Provincial review of the Ontario Food Terminal

[SunriseChampion]

Demolishing the food terminal is kind of like demolishing SFHs no?

You need the space to densify? They call it the yellow zone. I kind of cringe every time I see industrial land being razed.

The real poor use of land in this town is very well known, let's start there.

 

[afransen]

Well, they designated it as employment lands, which does not preclude office redevelopment.

One benefit of relocating OFT would be to enable expansion. It was built nearly 70 years ago and Toronto has grown tremendously since then. The current site is basically maxed out and congested. It is hard for new tenants to get space there.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Well, they designated it as employment lands, which does not preclude office redevelopment.

I'm legitimately sad to see industrial uses go, not employment uses in general, just to clear that sentiment up.

One benefit of relocating OFT would be to enable expansion. It was built nearly 70 years ago and Toronto has grown tremendously since then. The current site is basically maxed out and congested. It is hard for new tenants to get space there.

That's a fact, but then why not just open another location, as has been mentioned?

Is there some inherent advantage to having a single location?

 

[UrbanDan]

The province only recently committed to keeping the things the way they are for the foreseeable future.

Politicians will probably not agree for relocation of the Food Terminal.

However, if both the Food Terminal and the nearby plaza get redeveloped together, in phases, so that most of the Food Terminal is underground, that should be a win-win for everyone, in my opinion.

There is so much potential here and thinking outside of the box is needed to make something great.

 

[SunriseChampion]

There is so much potential here and thinking outside of the box is needed to make something great.

Whilst I fully support your enthusiasm and optimism I must remind you: this is Toronto.

We have a very hard time making bold ideas happen. I'm sure we could launch a pilot project though and an incremental diminishment of whatever grand scheme eventually comes to life.

 

[UrbanDan]

Whilst I fully support your enthusiasm and optimism I must remind you: this is Toronto.

We have a very hard time making bold ideas happen. I'm sure we could launch a pilot project though and an incremental diminishment of whatever grand scheme eventually comes to life.

One can only hope

 

[SunriseChampion]

One can only hope

For truth. I'm still hoping the Gardiner disappears. Speaking of delusional.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

There is so much potential here and thinking outside of the box is needed to make something great.

Yup. I was spouting wishful ideas in the previous page, but if there is no outside of the box thinking, then there isn't much hope for anything beyond the status quo at this site for the next couple of decades.

 

[afransen]

Is there some inherent advantage to having a single location?

Network effects. Many buyers + many sellers. Otherwise there would already be multiple locations.

OFT is so far beyond capacity that the vast majority of the produce consumed in the city doesn't come near it.

 

[afransen]

I'm legitimately sad to see industrial uses go, not employment uses in general, just to clear that sentiment up.

For that matter, I guess it would be better if West Block was still a warehouse and not a grocery store. Just need some horse drawn carriages delivering bread and tea to neighbouring stores.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Network effects. Many buyers + many sellers. Otherwise there would already be multiple locations.

I'm sure there's a ceiling to its efficiency, having it be too large even for network effects to be of advantage, or no?

OFT is so far beyond capacity that the vast majority of the produce consumed in the city doesn't come near it.

So, then there's already no need for a single central location?

 

[SunriseChampion]

For that matter, I guess it would be better if West Block was still a warehouse and not a grocery store.

Well, for sure it'd be better off as a warehouse than what's floating up above it. What utter rubbish!

Also, RIP Amsterdam Brewery under the highway. Used to go get cases of Blonde there with some mates back in my first Parkdale days.

Just need some horse drawn carriages delivering bread and tea to neighbouring stores.

Sounds like a more relaxed pace.


You've reminded me though....I've been meaning to check that Loblaws out since it opened. Probably could give that LCBO an eye as well.

 

[afransen]

So, then there's already no need for a single central location?

Well, OFT serves the small/independent end of the market. All the big boys have their own warehouses that dwarf OFT in Vaughan, Mississauga, Brampton, etc. There will only be one marketplace for smaller operators that can't afford their own $100M warehouse.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Well, OFT serves the small/independent end of the market. All the big boys have their own warehouses that dwarf OFT in Vaughan, Mississauga, Brampton, etc. There will only be one marketplace for smaller operators that can't afford their own $100M warehouse.

Thanks for the elucidation....I have no idea how this stuff works. I get my tomatoes and honey from my parents' farm and my moose from the bush.

 

[afransen]

Here is just one of them. Sobey's warehouse in Vaughan. One site alone that is bigger than OFT (around 60 acres). It is one of probably around 10 warehouses this size that serve grocery stores in the GTA for the various retailers. Then there are several more about this size that serve restaurants/food service from distributors like Sysco.

Sobeys Vaughan Distribution Centre · 8265 Huntington Rd, Woodbridge, ON L4L 1A5, Canada

★★★★☆ · Warehouse

goo.gl

No shortage of industrial uses in the GTA. They just migrate out to where the economics make sense, transportation access to markets are good, and designed to suit modern practices/technology. This Sobeys warehouse is packed with robots and conveyors.