Jasonzed
Senior Member
Chicago landscaping...
Mississauga Chicago Condos | ?m | 36s | Daniels | Kirkor
- Thread starter yyzer
- Start date
SP!RE
°°°°°°
Great shots, and handsome landscaping.
The last photo looks like it's from the Sims. Just sayin'
The last photo looks like it's from the Sims. Just sayin'
Jasonzed
Senior Member
Jasonzed
Senior Member
From today...
Jasonzed
Senior Member
http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/hometype/condos/article/888574--hume-chicago-in-mississauga
November 12, 2010
Hume: Chicago in Mississauga
Mississauga is a city in the making. Though no one can be sure exactly where it’s headed, there’s no question its future will be full of towers. That’s not a bad thing; some of the most exciting metropolises on the planet — New York, Hong Kong and even Toronto — are highrise.
The main issue in Canada’s sixth-largest city is what goes at street level. That’s where the promise of so many skyscrapers falls flat. And although the architectural quality leaves much to be desired, there are larger questions than design. Mississauga’s problem can be found in its planning regime. The idea here has always been to separate uses and individual buildings, to keep things in their own space, apart from others. Trouble is that great cities are diverse and messy but also connected, qualities missing in Mississauga.
Better transit would help, but distances between places here feels vast and empty. You’re either there or on the way; there’s no half way. Yet that’s where life happens. Where will Mississauga’s Queen West be? There’s no obvious location. To get anywhere, you must drive. And with roads so wide and fast, cyclists and pedestrians literally take their lives in their hands just to cross the road.
But as density increases, this will change. Can street shopping and parking be far away, along with dedicated lanes for buses and bicycles? The irony of the suburban situation is that the space it wasted will enable urbanization to occur. That process has started, most notably around Mississauga’s extraordinary City Hall. It will also be interesting to see how the civic precinct works once the redesigned square is complete.
chume@thestar.ca
Condo Critic
Chicago, 385 Prince of Wales Dr.: In true Mississauga style, according to its name, this condo complex would rather be somewhere else, in its case, the Windy City. Tall and bulked up, this project makes architectural references to Chicago, specifically the Chicago School. That would account for the striking cornice at the top of the tower, as well as its tripartite organization — base, shaft and crown — and the large windows. Anywhere else, the results would seem a bit much, but at the corner of Confederation Parkway and Prince of Wales Dr., surrounded by condo castles that come complete with gargoyles, it’s right at home. This is the 21st-century suburban version of Manhattan in the 1920s.
The busy exteriors are a drawback, but putting a podium and a row of townhouses at grade sets the stage for a more citified setting. The complex comes out to the street (really a highway) and provides opportunities for sidewalk level retail. Chicago’s location also puts it within walking distance of Mississauga City Hall, Square One and the civic precinct. The significance of this project is that it extends the pedestrian possibilities in a city that depends much too heavily on its cars
GRADE: B
November 12, 2010
Hume: Chicago in Mississauga
Mississauga is a city in the making. Though no one can be sure exactly where it’s headed, there’s no question its future will be full of towers. That’s not a bad thing; some of the most exciting metropolises on the planet — New York, Hong Kong and even Toronto — are highrise.
The main issue in Canada’s sixth-largest city is what goes at street level. That’s where the promise of so many skyscrapers falls flat. And although the architectural quality leaves much to be desired, there are larger questions than design. Mississauga’s problem can be found in its planning regime. The idea here has always been to separate uses and individual buildings, to keep things in their own space, apart from others. Trouble is that great cities are diverse and messy but also connected, qualities missing in Mississauga.
Better transit would help, but distances between places here feels vast and empty. You’re either there or on the way; there’s no half way. Yet that’s where life happens. Where will Mississauga’s Queen West be? There’s no obvious location. To get anywhere, you must drive. And with roads so wide and fast, cyclists and pedestrians literally take their lives in their hands just to cross the road.
But as density increases, this will change. Can street shopping and parking be far away, along with dedicated lanes for buses and bicycles? The irony of the suburban situation is that the space it wasted will enable urbanization to occur. That process has started, most notably around Mississauga’s extraordinary City Hall. It will also be interesting to see how the civic precinct works once the redesigned square is complete.
chume@thestar.ca
Condo Critic
Chicago, 385 Prince of Wales Dr.: In true Mississauga style, according to its name, this condo complex would rather be somewhere else, in its case, the Windy City. Tall and bulked up, this project makes architectural references to Chicago, specifically the Chicago School. That would account for the striking cornice at the top of the tower, as well as its tripartite organization — base, shaft and crown — and the large windows. Anywhere else, the results would seem a bit much, but at the corner of Confederation Parkway and Prince of Wales Dr., surrounded by condo castles that come complete with gargoyles, it’s right at home. This is the 21st-century suburban version of Manhattan in the 1920s.
The busy exteriors are a drawback, but putting a podium and a row of townhouses at grade sets the stage for a more citified setting. The complex comes out to the street (really a highway) and provides opportunities for sidewalk level retail. Chicago’s location also puts it within walking distance of Mississauga City Hall, Square One and the civic precinct. The significance of this project is that it extends the pedestrian possibilities in a city that depends much too heavily on its cars
GRADE: B
Jasonzed
Senior Member
Per YYZer's observation, a Rabba Fine Foods is setting-up shop in the larger of the three ground floor units. A City Centre Real Estate Brokerage office/outlet in going in the smallest unit which leaves the middle unit that looks to be big enough for a good size restaurant as opposed to a generic fast food joint.
theautomator
New Member
I just moved into a new studio unit (renting). I've been lurking in the forums for a little bit and thought I'd sign up and share a couple of photos 
.
Elevators on the 8th (amenities) floor:
The hallways. They were just finishing up some paint work on the walls in a few spots:
View facing north. This is the 32nd floor - the balcony is flush with the lower of the two cornices at the top of the building, so there is a platform outside the glass:
Night:
The studios come fitted with a "zoom room" wall bed cabinet. The mattress folds up along a "J" shaped track and stows behind the integrated TV (how this works: http://www.zoom-room.com/the-standard-introduction/). It opens electrically with a remote. Pretty nifty..
Pretty standard SS kitchen and bar opposite sink:
.Elevators on the 8th (amenities) floor:
The hallways. They were just finishing up some paint work on the walls in a few spots:
View facing north. This is the 32nd floor - the balcony is flush with the lower of the two cornices at the top of the building, so there is a platform outside the glass:
Night:
The studios come fitted with a "zoom room" wall bed cabinet. The mattress folds up along a "J" shaped track and stows behind the integrated TV (how this works: http://www.zoom-room.com/the-standard-introduction/). It opens electrically with a remote. Pretty nifty..
Pretty standard SS kitchen and bar opposite sink:
savevp
Active Member
Christopher Hume gave the project a B grade - Average. However, I would have given at least a B+ considering the urbanism of this project despite its location between a parking lot and a highway. Anyone else agree?
And by the way, nice Zoom Room! Thats pretty cool.
And by the way, nice Zoom Room! Thats pretty cool.
khris
Senior Member
That's awful. I don't know how anyone can live like that! No couch or chair to face the TV?
theautomator
New Member
Haha, well, I haven't moved in my furniture yet. There will be a love seat against the window, a rug in the middle, and an armchair opposite. Also a couple of stools against the kitchen counter.
I think (hope) most of the people that bought these units intended to rent them, perhaps with the new college in mind across the road. Buying such a small place (406 sq ft) for the sake of long term ownership/residence just doesn't seem worth it.
JayBee
Senior Member
Interior shots are quite nice.
Bogtrotter
Senior Member
I like the wood floors and kitchen finishes. Looks like you have a nice broad view outside as well.
ganjavih
Senior Member
Where is the urbanism in this development exactly?
adma
Superstar
Given the architectural cheese, I might have expected *worse* than a B from Hume, not better...
Dan416
Senior Member
Chicago is one of my favourite towers in MCC.