Time for a cap on retail store size?

[kettal]

PASSED - See Green Parking Planning Rules, passed a few months ago.

Thanks for this info, does it apply to all of the City of Toronto?

 

[waterloowarrior]

Re: that Vancouver intersection. Maybe it's lipstick on a pig, but I'll kiss it The Canadian Tire & Best Buy with Ryerson classrooms on top is also pretty damn good.

There seems to be a garden on top of the Cambie Canadian Tire, but no residential. What's up there?

A landscaped and parking area. You can read details here
http://www.designquarterly.ca/downloads/dq_summer05_canadiantire.pdf

and an article about the Home Depot/Save on Foods/condo building
http://www.building.ca/issues/ISarticle.asp?aid=1000230225

I guess from the retailers perspective these buildings are way more complex and expensive than your standard big box store, don't offer the same convenience for customers (parking is more complex, need to take your stuff in elevators/escalators), issues on who owns the building, and potential (or perceived) conflicts with the residential uses

 

[DavidJamesTO]

Having just finished working at Home Despot for three years, I'd hesitate before living above one, but it's a good compromise design nonetheless.

 

[Northern Light]

Link

Thanks for this info, does it apply to all of the City of Toronto?

I'm quite sure this has reached final approval.

But I could only find the link to the draft guidelines.

Which yes, would apply to the whole City.

http://www.toronto.ca/planning/urbdesign/greening_parking_lots.htm#greenguidelines

 

[Glen]

I have always maintained that the province should revamp the BET by adding a charge of $1,000 per year per parking spot. With a reduction in the BET rate to make it revenue neutral. I would also make a minimum charge of one spot per address to address part of the inequities regarding those whom work from home.

 

[Skeezix]

Complaining about the size and scale of retail stores is nothing new. There were huge debates in Toronto at the end of the 19th century about how the ever-growing downtown stores of Robert Simpson and Timothy Eaton were allegedly destroying neighbourhood retail throughout the city. Many thought that the very idea of a department store was in itself insidious.

Now we think that the millions of square feet of retail at Yonge and Queen Streets is a good thing, surrounded as it is by other uses and integrated with public transit.