Toronto Art Shoppe Condos | 98.75m | 28s | Freed | a—A

Agreed. Thank you! Someone who makes sense. This isn't Barrie.

But your numbers are a bit off, studies have shown its more like 97.69% of the city is off limits to nimbys, except Southcore. Even 1-7 Yonge St proposals are apparently controversial to the waterfront people...who live in condos already...but don't want anymore built. Oy Vey!
 
I know, its laughable.
If someone asked me where Toronto should be planning to build density to accomodate new residents, to protect the green belt, and protect low-rise nighbourhoods; I'd say "Yonge & Eglinton is one blatantly obvious location, especially within a 1 block radius."
The problem with people here is they make assertions without supporting argument. No-one seems able to answer the question as to why 10 story buildings make sense here, or where else the density should go instead?
 
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Follow Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmat's tweets and you'll see how the thrust from her (and her department) is all about achieving provincial intensification goals through mid-rise buildings on the Avenues.
 
Fine, I'm all for that as well. But the objective is not inconsistent with intensifying major nodes. Wow, is this not registering?
 
buildup said:
Fine, I'm all for that as well. But the objective is not inconsistent with intensifying major nodes. Wow, is this not registering?
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It is not registering with you, clearly.

The major node is the corner, not 3 blocks south deep into the boundary of single family housing that is sought to be preserved.

Boundaries are vital to the success of proper intensification planning. Otherwise you get height, shadow, wind, congestion creep invading areas where it wasn't contemplated. Look at Manhattan south of 42nd Street. There's a huge gap in skyscrapers until you get downtown.

There are literally endless opportunities for intensification in the GTA. If there were not then there would not be 20,000 unsold units sitting on the market. They would have been scooped up already. But the market knows that across the street, around the corner or down the block another monster building will appear soon that will compromise the value of the existing one.
 
It's not like there's any lack of riders on the Yonge subway or Eglinton station, or a lack of condo development at Yonge & Eg.

Yonge & Eg is already a growth area in the Official Plan, and it is growing. Two 58 and 38 story towers are about to start construction which are the tallest in the area, joining many others that are under construction, so I fail to see what's so upsetting about a 15 story building here not being high enough.

The real upsetting outcome would be the Art Shoppe continuing to deaden the pedestrian realm here with it's uninviting brutalist storefront. Whether 58 story, 40 story, 20 story, 15 story, any redevelopment here would be a huge improvement.
 
The Art Shoppe has a beautiful, elegant and classically modern storefront. It may not be a lively stretch, but it's not "uninviting brutalist".

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It makes for a beautiful furniture store.

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ehlow said:
It's not like there's any lack of riders on the Yonge subway or Eglinton station, or a lack of condo development at Yonge & Eg.

Yonge & Eg is already a growth area in the Official Plan, and it is growing. Two 58 and 38 story towers are about to start construction which are the tallest in the area, joining many others that are under construction, so I fail to see what's so upsetting about a 15 story building here not being high enough.

The real upsetting outcome would be the Art Shoppe continuing to deaden the pedestrian realm here with it's uninviting brutalist storefront. Whether 58 story, 40 story, 20 story, 15 story, any redevelopment here would be a huge improvement.
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+1. agreed re: the comment about the art shoppe's uninviting brutalist storefront. to say that the stretch is "dead" would be an understatement.
 
Art Shoppe is hardly overly brutalist. its design is rather refreshing and light. It doesn't bulge onto the street with a heap of concrete forms like a beer belly, rather it stay protracted and lean with open windows. Its classical modernism done well for a storefront.

With regards to the towers, while I too lament something so tall as 38 stories here I definitely see the range of 25 below as grounds for compromise. this site is ripe for density and the site just south i would say should come in at mid-rise standards down to Davisville should it ever be developed. as for shadowing and the like on the adjacent residences that is something that can be mitigated with tower placement, set back, and forms. There is an argument to be had about neighbourhood preservation indeed but lets not kid ourselves into thinking this isn't right at the cusp of a soon-to-be-massive transit node, where we should be driving development.
 
I'm gonna miss the Art Shoppe. But it lost it's mojo quite a while ago. They don't sell much good furniture design any more. I remember way back when it was the cat's ass. One of my first jobs was working at the original Curved Space which was nearly across the street, and I used to marvel at the window displays...they were really spectacular.

It's directly on Yonge, one block from Eglinton subway. Yea...there are single family houses directly behind it, but so what...the whole city was like that. It's called progress. And I fail to see how it makes much difference in contrast whether it's 10 floors or 30.
 
I personally find the Art Shoppe as a building not aesthetically appealing, but I know that that's subjective.

My main objection isn't the architecture or aesthetics of the building though, it's that I find a massive furniture storefront taking up the whole block to be deadening to pedestrian vibrancy.

I would prefer smaller storefronts such as you would find north or south of Eglinton on Yonge.

Here's a comparison:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.7121...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sv2oevnluLF6j0Lt9pRalew!2e0
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.7038...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sYJdBfUV4KALNWPlM05HdsA!2e0

Which street-scape would you prefer to walk beside? Which do you find more inviting and appealing?

I went to the public meeting for this condo proposal and they actually do have small storefronts along the street, which to me would create a much more inviting walkable environment. Bringing more people onto Yonge south of Eglinton is a good thing for the businesses in the area as well in my opinion. So I do very much want to see a development here because I think it will be an improvement.
 
I haven't been inside the Art Shoppe for years. I didn't know that it was no big deal anymore. Even if it were still a good store, I would not for a second be worried about a relocation for it.

That said, I'm not against a development here, and I'm all for multiple narrow storefronts, but I just don't think that the Art Shoppe is as awful as some people make out. Am I glad that the nearby buildings don't perpetuate the Art Shoppe frontage again and again? You bet, but that one store hasn't managed to destroy Yonge Street.

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