Toronto Bloor Street Revitalization | ?m | ?s | Bloor-Yorkville BIA | architectsAlliance

[Epi]

In nature it last a very long time. On a Toronto sidewalk it will last until a utility company shows up a couple of weeks from now to lay a new wire or pipe at which time the granite will be destroyed and replaced with asphalt.

LOL let's not forget that before it gets ripped up, it'll be spray painted for a while before for seemingly no reason in every way possible, and then AFTER they do whatever they are doing they'll spray it again for seemingly no reason.

 

[androiduk]

I think most of Yonge St. all the way up to Bloor looks like that. A few months ago all the gas lines and meters along Yonge were replaced and this is the result. They're going to have to redo the whole street.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

Actually, it looks like exactly what they did between Gerrard and Dundas last year prior to putting up the new street lighting. This is probably what is the case right now for the section between Dundas and Queen. The sidewalk has been completely redone north of Dundas.

 

[catcher_of_cats]

Why on earth did the city install lighting along Yonge south of Gerrard? Have there not been street lights attached to buildings coupled with all the signage lights to illuminate this stretch far more then is normally required?

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

May 12th Update

Bloor Street facing west towards Bay Street and then facing east towards Yonge Street, respectively

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge, then click again on the image for full size.

 

[drum118]

May 12

New Road bed

Driveway ramp

Trees????

Nice pool of water in the winter with no drain on Bloor St

Could use a few of these pieces.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Why on earth did the city install lighting along Yonge south of Gerrard? Have there not been street lights attached to buildings coupled with all the signage lights to illuminate this stretch far more then is normally required?

I hadn't noticed new lighting (standards?) south of Gerrard but yes, that's how Yonge Street was lit since as long as I can remember from Yonge Street at Bloor down to about Dundas.
Times are a changin'...

Drum, that's an excellent job you did documenting Bloor between Church & Yonge. It's a hell of a mess for pedestrians and traffic but it's going to look mighty fine when it's finally completed with the granite sidewalks and all those new, healthy trees along there.
I'm still bitter that there will be no bike lanes. Such a wasted opportunity not to start a route along Bloor but otherwise this will really transform Bloor Street through here and finally make our high end shopping district an area to be proud of.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Drum you did an amazing job yesterday updating the construction work on Bloor Street. I thought I'd expand on it with clear views of what's happening on the north side of Bloor east, and west of Church Street

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge, then click again on the image for full size.

Work continueing on the north side of Bloor, west of Church Street



and east of Church Street

 

[deerparker]

Why on earth did the city install lighting along Yonge south of Gerrard? Have there not been street lights attached to buildings coupled with all the signage lights to illuminate this stretch far more then is normally required?

The Downtown-Yonge BIA installed those lights. While somewhat busy (I'm not sure they needed so many), I think they do a better job of bringing light to the sidewalk than the original lights mounted on the second floor of storefronts (that still remain to the north). Of course, the signage lights do illuminate Yonge, but the street lamps better define the pedestrian realm.

 

[androiduk]

I was told by a supervisor that the trees will be going in around September.

 

[jb007]

We already know how to build overpriced 350SF apartments...what's your suggestion?

bit off topic, but just wanted to respone to a couple of posts about this:

new TO apartments are overpriced relative to design, layout, amnetities etc. heres 4 links to 4 condos near where i was in sg. the 1st one is more luxurious than the others but some similarities can be seen.

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/singapore-property-pictures/condo/ardmore-park.htm

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/singapore-property-pictures/condo/8-at-mount-sophia.htm

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/singapore-property-pictures/condo/the-cathay-residences.htm

http://condo.singaporeexpats.com/condo-details-RIVERGATE.htm

1 - greenergy is good. its the tropics here so toronto is at a disadvantage but im sure something can be done with landscaping. helps improve the look, feel of area for the people living at/near the buildings.

2- amenities - almost all new condos here 2000+ have at least 1 pool, kids playground, 24hr gaurds indoor/outdoor or both, most have tennis courts, some bball courts, and all gyms are well equipped and layed out. Also, almost every condo has its own gate or visitor waiting area.

3 - showers. i personally hate bathtubs ive noticed most new places here dont have any which is perfect. They have shower boxes/doors (not sure what they are called). Helps save a lot of space and improves the look of the bathroom.

4 - lots of windows to let light in. kitchen, toilets. they remove the feeling of being constrained.

one thing thats definitely diff between the 2 cities is labor costs. Its cheaper in asia in general vs toronto, so theres no way TO can match this level of construction at a cheap cost. still, nothing ive seen in Canada has ever even closley matched the design or detail level of what ive seen here.

just to note, prices are more exp. here: 1 bedroom is 2.8k canadian (refering to buildings 2,3,4). this has more to do with high demand and land scarcity rather then general building costs, Maybe the trump and shangri-la in TO can match the above , but its sure as hell comes at a big premium.

 

[confusion]

2 lane traffic on Bloor during this construction makes me wish it was 2 lanes all the time. As a pedestrian I feel much safer when the cars aren't trying to pass each other on the right (something I think should be illegal downtown). I always imagine one of these idiots flooring it and hitting the curb straight into me on the sidewalk. It is also much nicer (for pedestrians) when the traffic can't get over 40km/h.

 

[yyzhyd]

This is my favourite project in Toronto at the moment...
I can't wait for them to do the West Side of Bloor and get those Trees in... London Planes right?
Hope they're at least 15ft tall.

From B+SA site:

 

[Janbe]

That is not the same design. Aa is designing the project.

 

[taal]

Yep I think all the water fountains have been scrapped