Toronto Atrium on Bay Expansion | 114m | 34s | KingSett Capital | Hariri Pontarini

ksun said:
that's great news. It means I actually will have a reason to go to Atrium on Bay (except to see my dentist), which seems to be more of a colossal failure than 10 Dundas East.
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It's far far nicer than that AMC dud. The Atrium on Bay might not have much in it, but at least it's pleasant inside. It's one of the few indoor shopping places that's actually relaxing to walk through. It has a gorgeous 30 foot totem pole in it. What does AMC have other than unfinished ceilings, exposed ducts, rude/noisy youth, garish lighting, and an irritating layout? They need to implode the whole building and start again. The only thing I like is the video screen and billboards plastered on the exterior.
 
isaidso said:
It's far far nicer than that AMC dud. The Atrium on Bay might not have much in it, but at least it's pleasant inside. It's one of the few indoor shopping places that's actually relaxing to walk through. It has a gorgeous 30 foot totem pole in it. What does AMC have other than unfinished ceilings, exposed ducts, rude/noisy youth, garish lighting, and an irritating layout? They need to implode the whole building and start again. The only thing I like is the video screen and billboards plastered on the exterior.
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Atrium on Bay may be better to look at or walk in, but there is nothing inside of it that is remotely interesting. I live really close to it and work just by it and for the past 6 years, I never go there except to see my dentist. The retail inside is just weird and not memorable at all. Even the food court on the west side is bad.
It is just a weird building.
 
ksun said:
Atrium on Bay may be better to look at or walk in, but there is nothing inside of it that is remotely interesting. I live really close to it and work just by it and for the past 6 years, I never go there except to see my dentist. The retail inside is just weird and not memorable at all. Even the food court on the west side is bad.
It is just a weird building.
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The spaces are good spaces. The retail is another issue altogether. The massive atrium inside is quite a space to experience. It could certainly be improved. But it's true, 10 Dundas East is a dud by comparison... not one interesting or quality space within that project, regardless of the better quality of retail compared to the Atrium.
 
ksun said:
There is a Pickle Barrel on the lower level I think, but it is hardly that successful.
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Based on what? That Pickle Barrel has been open for 20+ years.
 
In terms of interior and exterior design the Atrium is actually a fairly underrated building in the city. The only problem is that it has a really weird vibe inside of it that just makes you feel a bit malaise.

I think one of the reasons why the retail in Atrium never took off because there are barely any clear, easily accessible entrances. There are the ones by Bay and Dundas, and on Dundas itself but to many they might look like they are leading into the offices. The one on Yonge is easy to miss as well. I guess not having any big name stores doesn't help either.
 
That Pickle Barrel is decent. They are usually good at accommodating large groups because they have the large seating area in the basement. There's also a St. Louis inside near the Red Lobster. I don't think anyone walking by on the street would know it exists in there though.
 
acornman said:
In terms of interior and exterior design the Atrium is actually a fairly underrated building in the city. The only problem is that it has a really weird vibe inside of it that just makes you feel a bit malaise.

I think one of the reasons why the retail in Atrium never took off because there are barely any clear, easily accessible entrances. There are the ones by Bay and Dundas, and on Dundas itself but to many they might look like they are leading into the offices. The one on Yonge is easy to miss as well. I guess not having any big name stores doesn't help either.
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that's what I think too.
On Dundas, it is several little entrances but you are confused where they lead to - the office tower? the tourism office? Springs rolls? It is all confusing. There is no main entrance that says: this is Atrium on Bay and its retail. The entrance on Yonge doesn't directly bring to you any store, you enter a hallway and don't see anything that catches your eyes.

You are exactly right about not having a big name store. One simply can't find a reason to go there - 10 Dundas has the theatre and futureshop, Atrium on bay has nothing people are familiar with. It is all disjointed small stores like the Pacific Mall. Some clothing stores, eye doctors, dentists, government agencies, post office, CIBC, a little bit of everything, even a grocery shop in the basement, without a "theme". And the retail there is generally uninteresting. Would function better if it attracts a well known retailers of significant size.
 
Exactly what I was going to say as I was catching up here, before you basically said it. It's a cool little mall but there's no entrance that has a sense of arrival, and I think the average passerby simply thinks it's an office building with shops around the outside of it.
The Pickle Barrel used to be just on the street level, and was large and open at the back. When they took out the lease on the lower level I believe they expanded the kitchen & prep level taking out some of the seating at the back of the upper level. That reno./addition was maybe 8, possibly 10 years ago.
 
ksun said:
...Some clothing stores, eye doctors, dentists, government agencies, post office, CIBC, a little bit of everything, even a grocery shop in the basement, without a "theme". And the retail there is generally uninteresting. Would function better if it attracts a well known retailers of significant size.
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That Kitchen Table grocery store has been there for years as well, and there was a time when it was essential. Back in 1988, when I moved into the Liberties at Bay and Gerrard, there were no grocery stores whatsoever in the vicinity. All we had were a Hasty Market, which opened the next year at Minto Plaza, where the sushi place is located now, and that Kitchen Table.
 
Edward Skira said:
I guess you don't drink. The LCBO is a massive draw.
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forgot that.
However, the LCBO there is awkward too. If I remember it right (I don't go there frequently), and there is a small entrance and a one way escalator that brings you directly to the store underground , and you exist underground too. Why this design? It would be a perfect place to have a LCBO flagship store, like the Loblaws' at Church/Carlton, on the ground floor, with a grander and wider entrance.

I don't think all the small unnamed stores and a few underground ones work that great for the building at this prominent location. This is the place where we actually need large retail, not fragmented small boutiques.
 
The LCBO is one retailer that certainly doesn't need a prominent location at street level. Their customers have a need that can't be met easily anywhere else :)
 
ksun said:
forgot that.
However, the LCBO there is awkward too. If I remember it right (I don't go there frequently), and there is a small entrance and a one way escalator that brings you directly to the store underground , and you exist underground too. Why this design? It would be a perfect place to have a LCBO flagship store, like the Loblaws' at Church/Carlton, on the ground floor, with a grander and wider entrance.

I don't think all the small unnamed stores and a few underground ones work that great for the building at this prominent location. This is the place where we actually need large retail, not fragmented small boutiques.
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LCBO already has their flagship store at Summerhill, although I think the Queens Quay location is the actual flagship? The Yonge/Dundas location is definitely far too small for the area though.
 
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