Toronto Chelsea Green (was 33 Gerrard) | 297.25m | 90s | Great Eagle | a—A

I agree with Ramako. As development along Yonge intensifies, the sidewalks would become increasingly overcrowded, and PATH helps to reduce that overcrowding. If somebody has a reason to stay on the sidewalks (such as intending to visit a particular shop or sightseeing), they will stay on the sidewalks. Otherwise, avoiding the crowd and using the PATH is an attractive option. In general, the more options, the better.
 
Re Maclean Hunter: btw/ the banal mirrored glass box and the banal horizontal-concrete base, it's the architectural equivalent of Journey or REO Speedwagon (y'know, the Nickelbacks of the time it was all built). I can understand the argument for mirrored-glass retro-poetry; but on the whole, to embrace this as an avatar of cherishable/retention-worthy "good looking" is less informed revisionism than stunted infantilism.
 
I am 30 minutes walking from my office, but will not walk Yonge, Bay in very hot or slushy weather - so in my case the PATH is relieving pressure on the TTC .
IMO almost everyone tales the outdoor route whenever possible, and the PATH isn't hurting surface retail very much.
Its services like PATH that allows more people to move downtown, which also helps surface retail thrive, since people can pop to surface to hit the store they want.
 
buildup said:
Its services like PATH that allows more people to move downtown, which also helps surface retail thrive, since people can pop to surface to hit the store they want.
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PATH hours are business hours. The stores are basically closed after 6PM. I never use PATH stores even though I live a few blocks away. PATH does not allow more people to move downtown. It focuses on the people working in those buildings and turns its back to the surrounding neighbourhoods.
 
With 1,897 residential units and 300 hotel rooms on the site, that will mean more "traffic" outside "business hours". If the PATH stores are closed, they'll just move outdoors, unless they change their store hours.
 
I agree that the PATH extension up to Bloor is inherently good if done well. Some people really do find it miserable walking above ground in weather like we had last February. The way to alleviate some people's concerns is to increase the population density downtown generally and along this corridor in particaluar. All indications are that this will continue to happen. Unless we go to Seoul or Tokyo style several floors of above ground retail all along Yonge, which would be a great option in my opinion, then I don't think Yonge will be able to handle the increased volume. If we have another decade of the kind of sustained growth we have seen over the last few years then Yonge, at street level, would probably be overwhelmed in many sections.

I am curious which parts of Yonge people think have fared most poorly due to the PATH?

EDIT: I meant the stores and restaurants may not have enough capacity. This could lead to a faster increase in rents for the limited retail space. This could help bring about a faster increase in rents and lead to less diversity in retail.
 
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Yonge St. is already overcrowded, particularly between Dundas and Gerrard. The northwest corner of Yonge and Dundas is particularly problematic, even dangerous in my opinion. Hopefully, the Atrium expansion will help. Considering the increasing density in the core, the city would be well-advised to provide specifically for the extension of the PATH.
 
Bayer said:
Yonge St. is already overcrowded, particularly between Dundas and Gerrard. The northwest corner of Yonge and Dundas is particularly problematic, even dangerous in my opinion. Hopefully, the Atrium expansion will help. Considering the increasing density in the core, the city would be well-advised to provide specifically for the extension of the PATH.
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If the city carved 18" from the road surface on either side and allocate it to each sidewalk it would help immensely. Also ban obstacles such as retail signage etc.
 
Edward Skira said:
PATH hours are business hours. The stores are basically closed after 6PM. I never use PATH stores even though I live a few blocks away. PATH does not allow more people to move downtown. It focuses on the people working in those buildings and turns its back to the surrounding neighbourhoods.
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Those are subjective comments. The vast majority of people appreciate a second option during the rain, heavy slush, or heat waves. During those times, when are FORCED underground, they would not be sauntering around Yonge. They would be home or in taxis. And, if as you say, they are closed or abandoned after at 6pm how do neighbourhoods suffer exactly?

You're sort of a contrarian aren't you? Hating the PATH and loving dreary 7 floor concrete box office buildings. But that's ok.
 
eltodesukane said:
Already 7 1/2 years since the first post in this thread.
This project is taking forever...
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This project was just submitted to the city on September 30, 2015. The thread is tied to the property, as are all the threads in this forum section.

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The hours and the mix of stores on the PATH system will expand somewhat as more residential projects get added to the system… but I don't expect that the whole system will ever stay open late into the evenings or on weekends.

I doubt we will ever get sections that just run with art and no retail… other than the section under York Street that is tying into Union Station. The PATH is incredibly expensive to build under streets, and the only way to make it affordable through streets is to make its square footage an invaluable part of revenue for the buildings it runs through, ie. the retail space, mostly a level below ground.

The City can only compel developers to to create PATH extensions when the City writes it into the zoning amendments the projects require… which pretty much means every project where the City wants the PATH extended, as they all require zoning amendments. The developers agree to a whole list of benefits in order to secure added density and height, and the PATH is one of them wherever the City sees it as necessary to improve pedestrian flow. That does include up the Yonge corridor where pedestrian traffic is growing and where the subway is at capacity, and it includes down into the South Core where there are multiple transportation corridor obstacles to overcome; the railway, the Gardiner, Lake Shore.

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Most people don't use the PATH if the weather is nice. I honest don't think it takes away business from street retail. I can go to work purely via PATH every day but only do it during Dec- march and love the first day I don't need to hide underground every spring.
PATH retail also tends to be very boring by the way. I myself prefer if it extends west than north along Yonge.
 
buildup said:
If the city carved 18" from the road surface on either side and allocate it to each sidewalk it would help immensely. Also ban obstacles such as retail signage etc.
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What difference will 18" make? Unless you meant 18' (feet); 9 on each side of the street?
 
Armour said:
What difference will 18" make? Unless you meant 18' (feet); 9 on each side of the street?
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I'm not an expert but I think a 18" would make a significant difference. Very often sidewalk bottlenecks are because one large, slow moving person is difficult to get around on either side. Or slow moving couples. Sometimes you only need an extra foot or so to break the impasse. Adding 18" turns a 6" gap into a 2-foot gap.
 
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