St Lawrence Market

[Northern Light]

The food business that’s opening is mentioned at the end of this article. It’s sounds pretty interesting.

Supported | An appetite for innovation

Restaurants embrace new ideas in an effort to survive

www.thestar.com

Interesting to note, from the article, that the owner of Betty's is in on the new place:

Michael Sullivan, who for 12 years ran Victor restaurant in the Le Germain Hotel on Mercer Street, was forced to close the business. He’s decided to face the new pandemic reality head-on and has partnered with Alex Bartlett, the owner of Betty’s on King Street East, to create a brand-new restaurant-takeout-kitchen hybrid.

 

[CityPainter]

The food business that’s opening is mentioned at the end of this article. It’s sounds pretty interesting.

Supported | An appetite for innovation

Restaurants embrace new ideas in an effort to survive

www.thestar.com

Thanks, this sounds quite promising, actually, bad news has turned to good news. Look forward to checking out that new business in January.

And it seems I remembered the name wrong, it's Commo instead of Comm, obviously.

I found their website at https://www.commo.ca/ and instagram at https://www.instagram.com/commofood/

 

[DSC]

The buro Klaus furniture store at 300 King East @ Berkeley) (the listed "Charles Coxwell Small House") has closed, or more accurately, moved into the building next door at 296 King. Downsizing.

 

[condovo]

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Happy Holidays to all!

It appears as though the dome will not be lit in the end as all the other exterior lights seem to have been replaced. DSC, can you please confirm whether or not this is still coming?

The nighttime lighting scheme feels incomplete without the dome and clock faces lit from within.

 

[DSC]

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Happy Holidays to all!

It appears as though the dome will not be lit in the end as all the other exterior lights seem to have been replaced. DSC, can you please confirm whether or not this is still coming?

The nighttime lighting scheme feels incomplete without the dome and clock faces lit from within.

View attachment 291257View attachment 291258

As far as I know, what you see is what we are getting. The lighting of the cupola IS better but I agree it could be improved. The City plans to do some SOGR work on the cupola in 2021 or 2022 as it needs structural work and it is expected that this work will (at least) allow the bell to be reactivated (for special occasions anyway, not to chine the hours). The bell (dating from 1849/1850) has not rung for MANY decades. I suppose that once the cupola is 'fixed up' it may be possible to improve its lighting (though I think the current clock faces cannot be lit from inside.

I can also report that when the new North Market is completed the plan is to extend the St Lawrence Hall exterior lighting to the south side of the Hall, which is now (and always was) dark.

 

[DSC]

Anyone wanting more info on the St Lawrence Hall bell may want to look at: https://www.slna.ca/the-st-lawrence-hall-bell.html

 

[condovo]

Thanks for the info, DSC. Let's pressure the powers that be for proper lighting of the cupola after it's repaired in a couple of years. A major architectural feature like that shouldn't be shrouded in darkness.

 

[DSC]

Thanks for the info, DSC. Let's pressure the powers that be for proper lighting of the cupola after it's repaired in a couple of years. A major architectural feature like that shouldn't be shrouded in darkness.

I agree but I suggest we should keep pressure on the "powers that be" to get the cupola fully surveyed and then repaired as necessary first. Email Kristyn Wong Tam and John Tory! Once the cupola is repaired the bell can be activated and it and the Cupola properly lit.

 

[condovo]

I agree but I suggest we should keep pressure on the "powers that be" to get the cupola fully surveyed and then repaired as necessary first. Email Kristyn Wong Tam and John Tory! Once the cupola is repaired the bell can be activated and it and the Cupola properly lit.

Exactly.

 

[Rufus8]

Thanks for the info, DSC. Let's pressure the powers that be for proper lighting of the cupola after it's repaired in a couple of years. A major architectural feature like that shouldn't be shrouded in darkness.

The last thing the area needs is more lighting. The new stuff on the market is shockingly garish, such a beautiful building and yet lit up like Las Vegas.

 

[deerparker]

@DSC do you know why these new street signs no longer have neighbourhood references? It’s a shame to lose place markers for the historic neighbourhoods of Old Town like St. Lawrence Market, Corktown, York, etc.

 

[DSC]

View attachment 291709
@DSC do you know why these new street signs no longer have neighbourhood references? It’s a shame to lose place markers for the historic neighbourhoods of Old Town like St. Lawrence Market, Corktown, York, etc.

The older signs are still much in evidence. They were erected about 15-20 years ago and were paid for from a special grant (I assume Section 37 $$$). The new ones are replacements for any stolen or damaged and are the City standard. I assume that in a few more years someone at SLNA or the BIA will agitate for another 'program; and efforts will again be made to allocate some s 37 $$ to buy more of the 'fancy ones'. At the moment the neighbourhood priority for s 37 $$ is fixing up parks, lighting heritage buildings and improving streetscape. (See Berczy & St James, parks and soon, we hope, David Crombie and Market Lane and lighting on St James Cathedral & St Lawrence Hall & Market and the upcoming major streetwork on Wellington.)

 

[Northern Light]

The older signs are still much in evidence. They were erected about 15-20 years ago and were paid for from a special grant (I assume Section 37 $$$). The new ones are replacements for any stolen or damaged and are the City standard. I assume that in a few more years someone at SLNA or the BIA will agitate for another 'program; and efforts will again be made to allocate some s 37 $$ to buy more of the 'fancy ones'. At the moment the neighbourhood priority for s 37 $$ is fixing up parks, lighting heritage buildings and improving streetscape. (See Berczy & St James, parks and soon, we hope, David Crombie and Market Lane and lighting on St James Cathedral & St Lawrence Hall & Market and the upcoming major streetwork on Wellington.)

Good answer, of course.

But; elegant streetsigns, at least in the core, ought to be standard.

They shouldn't require BIA money; or Section 37 money, any more than washrooms in a park; or a drinking fountain or a Bikeshare station etc.

These things shouldn't be seen as luxuries or frills, but basics.

The 'extra' money should be for grand fountains, or granite sidewalks or elaborate annual flower displays in a retail area.

 

[DSC]

Good answer, of course.

But; elegant streetsigns, at least in the core, ought to be standard.

They shouldn't require BIA money; or Section 37 money, any more than washrooms in a park; or a drinking fountain or a Bikeshare station etc.

These things shouldn't be seen as luxuries or frills, but basics.

The 'extra' money should be for grand fountains, or granite sidewalks or elaborate annual flower displays in a retail area.

Though I agree with you in principle, I think 'fiscal reality' means that general taxes will be used to provide a standard 'whatever' to all parts of the City equally and that 'extras' will need to come from donations, Section 37 $$ or BIAs for the foreseeable future. (In fact, much BIA money comes from the City as matching funds and Section 37 funds are only supposed to be spent on things noted in the Official Plan.) That said, the standard City street name signs are actually reasonably 'elegant' - though I certainly like having more 'site-specific' designs in addition. The 'standard" should not be the lowest possible quality and, at least in street signage, isn't.

 

[Northern Light]

Though I agree with you in principle, I think 'fiscal reality' means that general taxes will be used to provide a standard 'whatever' to all parts of the City equally and that 'extras' will need to come from donations, Section 37 $$ or BIAs for the foreseeable future. (In fact, much BIA money comes from the City as matching funds and Section 37 funds are only supposed to be spent on things noted in the Official Plan.) That said, the standard City street name signs are actually reasonably 'elegant' - though I certainly like having more 'site-specific' designs in addition. The 'standard" should not be the lowest possible quality and, at least in street signage, isn't.

I don't disagree as a practical matter that that IS where money is coming from for what the City IS deeming to be extras.

My difficulty is that I feel the standard IS too low.