MisterF
Senior Member
The retail section doesn't have to literally stand out for it to stand out. A building that rises straight up for several storeys frames the street better, makes it feel more enclosed (especially important on wide streets like the ones in MCC), and provides for more interaction between the residential units and the street below. That framing and interaction are important. If you look at the buildings on traditional retail streets like Queen, Bloor, Spadina, or their equivalents all over the world, the upper storeys aren't set back. On the Champs Elysees or Gran Via the buildings rise straight up 10 storeys. I agree that a lot of newer condos have weak looking retail, but that's just because they're not designed very well.I think the setback is actually a good thing. It makes the retail section stand out more on its own, rather than blend into the building. It gives more of a commercial/residential contrast, rather than weakly placing businesses into a very residential looking that poorly meets the street.