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

[dt_toronto_geek]

Someone please tell me the ugly utility poles are going to be removed or replaced.

I don't think there are any utility poles along this area, utilities are buried. Do you mean the light standards? Most are new or recently replaced. I know the light standards at & near the corner of Church & Bloor were replaced last fall.

 

[Joe]

Wow... this is looking great from a pedestrian viewpoint.

I have noticed something funny though... reducing Bloor from 4 lanes to 2 happened with fairly little controversy (except for some of the more extreme cycling advocates making a fuss about bikelanes - although there doesn't seem to be "wide" lanes to make cycling safter as promised by Councillor Rae ) while the Jarvis street 1-lane reduction for bikelanes caused a lot of controversy.

Is this the difference between a BIA initiative and a city initiative?

One is seen as business friendly while the other is anti-car?


I am really hoping that this re-construction is immensely popular - would love to see that same thing done on stretches of Yonge, Church and Bay. Wide sidewalks, less cars.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Wow... this is looking great from a pedestrian viewpoint.

I have noticed something funny though... reducing Bloor from 4 lanes to 2 happened with fairly little controversy (except for some of the more extreme cycling advocates making a fuss about bikelanes - although there doesn't seem to be "wide" lanes to make cycling safter as promised by Councillor Rae ) while the Jarvis street 1-lane reduction for bikelanes caused a lot of controversy.

Is this the difference between a BIA initiative and a city initiative?

One is seen as business friendly while the other is anti-car?

I am really hoping that this re-construction is immensely popular - would love to see that same thing done on stretches of Yonge, Church and Bay. Wide sidewalks, less cars.

I'm not an "extreme cycling advocate", I have no affiliation with any cycling group - I'm just your average cyclist. I don't think it's extreme or radical for Bloor Street to have had bike lanes so people like me can safely ride one of the city's main thoroughfares.

 

[Joe]

Hey DT... I wasn't calling you an extreme cycling advocate. Not sure how you got that impression.

 

[drum118]

June 27

 

[Tewder]

That Bay Store facade along Bloor is such an obnoxious eyesore. Shame on them for being so disdainful of their context! What's more is I just don't understand why they wouldn't have timed a make-over to coincide with Bloor Street improvements. A 'grand avenue'-style department store along this stretch would no doubt have been a big draw, helping to reinvigorate the chain's image in the city. Makes it difficult for me to buy the lip-service about change coming at the Bay. Lipstick on a pig maybe but same old swine if you ask me.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Hey DT... I wasn't calling you an extreme cycling advocate. Not sure how you got that impression.

I know that, no sweat. I was just making the point that I'm not affiliated with any organized cycling group, yet I strongly support bike lanes on Bloor. I was just making that connection while noting I'm not part of the cycling lobby

 

[adma]

That Bay Store facade along Bloor is such an obnoxious eyesore. Shame on them for being so disdainful of their context! What's more is I just don't understand why they wouldn't have timed a make-over to coincide with Bloor Street improvements. A 'grand avenue'-style department store along this stretch would no doubt have been a big draw, helping to reinvigorate the chain's image in the city. Makes it difficult for me to buy the lip-service about change coming at the Bay. Lipstick on a pig maybe but same old swine if you ask me.

My assumption is: the present holding pattern is because the store's future is in question, but they haven't resolved what they'll do, what'll replace it, etc...

 

[Conrad Black]

What does the Bay have to do with that building beyond being a tenant? Only the owner can make changes to the appearance.

 

[yyzhyd]

Thanks for the pics Drum!
I only wish this project was moving a little faster westward.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I only wish this project was moving a little faster westward.

Not much moves very fast in this city but the rewards for great projects such as this that are now underway, and in planning, will be worth the wait.

 

[UD2]

They're revamping a street.

What's taking them so long. Summer hours or something?

 

[Hipster Duck]

Not much moves very fast in this city but the rewards for great projects such as this that are now underway, and in planning, will be worth the wait.

Well, I'm not going to lie - we're not exactly Shenzhen when it comes to construction speeds. City projects, and TTC projects especially, are built at a snail's pace. On the other hand, there are some private projects that can move pretty quickly. I am amazed at how fast B/A went up, for example.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

They're revamping a street.

What's taking them so long. Summer hours or something?

It's a complex project and it's taking longer so it can be done right. First, there was the watermain replacement, which was a complex task in itself. Second, they're putting in a soil cell system underneath the sidewalk to ensure the trees have enough space to grow and thrive. From what I've seen, this is the part of the project that takes the longest. After that, it's concrete, then the granite.

The section that's "taken so long" right now in front of the HBC Centre is due to the need for waterproofing of the basement level before the soil cells and concrete could be put in place. This was an unforeseen issue that you can only see after you start digging.

 

[Patriot]

Does anyone know when the granite sidewalk and tree insertion work will begin between Yonge and University/Avenue road? I can't believe the city has let the dying trees in front of 5-star retail venues continue to stand along Bloor Street. What an embarrassment. This renewal and reconstruction project cannot happen fast enough!