Toronto 160 Front West | 239.87m | 46s | Cadillac Fairview | AS + GG

[jje1000]

I naively used to think that the surface parking lots found in the downtown were the result of Toronto being a relatively young city (ie. more undeveloped land). Imagine my surprise when i realized that they're actually the product the demolition of older building stock, incentivized by lower carrying costs of surface parking lots. So many relics lost!

Urban cores back then were far more dense, pedestrian-oriented and granular, and you'd only really find undeveloped lots in the newer suburban districts due to the desirability of the walkable proximity that came with central locations.

Definitely a huge shame that beyond the few impoverished towns that went through the rich-poor-rich cycle (that couldn't afford/were overlooked for urban renewal projects at the right time) and huge cities like NY or Philadephia (that were difficult to redevelop) that there's so few intact downtown cores around.

There were also many buildings that were in various advanced stages of decay back then, which made it easier to justify their demolition- the same thing still happens nowadays, unfortunately, which is why I think that heritage preservation should be based around what 'could be', instead of what 'remains there'.

Yes, up to a point. Clearly having a building @ Front & Simcoe is MUCH better than a parking lot but ...

..300 Front St. The high-rise garbage put up these days will stay with us far longer than garbage put up in the past.

 

[lego.technic]

 

[3Dementia]

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Like others the renders of this bird eating creature are so scary, the result may be a very nice suprise. Close ur mouth 160.

 

[reteequa]

How much of the building are they taking down? All but the facade or are they leaving the red brick?

 

[travis3000]

Wow they are moving very fast on this one! Can't wait to see this beast rise from the ashes.

160 Front will become the tallest office tower to be built in TO since 1992 (Brookfield Place- TD Canada Trust Tower) if you include its spire. It will hold this title for about a year until CIBC Square tower 2 is built, or The Hub if that ends up going ahead. Exciting times for TO!!

 

[Automation Gallery]

How much of the building are they taking down? All but the facade or are they leaving the red brick?

Here is an idea

 

[bmiller]

What's the point of that. It's a pathetic attempt at saving Toronto's past. They might as well tear the whole thing down. Facedectomy in this case looks quite silly.

 

[milanista]

What's the point of that. It's a pathetic attempt at saving Toronto's past. They might as well tear the whole thing down. Facedectomy in this case looks quite silly.

Normally I would agree, but in this case I'll let it slide.
If they left the entire brick building intact and only built on the parking lot, you'd never be able to see any of the west side of the brick building anyway as the new tower would permanently cover it up. Only the south side would be visible from the street, which will be the case once the tower is done as well.
Now if they got creative and encased the entire existing building into some sort of atrium-like structure (a la Brookfield Place, but a few steps further) then that would be much better, but I don't think that was ever going to be in the cards.

 

[lego.technic]

The bracing and footings should be interesting to watch. Beams being prepped

 

[Edward Skira]

Official groundbreaking on April 24.

 

[Amare]

What's the point of that. It's a pathetic attempt at saving Toronto's past. They might as well tear the whole thing down. Facedectomy in this case looks quite silly.

Couldn't agree more, if they were serious about preserving the historical envelope of the building they would have found an interesting way to preserve the majority of the structure.

This latest facendectomy by Cadillac shows they really couldn't care less about the building (much like 95% of other developers in this city), and they would have been better off just demolishing the whole thing.

 

[interchange42]

This latest facendectomy by Cadillac shows they really couldn't care less about the building (much like 95% of other developers in this city), and they would have been better off just demolishing the whole thing.

So they would have been better off being sued by the City for tearing down a designated heritage frontage?

42

 

[Amare]

^Good one @interchange42

Although i'm sure Cadillac would've been more thrilled to have gone full steam ahead with that if they had the chance and if the building wasnt protected. My main point being was they could have done a lot more to incorporate the building into the new office tower, and what they are doing right now is nothing more but a lazy and sad attempt at "preserving" history.

 

[lego.technic]

Official groundbreaking on April 24.

And the machine to do it is now on site

 

[Kraylin]

So let me get this straight. The building would continue to deteriorate and become unusable and you would rather a derelict vacant building OR the entire heritage structure destroyed... you see no value in a compromise?