Toronto 88 Queen | 167.35m | 52s | St Thomas Dev | Hariri Pontarini

Today

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Looking at that picture of the viaduct reminds me that I just finished a fine history of the effort to construct the Luminous Veil: The Suicide Magnet, by Paul McLaughlin, Dundurn Press:
 
Looking at that picture of the viaduct reminds me that I just finished a fine history of the effort to construct the Luminous Veil: The Suicide Magnet, by Paul McLaughlin, Dundurn Press:
The suicide barrier wasn’t originally called The Luminous Veil - that was after they added the light feature around the time of the Panam Games (2015?). But I remember reading that one of the advocates for the suicide barrier was on the verge of killing herself by jumping from a high rise hotel on Church St (years after the barrier was installed). Police was involved and managed to stop her from jumping. Hope she got the help she needed.
 
I wonder how long the office space will remain vacant. Best bet is to fill them with educational institutions, like language schools or colleges like DeVry and such. I know a language school (the Spanish Centre) that's been looking for space since their building was expropriated by the TTC for Bloor/Yonge station expansion. You'd think it would be a match made in heaven, but the school may not be able to afford the rent they're asking. And some of these landlords seem to be content to let their spaces be vacant for years rather than lowering the rent. Doesn't make sense to us mere mortals, but they must have their reasons ...
 
I wonder how long the office space will remain vacant. Best bet is to fill them with educational institutions, like language schools or colleges like DeVry and such. I know a language school (the Spanish Centre) that's been looking for space since their building was expropriated by the TTC for Bloor/Yonge station expansion. You'd think it would be a match made in heaven, but the school may not be able to afford the rent they're asking. And some of these landlords seem to be content to let their spaces be vacant for years rather than lowering the rent. Doesn't make sense to us mere mortals, but they must have their reasons ...

Demand for educational spaces in Toronto is about to crash. The Feds are cutting new permits by 50%, and Ontario is freezing any new spaces at private-partnership colleges.

Wrong moment for that strategy.
 
Demand for educational spaces in Toronto is about to crash. The Feds are cutting new permits by 50%, and Ontario is freezing any new spaces at private-partnership colleges.

Wrong moment for that strategy.
I meant to add that observation for colleges like DeVry. But foreign language schools (ie. schools teaching languages other than English) are unlikely to be affected - I don't think there are a lot of foreign students coming to Toronto to learn Spanish, French or Mandarin - those who do are locals. Plus there are institutions teaching vocational skills that also attract mostly local rather than foreign students.
 
I meant to add that observation for colleges like DeVry. But foreign language schools (ie. schools teaching languages other than English) are unlikely to be affected - I don't think there are a lot of foreign students coming to Toronto to learn Spanish, French or Mandarin - those who do are locals. Plus there are institutions teaching vocational skills that also attract mostly local rather than foreign students.

True; but since a lot of that other education space, already built out as classrooms is likely to become available at a discount, I don't know why anyone would rent new Class A-type space at a premium.
 
True; but since a lot of that other education space, already built out as classrooms is likely to become available at a discount, I don't know why anyone would rent new Class A-type space at a premium.
True, some of the existing classroom space will become available as restrictions on foreign student visas affect the colleges (dare I say diploma mills?). As for the office space at 88 Queen, will it be considered as Class A?
 
True, some of the existing classroom space will become available as restrictions on foreign student visas affect the colleges (dare I say diploma mills?). As for the office space at 88 Queen, will it be considered as Class A?

Class A is quality, format and location, I assume quality will be good, it's new, I don't remember the layout, but 'A' might be pushing it; it's not really an 'A' in location though, it's close-ish, I mean, the subway (Ontario Line) will pass in front and there will be stations less than 1km away in each direction.
 
...there's a lot of things about this building that don't really add up. It's certainly not the Anti-Social at Church + Dundas in its cheapened out wonkiness, rather the developer seem to have creative differences with the architect in what to use in materials and was entirely clueless in going about it. I mean, bronze and mint are not the best combination to begin with...and sorta went pear shaped from there. >.<
 

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