Toronto 1900 Yonge Street | ?m | 45s | CreateTO

WislaHD said:
As promised, I gave a mock master-plan an attempt.

View attachment 325793

My objective was to use the opportunity of decking over the Davisville yard to recreate a central european style town square plaza within the Davisville neighbourhood, while meeting housing objectives.

I also wanted to demonstrate what sort of density is achievable with an ambitious vision, while meeting city planning tall buildings design guidelines on tower floorplates and separation. As you can see, you could pack a lot of density onto the site. The 56s building at the corner would be an office tower replacing the existing McBrien building (sorry!), while the central plaza is lined with retail and restaurant patios and maybe a central fountain. The Yonge Street frontage is similarly lined with retail. Elsewhere you can note significant expansion for Oriole Park and Fiona Nelson Parkette to the north, an extension of Duplex Avenue to meet Merton at Yonge, with midrise buildings lining Duplex for additional density. Could also be worth using some of the Oriole Park addition to add another school to the area (perhaps where I put that flatiron building), since the area is over-capacity.

Anyway, I somehow doubt that the City will match my ambition for the site. :p
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Nice job! I like how all the development blocks are connected by streets while providing a generous European town square. Although, I must say that 8-storey and 9-storey buildings abbuting the existing park & Oriole Park Addition may be too high. I think a taller mid-rise would be more appropriate to avoid shadowing and other negative effects to these green spaces. As for the square, this could maybe be a major attraction if done right.
 
WislaHD said:
As promised, I gave a mock master-plan an attempt.

View attachment 325793

My objective was to use the opportunity of decking over the Davisville yard to recreate a central european style town square plaza within the Davisville neighbourhood, while meeting housing objectives.

I also wanted to demonstrate what sort of density is achievable with an ambitious vision, while meeting city planning tall buildings design guidelines on tower floorplates and separation. As you can see, you could pack a lot of density onto the site. The 56s building at the corner would be an office tower replacing the existing McBrien building (sorry!), while the central plaza is lined with retail and restaurant patios and maybe a central fountain. The Yonge Street frontage is similarly lined with retail. Elsewhere you can note significant expansion for Oriole Park and Fiona Nelson Parkette to the north, an extension of Duplex Avenue to meet Merton at Yonge, with midrise buildings lining Duplex for additional density. Could also be worth using some of the Oriole Park addition to add another school to the area (perhaps where I put that flatiron building), since the area is over-capacity.

Anyway, I somehow doubt that the City will match my ambition for the site. :p
Click to expand...

Really good effort!

I think you also largerly managed to avoid siting buildings right over the big pipe (Yellow Creek)

1623057323057.png

from: http://www.lostrivers.ca/disappearing.html

You can discern the approximate size of the 'pipe' by looking at the outfall on the south side of
Mt. Pleasant Cemetary.

1623057720116.png

from: https://hikingthegta.com/2018/03/24/mount-pleasant-cemetery/
 
WislaHD said:
I had no idea! 😅

You learn something new everyday!
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Apparently former BT host Kevin Frankish just did a Lost Rivers walk for this very creek (the story was shared to my FB)

He included several photos, I will share 2:

The outfall, at the south end of the cemetery, considerably closer shot than the one above:

1623095644946.png

From: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=330428715139688&set=pcb.330431308472762

and

What it looks like inside:

1623095700022.png

from: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=330428631806363&set=pcb.330431308472762
 
I'd say it would be logical for both Kilbarry Road and Duplex Avenue to be extended here, especially considering how Kilbarry Road would then flow all the way back up to Eglinton Avenue West and Allen Road at the site of the new crosstown interchange via both Strathearn Road and Burton Road. It would likely only take a minor reroute and a small cross with the existing belt line.
 
Ciarlandini said:
I'd say it would be logical for both Kilbarry Road and Duplex Avenue to be extended here, especially considering how Kilbarry Road would then flow all the way back up to Eglinton Avenue West and Allen Road at the site of the new crosstown interchange via both Strathearn Road and Burton Road. It would likely only take a minor reroute and a small cross with the existing belt line.
Click to expand...
Not a chance that Kilbarry gets extended (and becomes a collector road). If Duplex is extended into the site, the most I can see happening is a right turn and it connecting with Yonge at Balliol, and that will be a trick re: the TTC bus access. South of there you get into the grade change issue with Yonge making connections difficult, (and the further south you go, impossible) while the City is unlikely to want to add a new T-intersection to Yonge Street between Balliol and Merton anyway.

42
 
If a deck is built, then Duplex Ave would ideally be extended south to connect to Lawton Blvd which connects to Yonge St near Heath St - Problem is there's a huge older apartment building (21 Brentdale Dr) in the way!

Anyways, even if Duplex Ave can't connect to Lawton Blvd directly, Duplex Ave should still be extended south to connect to Yonge Street at Merton St - already traffic light at intersection and further south at Mt.Pleasant Cemetery it's much more topographically challenging with subway track higher level than Yonge St roadway. Why? Duplex Ave needs a direct Yonge Street connection so Duplex Ave can become a true Service Road parallel to Yonge St to alleviate some of the traffic from Yonge St, service the high-density redevelopment in midtown,... and also to rezone everything between Yonge St and Duplex Ave as high-density (Duplex Ave already act this way for a few blocks north and south of Eglinton). This is basically what the City of North York did with their Yonge Corridor having Service Roads of Beecroft Rd and Doris Ave act as boundaries to high density redevelopment (North York Centre Secondary Plan Area) which also protects the existing single residential house areas west and east of the Service Roads away from Yonge St.
 
An article on this from Ben Spurr is in Today's Star (behind the paywall at time of posting)


From the above:

The park at Davisville would be a minimum of just one hectare, according to a presentation the city and its real estate agency, CreateTO, unveiled at a public meeting Thursday. But local councillor Josh Matlow says revamping the “eyesore” that is the rail yard would still be transformative for midtown.

***

Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto—St. Paul’s) said that in addition to new green space above, he hoped the accompanying mixed-use development would house services badly needed in the growing neighbourhood, like affordable child care and programs for families and seniors.

Additional elements suggested in the city presentation include new passive and active recreational spaces, an urban square and new midblock walking and cycling routes connecting neighbourhoods currently cut off by the rail yard. Proceeds from the mixed-use development would go to offset the cost of building the rail deck and park.

Finally, @HousingNowTO will want to take note of this bit:

At least one-third of all residential redevelopment on ModernTO properties is supposed to be affordable housing, but the city presentation states it plans to exceed those targets at Davisville.
 
Northern Light said:
Finally, @HousingNowTO will want to take note of this bit:

At least one-third of all residential redevelopment on ModernTO properties is supposed to be affordable housing, but the city presentation states it plans to exceed those targets at Davisville.
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Yeah, we have been keeping an eye on the ModernTO sites.... honestly, (based on our experience with his nearby HOUSING NOW site on MERTON) - we can't see Matlow allowing enough density on the TTC Headquarters site to make the 1/3rd Permanent Affordable-Rental units target work in a post-2026 construction-cost era.

At minimum, the future tower at 1900 YONGE STREET will need to be in the 27-32 Storey range to be able to make the "1/3rd affordable-rental units for 99-years math" work.

PDF - http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2022/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-222840.pdf

1653666683299.png
 
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streetsoftoronto.com

A new Rail Deck Park is taking shape in Midtown and this one might just work

After a failed attempt to create new greenspace downtown with Rail Deck Park, a similar idea is being proposed for Davisville
streetsoftoronto.com streetsoftoronto.com

In late May, a new rail deck park was proposed near Yonge St. and Chaplin Crescent, where the TTC’s headquarters currently resides and Davisville Yard, where trains are fixed and maintained. The idea is to construct a deck over the tracks at the site to create about a hectare of new public space, along with renovating the TTC building and adding affordable housing, cultural spaces and social services.

The work yard would remain and be improved, with the possibility of it moving underground, according to local councillor Josh Matlow.

The idea of decking over rail tracks is exactly what was proposed with downtown’s Rail Deck Park, which unfortunately was derailed due to the city not owning the air rights above the site. Condos are currently proposed for the location.

Matlow, though, said that this midtown location will be different because the city owns both the land and air rights.

“We don’t have the same obstacles here in midtown as they did with Rail Deck Park to realize our vision over the subway tracks,” he said. “It is a wonderful opportunity to expand the park space.”

The project will include redevelopment to help pay for it, Matlow said, but since the site is owned by the city, it can be shaped to meet the needs of the community rather than having to compromise with a developer.

A community consultation meeting has already taken place in which the principles of how the site will be developed were discussed, according to Deer Park Residents Group President Cathie Macdonald. Those principles include keeping the heritage aspects of the TTC building and to provide community facilities and affordable housing.

She said the idea for a new rail deck park is a “wonderful initiative” and has been pleased so far with the amount of community consultation. Matlow said that what will be included in the new space will be based on community input.

Macdonald said a new sportsfield was one idea, as well as an off-leash dog park.

“More park space is needed in the area,” she said. “We’ve got the cemetery across the street, but that’s private space, they can close it off.”

Matlow said a city report on the site should be available later in the year and hopes to see “significant traction” on the idea this year.
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streetsoftoronto.com

A new version of Rail Deck Park in Midtown Toronto takes next step at public meeting

The park could span approximately 2.5 acres over the Davisville site while the yard, as well as the subway facilities remain operational
streetsoftoronto.com streetsoftoronto.com

Five years ago, the city of Toronto began studying the feasibility of creating a signature park space by building a rail deck over the TTC yard a Yonge and Davisville. Now, the project takes the next step with a public meeting slated for Jan. 19 where the proposed next steps will be revealed.

The steps include Next Stop: Davisville, which is described as “a special study to assess the feasibility of decking the Davisville Yard.” The study includes an engineering review, identifying TTC facility requirements, a land use and built form review and a funding strategy to make the exciting new project a reality.

Of course, Torontonians are familiar with the concept of a park created by decking over a rail line by Mayor John Tory’ failed Rail Deck Park. But, this time at least, the land in question is in the city’s hands, not a development company. So that’s helpful.

The rail deck park could span approximately 2.5 acres over the site, and the yard, as well as the subway facilities including the station, substation and signal facility would remain operational.

“Yonge and Davisville is an evolving, thriving mixed-use community. A significant asset, The Davisville Yard and adjoining TTC trench represent an unparalleled opportunity to provide a signature park and amenity space for this growing community, in addition to critical transit infrastructure,” reads information sent by the city of Toronto announcing the meeting.

Prior to the public meeting, the last update was regarding a survey and a “Social Pinpoint” project page designed to garner feedback to inform that project’s vision and guiding principles for the Davisville Yard site.

The park project will be part of the redevelopment of the TTC headquarters located in the McBrien Building as well as the adjoining Davisville Yard into a transit-oriented community hub at the prominent midtown intersection along the Yonge subway line.

The in-person public information session on January 19 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. will be held at the Northern District Library
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AlbertC said:
streetsoftoronto.com

A new version of Rail Deck Park in Midtown Toronto takes next step at public meeting

The park could span approximately 2.5 acres over the Davisville site while the yard, as well as the subway facilities remain operational
streetsoftoronto.com streetsoftoronto.com
Click to expand...
I'll only believe it when the shoring machines show up to prep this site up for it...

...until then, like with that other rail deck park, I'll put it up there with glass doming part of the city, hyperloop links to Chi-town and levitating Ferris wheels. >.<
 
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