Toronto 425 Bloor West | 105.4m | 30s | The Brown Group | Arcadis

Yeah the half dozen different sizes and arrangement of arches is way too busy and clumsy.

Reminds me a bit of HPA's RioCan Hall though that tower is far simpler (arches at the top) and has step-backs/set-backs at the top.

I'd say go a bit taller here, terrace the top few floors and simplify the maze of arches.

Or just call HPA.
 
I think it's following the lead of that church just west of it when it comes to the arches. I'll least give them that.
 
I like the arches but not the staggered placement of them. Then again, I usually dislike staggered windows too.
 
Lenser said:
Although I agree that the arrangement of arches along the podium looks awkward, I applaud the arch motif in general - it's elegant and hearkens back to historical norms. I hope they keep that motif and give more attention to symmetry and spacing.
Click to expand...

Agree. Instead of doing away with the motif they'd end up with a more successful design if they re-produced that 4 floor church tower multiple times using the exact same dimensions. A series of arches on the first floor that are the same height, width as seen on the 1st floor of that church tower, reproduce that slither of a window seen on the 2nd floor of that church tower on the 2nd floor of the podium with 2-3 such windows, and so on till you've copied all 4 floors of that church tower.

In other words, they just need look across the street to figure out what their podium should look like. Why re-design something that doesn't need re-designing?

1666393788328.png
 
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innsertnamehere said:
yup. I wish the freshco down on Bathurst was open when I lived on Markham St, would have been just as far and is a far superior grocer.

I usually ended up doing groceries all over the place depending on where I was for the week and hauling them back on my bike or the subway to avoid it.
Click to expand...
There are so many small little grocery/convenience stores along that section of Bloor Street, that I hardly ever needed to visit one of the big supermarket chains. PAT (the big Korean grocer) was a favourite of mine. I'll be sad to see that inevitably get redeveloped.
 
Northern Light said:
I have been expecting this application for awhile, having hinted at it elsewhere...........but it now arrived in the AIC.

The proposal to redevelop the Metro supermarket at Bloor and Robert, just west of Spadina on the south side.

Site as is:

View attachment 433490

Application:

View attachment 433489

app.toronto.ca

Application Details

app.toronto.ca app.toronto.ca

From the Docs:

View attachment 433491

View attachment 433492

View attachment 433493

North and East elevations above

View attachment 433494

View attachment 433495

0.14 parking ratio

***

Now for a bit of throwback, this site was first evaluated by the City for its potential in the Bloor Street Visioning Study in 2009:


In that study, we find this image:

View attachment 433496
and this one: (oddly for the same study, if you look carefully you'll see the Bloor frontage of this site represented differently from the above)

View attachment 433497
Also from the plan:

View attachment 433498

Comments: Density and Height are consistent w/the above study and the City's vision for this site. On that level, this should have no problem.

The architecture, shows some aspiration in respect of using brick and making use of arches; though I'm not entirely convinced it comes together as it could/should.

Where this proposal comes up short, to me, is the public realm treatments proposed.

As I've shown above, the City once dreamed big in terms of public space here, there is surely no better time to contemplate that than this proposal. Consideration must be given to special paving treatment for Robert Street and the sidewalk adjacent to Trinity Church and integrating that w/the existing park(let) on Metro's flank.

Further, Bloor here is to be a 'Great Street'; yet the sidewalk here shows no street trees.

On that latter point, the Bloor sidewalk (south side) from Robert to Spadina is severely challenged in size (its narrow).

Aerial Pic:

View attachment 433499

As one can see, this is, in part, due to the presence of street parking on the north side of the street. That parking, which provides only ~5 spaces should be eliminated and some of the surplus reallocated to sidewalk width on the south side, as well as buffering the Cycle Tracks on both sides of Bloor.

The left hand turn lane at Spadina also encumbers sidewalk width. Removing it, operationally, might be a challenge, but should be considered. If done, this would likely require a partial or complete left-turn ban at Spadina.

It would also be nice to see an off-site parkland acquisition proposal that fulfilled one of the new/expanded park proposals for this area outlined in TO Core.

The closest of these is the proposed extension of Joseph Burr Tyrrell Park eastwards to Walmer.

Not mentioned in the reports, that I can see is what will happen to the supermarket............but no worries........its staying in the area; something they will almost certainly have to say publicly to get this one to flow smoothly.
Click to expand...
Really appreciate your attention to detail. I don't know how you keep track of all this information
 
I'll miss this store. It might have been crowded, but I found it convenient, not only for the location, but also the hours (I worked quite late in my Annex days) and for the size. It had everything, but if you forgot something from the produce section by the time you got to the freezer aisle, it was no great hike to make your way back.

I also remember carrying my Christmas trees over the shoulder (no car) from there to 35 Walmer Rd, and later another apartment just across Spadina.

But the real memory that will make it sad to lose is that I asked my wife out on our first date when I bumped into her at this store.

...

Personal anecdotes aside, I actually think this proposal looks pretty decent.
 
streetsoftoronto.com

Here are the details on a new condo proposed on the site of a grocery store in the west-end

The developers behind a future condo tower in the Annex are pitching another project directly across the street in Harbord Village
streetsoftoronto.com streetsoftoronto.com

“We are looking to enhance the public realm on Bloor Street, we are looking to carry on the enhancement of the Robert Street parkette… and we would like multiple retail entrances from both Bloor Street West and Robert Street,” Brown tells Post City.

The proposal includes 418 residential units, which Brown says are being planned as condos, as well as 1,444 square metres of retail space on the first floor and mezzanine of the building’s podium, which ranges from one to six storeys in height. “We’re trying to allow for flexibility for various retail floorplates,” explains Brown, “but it’s very early in the process to know who the ultimate retailer will be.” Two levels of underground parking provide room for 65 parking spots, of which 60 would have electric-vehicle outlets for charging.

The tower’s design, by IBI Group, takes cues from the surrounding neighbourhood. Its arches, for example, are a reference to the historic Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church at 427 Bloor St. W., and the red-brick facade blends with many older buildings and houses nearby. “We’re looking for our architectural design to take inspiration from the Annex,” explains Brown.

Some in the community say it’s too early to comment on the 425 Bloor St. W. condo proposal because the More Homes Built Faster Act — which the province introduced last month and proposes broad changes to local planning policies — has created too much uncertainty.

“In general, we can’t comment on any specific building,” Sue Dexter, who is on the Harbord Village Residents Association’s planning committee, tells Post City. “We have absolutely no idea what the rules are at this point.”

While Dexter declined to speak about the project specifically, she did provide an inventory of elements the HVRA supports in new developments. Sustainability, green space, and supporting “demographic diversity” are among the association’s priorities. A proposal’s height, she adds, is only part of the equation. “We would like affordability as part of the package, but it has to be paid for by someone,” she says.

Dexter also says the proposal needs to be looked at in the context of other nearby condo developments undergoing the approvals process: “We have a massive amount of density coming in — greater than Mirvish Village — and it’s all going to come in pretty quickly.”
Click to expand...
 
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Northern Light said:
I have been expecting this application for awhile, having hinted at it elsewhere...........but it now arrived in the AIC.

The proposal to redevelop the Metro supermarket at Bloor and Robert, just west of Spadina on the south side.

Site as is:

View attachment 433490

Application:

View attachment 433489

app.toronto.ca

Application Details

app.toronto.ca app.toronto.ca

From the Docs:

View attachment 433491

View attachment 433492

View attachment 433493

North and East elevations above

View attachment 433494

View attachment 433495

0.14 parking ratio

***

Now for a bit of throwback, this site was first evaluated by the City for its potential in the Bloor Street Visioning Study in 2009:


In that study, we find this image:

View attachment 433496
and this one: (oddly for the same study, if you look carefully you'll see the Bloor frontage of this site represented differently from the above)

View attachment 433497
Also from the plan:

View attachment 433498

Comments: Density and Height are consistent w/the above study and the City's vision for this site. On that level, this should have no problem.

The architecture, shows some aspiration in respect of using brick and making use of arches; though I'm not entirely convinced it comes together as it could/should.

Where this proposal comes up short, to me, is the public realm treatments proposed.

As I've shown above, the City once dreamed big in terms of public space here, there is surely no better time to contemplate that than this proposal. Consideration must be given to special paving treatment for Robert Street and the sidewalk adjacent to Trinity Church and integrating that w/the existing park(let) on Metro's flank.

Further, Bloor here is to be a 'Great Street'; yet the sidewalk here shows no street trees.

On that latter point, the Bloor sidewalk (south side) from Robert to Spadina is severely challenged in size (its narrow).

Aerial Pic:

View attachment 433499

As one can see, this is, in part, due to the presence of street parking on the north side of the street. That parking, which provides only ~5 spaces should be eliminated and some of the surplus reallocated to sidewalk width on the south side, as well as buffering the Cycle Tracks on both sides of Bloor.

The left hand turn lane at Spadina also encumbers sidewalk width. Removing it, operationally, might be a challenge, but should be considered. If done, this would likely require a partial or complete left-turn ban at Spadina.

It would also be nice to see an off-site parkland acquisition proposal that fulfilled one of the new/expanded park proposals for this area outlined in TO Core.

The closest of these is the proposed extension of Joseph Burr Tyrrell Park eastwards to Walmer.

Not mentioned in the reports, that I can see is what will happen to the supermarket............but no worries........its staying in the area; something they will almost certainly have to say publicly to get this one to flow smoothly.
Click to expand...
I hope they keep those large boulders from the beautification program too. They were found in the area during the program and should be kept a part of the landscape. Also, I was told at one time they couldn't put a building here because of an underground river. This could make for an interesting feature for the new metro. Place the water and juice display right beside the flowing river which would be a glass floor that shoppers could look down into the waterway! 😁.
 
AlbertC said:
streetsoftoronto.com

A getaway guide to see your favourite T.O. sports team for a fraction of the cost

Here are three trips you can take to watch our Toronto teams play away and some insider tips for how to make the most of it.
streetsoftoronto.com streetsoftoronto.com
Click to expand...
I don't expect any affordable housing will be included or it will be made part of the underground river that flows through that area. Likely the developer will buy their way out of building affordable units by filling Doug's slush fund with water from the river!
 
Patrick Wingert said:
I hope they keep those large boulders from the beautification program too. They were found in the area during the program and should be kept a part of the landscape. Also, I was told at one time they couldn't put a building here because of an underground river. This could make for an interesting feature for the new metro. Place the water and juice display right beside the flowing river which would be a glass floor that shoppers could look down into the waterway! 😁.
Click to expand...
Patrick Wingert said:
I don't expect any affordable housing will be included or it will be made part of the underground river that flows through that area. Likely the developer will buy their way out of building affordable units by filling Doug's slush fund with water from the river!
Click to expand...

No underground rivers are present at this site, that's just a story.

There are buried creeks not far away, the former Garrison Creek runs under Christie Pits; and the former Taddle Creek flows under Philosopher's Walk, but none at this location.

You can see all (or most) of the buried creeks in Toronto using this site/interactive map:


I have extracted the image for the area centred on Spadina and Bloor:

1670343867042.png


Now that's not to say there may not be water infiltration issues on the site, just because there isn't a creek or river underneath. Water makes its way to creeks and rivers underground, sometimes over considerable distances. But to find that answer, one would be best to read the hydrology report for this site.

Which, I just did. The pertinent bit is in the intro:

1670344061610.png


PS, unless plans have changed.......Metro won't be staying on this site, it will be relocating nearby.
 
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