the problem just poor exposure and advertising? If the retail is good, people would come anyway, like other consumer "design" districts that don't have nearby condos.
 
I think it's the marketing of the place. In my mind, it's not somewhere I would go to for shopping, but more of a tourist destination where I would take an out-of-town guest to marvel at the scenery.
 
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