Toronto 335 Yonge | 55.2m | 16s | Lalani | Zeidler

[TOfan696]

Well, I'm not too surprised this happened.

What really is a shame is the fact that 10 Dundas East didn't burn down with it.

OMG that was exactly my thought too - horrible, I was actually hoping that there would at least be damage to the aluminum siding and they would have to reclad

 

[W. K. Lis]

I wish that whatever they build on that site will not be some glass and steel "modern" building, nor a one or two story slab.

 

[cdr108]

I wish that whatever they build on that site will not be some glass and steel "modern" building, nor a one or two story slab.

I'm sad to see this nice 19th century building destroyed. It had some of the most interesting brickwork in town and was a great corner building with its little tower. It was, however, in terrible shape for decades, the bricks wrecked by time and careless sandblasting. I am hopeful that a new building rising on this site can replicate some of the old building's delicacy and fine detail in some way that isn't a pastiche. Sadly the examples of redevelopment that are adjacent to this site are pretty awful, the most successful of which, the Eaton Centre, which was once amazing, slowly being trashed.

sadly, i doubt any new build going up here will have any old world charm, unless forced to.
maybe something similar to recent projects in the SLM area where the lower floors are brick and mimic the historic buildings.

odds are 99% that it will be a glass and steel "modern" building; height-wise 25s of mixed-use.

 

[Hipster Duck]

My guess is that we will have some kind of shlock - a five storey, generic commercial building that doubles as a prop for a media tower.

For a city supposedly so rich, economically dynamic and world class, we sure do have a lot of buildings that fall down or burn due to neglect. And on Yonge street, of all places, not more than 100 meters from our commercial heart.

Imagine if one of those Art Nouveau buildings on the Gran Via in Madrid toppled over and all they did was fence it off and block two lanes of the road for 8 months?

Hell, even the buildings that crumble to pieces in Detroit aren't on Woodward.

 

[Up&Away]

I had passed by that building the night before on my way to HMV. It was my first opportunity to see firsthand the prior wall damage. I had always admired that building and I am sad that it was lost in the fire. I remember dancing at a night club that was upstairs in that building.
Does anyone know if HMV suffered any damage?

 

[GraphicMatt]

Hey, is Yonge Street being closed to traffic between Dundas & Gerrard having any significant impact on traffic downtown? Maybe we can look on the bright side and consider this a pilot project for street closures.

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

"Maybe we can look on the bright side and consider this a pilot project for street closures." QUOTE GraphicMatt.

Both the T F D + I think that you are nuts.

Regards,
J T

 

[devjohnson]

I did like the architecture of this building. So sad how it had to burn down. A positive is that there is now room for retail expansion. Ahem....Apple

 

[gabe]

I wish that whatever they build on that site will not be some glass and steel "modern" building, nor a one or two story slab.

If Ryerson takes over that site it will be a modern glass and steel building.

 

[syn]

A lot of the facade remains. Why couldn't they just rebuild it with a modern interior?

 

[whatever]

Because a strong gust of wind would take out the facade as its standing right now. It's way too unstable for any kind of shoring or bracing to be applied to it (at least in any safe manner). It's going to have to come down

 

[Tulse]

A positive is that there is now room for retail expansion. Ahem....Apple

Apple won't move out of the Eaton Centre location, and another store here would be too close. My guess/hope/fantasy is that we'll see a flagship Apple store at One Bloor.

 

[greenleaf]

From: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...uts-toronto-heritage-building/article1855861/

"[Councillor Wong-Tam] met with the owners at the scene of the fire on Monday, and said they were “stunned” by the destruction.

A lawyer for the owners – a numbered company reportedly controlled by a businessman named Noorali Lalani and his family – said his client had assembled an “expert team” to assess how to restore and redevelop the site.

According to the e-mail from Stephen Waqué, a partner with Borden Ladner Gervais in Toronto, engineering reports have been shared with the city, and a “respected heritage architect” along with MMM Group, a construction management firm, had been brought in to lead the project. Before Christmas, tenders were sought on the work needed to shore up the building’s remaining facades, the e-mail says.

“Access to the site since the accidental collapse has been challenging, but work on the future of the site has continued till now,” reads the e-mail. “ ... The fire has complicated an already difficult and challenging situation.”

Mr. Waqué said his client now needs “fresh advice” from the architect and engineers about “what can be done, if anything,” with what is left of the building.

According to a search of property records, a company called Lalani Group International Inc. bought the property for $2.35-million in 1996. A numbered company, 2160943 Ontario Ltd., purchased it in 2008 for $7-million.

Ms. Wong-Tam said she had asked the owners about their plans for the building and they had indicated they still wanted to build a condominium tower, after restoring the heritage facade."

 

[Tulse]

This site of an old church in Yorkville burned down in similar circumstances. The site has been undeveloped for 30 years.

Yep, at the time there was suspicious that that fire might have been arson as well, as the church (which was quite a beautiful building) prevented the owner from easily redeveloping the site. While one doesn't want to speculate too much, this fire does seem extremely convenient for the site owner.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Hey, is Yonge Street being closed to traffic between Dundas & Gerrard having any significant impact on traffic downtown? Maybe we can look on the bright side and consider this a pilot project for street closures.

It's called a pedestrian mall. Too bad it will only last a short time, and a lousy way to bring it about.

(Don't worry, Mr. Ford, your precious cars will soon return to Yonge Street and those pesky pedestrians will be herded off the street as you wish.)