Toronto 316 Bloor West | 121.14m | 37s | State Building Group | Kirkor

The only argument you have against height here is precedent. This is an very desirable location with excellent transit that can easily support more density. It's stranger that the area hasn't been developed sooner. Even if this tower isn't 42s I'm sure that in the next decade there will be even taller proposals creeping down Bloor. I see no rational reason to oppose height here.
 
Precedent does carry some weight. Don't kid yourself that it doesn't. Current heights along Bloor will be weighed against the Places to Grow Act and the Official Plan… and you will find that there's a lot of space for negotiation between the 17-storey height of the existing adjacent property, and the 42 storeys being asked for.

Residents to the north will oppose height that robs them of sunlight. For anyone whose yard will be cast in a shadow they did not have to deal with before, that's entirely rational. You try to protect what's yours.

They will also oppose it because it is sure to presage taller buildings in the future, and the local residents simply do not see their area as a skyscraper neighbourhood. Residents groups do have some power to slow down change provided that they are well organized and provided that their demands are not too crazy.

Finally, again, there are the City's Tall Buildings Guidelines. I look forward to seeing what the Guidelines would prescribe for this property.

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The only argument you have against height here is precedent. This is an very desirable location with excellent transit that can easily support more density. It's stranger that the area hasn't been developed sooner. Even if this tower isn't 42s I'm sure that in the next decade there will be even taller proposals creeping down Bloor. I see no rational reason to oppose height here.

even in the next year or so... there are rumblings of a bunch of proposals for the near future nearby...
 
One Bedford, just a couple blocks west of here got 32 storey so I doubt the developers would agree to anything less than 32. In fact I don't think they should settle for any less than 32 if precedent is solely the consideration and if we are going to encourage intensification on this site.

If we are concerned about stepping down to the strip b/w Spadina and Bathurst, there are several properties ripe for redevelopment which can step down west of the Madison proposal.

Scotia Bank + Pizza Pizza block
Fresh +Second Cup + Noah's +Yuki Block
7 Eleven Building
Shoppers Drug Mart retail podium (though I dont know what exists below for the attached res tower.)
Metro (can be remodeled into urban format and likely made more functional)
The Puck Sports Bar and Grill
The Fed Ex building

the step down to midrise/lowrise doesnt have to be a stark drop off
 
Another factor that will be taken into account is the size of the lot. One Bedford's lot has over twice the frontage on Bloor, and is a little deeper too. The Tall Buildings Guidelines look for step backs from the lot lines, so the smaller lot will not be conducive to going as high as One Bedford in that regard.

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Another factor that will be taken into account is the size of the lot. One Bedford's lot has over twice the frontage on Bloor, and is a little deeper too. The Tall Buildings Guidelines look for step backs from the lot lines, so the smaller lot will not be conducive to going as high as One Bedford in that regard.

42



Good point. Forgot to consider the lot size. Though with the subway, Madison Pub and rather shabby and underused park to the rear. I suspect they may be able to persuade with fewer step backs or shadow concerns on the rear portion of the tower, since the immediacy of the shadowing on a neighbouring significant lot is not so much.

A haircut is in order though.
 
One Bedford, just a couple blocks west of here got 32 storey so I doubt the developers would agree to anything less than 32. In fact I don't think they should settle for any less than 32 if precedent is solely the consideration and if we are going to encourage intensification on this site.

If we are concerned about stepping down to the strip b/w Spadina and Bathurst, there are several properties ripe for redevelopment which can step down west of the Madison proposal.

Scotia Bank + Pizza Pizza block
Fresh +Second Cup + Noah's +Yuki Block
7 Eleven Building
Shoppers Drug Mart retail podium (though I dont know what exists below for the attached res tower.)
Metro (can be remodeled into urban format and likely made more functional)
The Puck Sports Bar and Grill
The Fed Ex building

the step down to midrise/lowrise doesnt have to be a stark drop off

Yes. Almost everything west of this site for a block or two is criminally short and architecturally perfunctory (if not hideous, like the Metro, the SDM, and the awful sports bar type thing). I hope most of this stuff gets redeveloped. I can't fathom why such a prominent and transit-accessible area gets so little attention from developers.
 
Yes. Almost everything west of this site for a block or two is criminally short and architecturally perfunctory (if not hideous, like the Metro, the SDM, and the awful sports bar type thing). I hope most of this stuff gets redeveloped. I can’t fathom why such a prominent and transit-accessible area gets so little attention from developers.

You really love the words, 'perfunctory' and 'salience.' They're in like every third post you write. :)
 
Yes. Almost everything west of this site for a block or two is criminally short and architecturally perfunctory (if not hideous, like the Metro, the SDM, and the awful sports bar type thing). I hope most of this stuff gets redeveloped. I can’t fathom why such a prominent and transit-accessible area gets so little attention from developers.

It's not just that stretch, I don't think anything significant has been built along Bloor all the way to Keele. And there are plenty more hideous buildings that are begging to be demolished. Dundas West springs to mind as a particularly ugly area with a ton of potential.
 
http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/c...nnel=eec17897e2a7b410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

Kirkor Architects


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THANKS for the render dump today AC


hmm not sure im entirely a fan of this. I can see the crappy mullions coming from a mile away

That said i do like splash of colour but maybe they could add some variety maybe doing a yellow and orange theme instead of just a single colour. also the black vs yellow is a good choice versus a light base and dark accent. I find colours pop more with black bases.

I think some office space would work well here in addition to the grade related retail, planning page doesnt specifically say if that what will be included too, to replace loss, or if retail is sufficient.

student services around UofT are always sprouting up and I'm sure there would be some tenants to fill the void but that's just my wild speculation.
 

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