Sam's Sign and the Yonge Street Heritage Zeitgeist

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Filip:

Maybe because at the end of the day, the city a) doesn't care that much about it and b) for all the rhetoric, wouldn't want be saddled with the financial cost of actually taking ownership of a piece of history either? And what tooth and nail - the process was very proper - it went back to signatory of the contract for consideration, approval and I think the compromise is a fair one.

As to the matter of spineless - well, as if Walnut Hall and Empress hasn't taught us anything. Then again, one might be accused of throwing up red tape against business interest if they should take heritage that seriously.

AoD

 

[Filip]

Filip:

Maybe because at the end of the day, the city a) doesn't care that much about it and b) for all the rhetoric, wouldn't want be saddled with the financial cost of actually taking ownership of a piece of history either?

As to the matter of spineless - well, as if Walnut Hall and Empress hasn't taught us anything. Then again, one might be accused of throwing up red tape against legitimate business interest if they should take heritage that seriously.

AoD

That the city doesn't care about it is embarrassing enough - KWT really dropped the ball with this initiative.

As for not taking ownership of a historic relic, then maybe Ryerson should have thought about that when they signed their CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENT to rehabilitate the sign and hang it back on Yonge St. This is fully and evidently an ego trip by Sheldon Levy, whose obvious goal from the getgo was to get Ryerson Yonge frontage, no matter the cost and cement his reputation as a 'city builder'.

The fact that many of you find this such a non-issue is beyond me. So you're saying that companies/developers/institutions can get into contractual commitments with the city and then walk off/reneg because it's no longer convenient? Then what's the point of a contract with the city if it's so easily broken? In the private sector, when you break a contract, be prepared for a litigous nightmare.

 

[khris]

I think as Torontonians, we can get deluded how tacky Yonge Street looks. A lot of my buds come into town and can't believe such crummy retail and old buildings exist in such a prime central downtown location. The neon signs certainly didn't help for me. For example, even though the Zanzibar sign is very well known and a prime landmark on Yonge, I still hate it there for making one of our prime streets in Toronto look helpless.

So yes, I wouldn't mind it looking like a stripmall in Newmarket, because it sure would look 10x better than the tacky shops and old buildings that currently stand along it.

This is very typical Toronto attitude towards the look and feel of our city. If anything was built to look like a stripmall in Newmarket on Yonge St. downtown, I would wish immediate implosion upon completion of construction. Enough of this settling for mediocrity people!

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Except in this case we aren't getting mediocrity - we are getting a Snohetta building.

AoD

 

[David_Brown]

I agree that some of the retail along Yonge is crummy, but the old buildings are wonderful. Most of them just need a bit of work and more appropriate signage. Actually, there are some stunning buildings on Yonge. I'm thinking about the one on the corner of Yonge and King. It's beautiful but wasted as a Sleep Country. I do think that the sidewalks could use an upgrade and maybe be made wider.

 

[khris]

Except in this case we aren't getting mediocrity - we are getting a Snohetta building.

AoD

Thankfully.

 

[adma]

I think as Torontonians, we can get deluded how tacky Yonge Street looks. A lot of my buds come into town and can't believe such crummy retail and old buildings exist in such a prime central downtown location. The neon signs certainly didn't help for me. For example, even though the Zanzibar sign is very well known and a prime landmark on Yonge, I still hate it there for making one of our prime streets in Toronto look helpless.

So yes, I wouldn't mind it looking like a stripmall in Newmarket, because it sure would look 10x better than the tacky shops and old buildings that currently stand along it.

When you talk about "old buildings", do you mean stuff like this?
http://www.tobuilt.ca/php/Buildingimages/Thornton-SmithBldg.jpg
Or this?
http://www.tobuilt.ca/php/Buildingimages/RichardSWilliams.jpg

Or moreover, had this not already collapsed and then burned, would you and your "buds" see this as part of the problem? (And I'm talking about the building, not its condition.)

Incidentally, when I hear someone refer to his friends as "buds", I can't help thinking of young goofballs straight out of a beer commercial who are deluded as to how tacky their suburban-McMansion home environments look...

 

[SP!RE]

Ah, ridiculing those who you don't see eye-to-eye with, adma. Typical defense mechanism.

Anywho, the forming job on the concrete is great on this project. They removed the forms from the columns today and they all look flawless!

 

[someMidTowner]

Or moreover, had this not already collapsed and then burned, would you and your "buds" see this as part of the problem? (And I'm talking about the building, not its condition.)

......

Incidentally, when I hear someone refer to his friends as "buds", I can't help thinking of young goofballs straight out of a beer commercial who are deluded as to how tacky their suburban-McMansion home environments look...

Why must you always personally attack everyone you disagree with. How are you still around?

 

[egotrippin]

I think as Torontonians, we can get deluded how tacky Yonge Street looks. A lot of my buds come into town and can't believe such crummy retail and old buildings exist in such a prime central downtown location. The neon signs certainly didn't help for me. For example, even though the Zanzibar sign is very well known and a prime landmark on Yonge, I still hate it there for making one of our prime streets in Toronto look helpless.

So yes, I wouldn't mind it looking like a stripmall in Newmarket, because it sure would look 10x better than the tacky shops and old buildings that currently stand along it.

I hope, for the sake of humankind, that you're not studying urban planning or architecture at Ryerson. God help us all if this is the case.

Why must you always personally attack everyone you disagree with. How are you still around?

I think adma's response was more than appropriate here.

 

[someMidTowner]

I think adma's response was more than appropriate here.

I disagree with dev's position, but dev didn't break any rules by having an unpopular opinion. adma did with a personal attack. Pretty simple guys.

 

[SP!RE]

I think adma's response was more than appropriate here.

*Insert presumptuous adma-style joke/attack towards you because you are from Unionville.*

More seriously, personal attacks are never justified. Even in response to comments like devjohnson's above post which is indeed slightly terrifying for any urban planning / architecture enthusiast.

 

[egotrippin]

*Insert presumptuous adma-style joke/attack towards you because you are from Unionville.*

More seriously, personal attacks are never justified. Even in response to comments like devjohnson's above post which is indeed slightly terrifying for any urban planning / architecture enthusiast.

Hey, I live(d) in the heritage district! Gotta update that though, I'll be at Gerrard/Greenwood come October.

 

[SP!RE]

Hey, I live(d) in the heritage district! Gotta update that though, I'll be at Gerrard/Greenwood come October.

I wouldn't actually make fun of you based on the neighbourhood you hail from. I was simply saying it to illustrate how it doesn't feel good to be picked on, even if it's by adma. And you illustrated my point nicely

 

[egotrippin]

I wouldn't actually make fun of you based on the neighbourhood you hail from. I was simply saying it to illustrate how it doesn't feel good to be picked on, even if it's by adma. And you illustrated my point nicely

True, although my response was tongue-in-cheek. I probably rag on the areas I grew up in as a kid more than anyone else (Markham and Stouffville, blech).