Toronto 400 Front Street | 195.75m | 59s | State Building Group | Kirkor Architects

The warehouse is a good spot for ground level retail + office space. I agree with Alvin, the warehouse should be preserved and revitalized (perhaps as a facade to a newer structure?), it will break the flow and add character to the area once this is all built up.

Exciting news from this site indeed!

Big Daddy said:
It's a shame the PATH ends at Metro Hall - one city block east of this site.
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I hope they build with potential underground connections in mind. It is very reasonable to think that the PATH would reach Spadina in Toronto's future. Metro Convention Centre and the Rogers Centre are literally just a block to the south-east.

There are three office buildings between Metro Hall and this site. 277 Front Street W, 315 Front Street W and 325 Front Street W, all owned by Oxford Properties Group. Looking at their portfolio, these guys are no strangers to the PATH. I wonder if it is a possibility to expand the PATH through these office buildings and to this site, and even across Spadina to The Well.
 
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Big Daddy said:
I assume the warehouse will become retail. I'm also a little surprised they aren't going for greater height on Front street
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It could be that the City didn't want to shadow the park too much. Placing the tallest towers east of the park won't have much of an impact on it in terms of shadowing.
 
WiddleBittyKitty said:
What an incredible future Front/Spadina has if both this and The Well go forward. These two projects will obliterate the last of the 60s underused land to the west of Downtown. This area will no longer feel like the unwanted brussel sprouts pushed to the side of Toronto's plate.
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Though I take issue with your metaphor, I agree with the sentiment. Hopefully these developments will end the disappointing feeling you get when you make it to Spadina and Front.
 
Front page story here with more details, and a new dataBase file linked at the top of this page with lots of renderings of the preliminary design concept.

42

What's wrong with Brussel Sprouts?
 
The outdoor restaurant patios could be a huge draw in the summer before and after Blue Jays games. I also like these podiums, they don't scream big and bulky but have a rather subtle design to them.
 
Does anyone else feel that we are merely filling parking lots in, for the sake of filling them in? While I can empathize with those who think that these empty parking lots are nothing more than eyesores and devoid of life-most often what replaces them, is only marginally better. Our fetishizing of the built form, usually with less and less regard to its final outcome, compels us, it seems, to want or need, every and all parking lots/empty lots filled. Is it not part and parcel of city building, that development, that is good development takes time...
 
p5connex said:
Does anyone else feel that we are merely filling parking lots in, for the sake of filling them in? While I can empathize with those who think that these empty parking lots are nothing more than eyesores and devoid of life-most often what replaces them, is only marginally better. Our fetishizing of the built form, usually with less and less regard to its final outcome, compels us, it seems, to want or need, every and all parking lots/empty lots filled. Is it not part and parcel of city building, that development, that is good development takes time...
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I can see your point when it comes to certain projects but, after reading the UT story on this one, I think this thread will prove less fertile territory for developing that thesis than might some others. It seems, at this admittedly early stage, like this could contribute quite a lot to the area.

The idea that developing parking lots is not, in general, a huge net positive seems particularly unpersuasive to me as I post this from Montreal. Every time I come here I realize more and more how far behind Toronto this city has fallen. Outside the old city there are surface parking lots galore and, for me, they suck much of the life out of the surrounding area and serve as little more than highly efficient engines of entropic social decay.
 
p5connex said:
Does anyone else feel that we are merely filling parking lots in, for the sake of filling them in? While I can empathize with those who think that these empty parking lots are nothing more than eyesores and devoid of life-most often what replaces them, is only marginally better. Our fetishizing of the built form, usually with less and less regard to its final outcome, compels us, it seems, to want or need, every and all parking lots/empty lots filled. Is it not part and parcel of city building, that development, that is good development takes time...
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You could argue that all those people who are going to be living in that condo that replaces the parking lot will contribute to the economy and vitality of the surrounding area, providing more business for local retail and creating incentive for businesses to enter the neighborhood.

That alone is a lot better than an empty parking lot. I am generally in favor fill in projects for this reason.
 
p5connex said:
Does anyone else feel that we are merely filling parking lots in, for the sake of filling them in?
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No. Not at all.

People want to live in the city. They need places to live. Unless you want to force them to live in the suburbs (gasp), with its associated social challenges, this is what we need to do.
 
p5connex said:
Does anyone else feel that we are merely filling parking lots in, for the sake of filling them in?
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Developers don't just fill in parking lots for the sake of it. A project like 400 Front is incredibly expensive. Demand and the potential for large profit is what drives development.


p5connex said:
Is it not part and parcel of city building, that development, that is good development takes time...
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This project, like The Well, are focused on creating a quality public realm, laneways, fine-grain experience at grade, etc. etc. This isn't just "filling up parking lots", and it's certainly not "part and parcel" like a lot of other developments in the city. It's a thoughtful approach to city-building, coordinating different developments so that they have strategic pedestrian linkages and healthy street life, and work together to create something better than the sum of their parts.
 
The 400 Front Street West project is scheduled for its first review by the DRP on Tuesday, March 24th at 3 PM.
 
400 FRONT ST W
Ward 20 - Tor & E.York District

Proposal to construct four mixed-use towers, two towers on the north parcel (58 & 60 storeys) and two towers on the south parcel (24 and 25 storeys) with a total of 2,291 residential units with three levels of underground parking
Proposed Use --- # of Storeys --- # of Units ---
Applications:
Type Number Date Submitted Status
Rezoning 15 136961 STE 20 OZ Apr 7, 2015 Under Review
 
Similar comments for many other projects...

Nice try guys like your ideas and all. BUT
It's too big
It's too tall
Give more consideration too [insert current planning mantra]
Discussion about lack of intent to incorporate heritage buildings was cut off after twenty minutes when it was realised there aren't any. This pisses off the committee - discuss the potential for moving heritage buildings to site

Lunch time
Casual discussion
Schedule another meeting in four or five months
 
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