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I am all for restoration of HERITAGE facades but the BEIGE (white) portion above is not worth preserving in my opinion
 
I am all for restoration of HERITAGE facades but the BEIGE (white) portion above is not worth preserving in my opinion
What's your experience in making decisions about heritage architecture? Is is similar to that of the trained professionals in private practice at ERA or in public service in the City's Heritage Preservation Services section of the Planning department?

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What's your experience in making decisions about heritage architecture? Is is similar to that of the trained professionals in private practice at ERA or in public service in the City's Heritage Preservation Services section of the Planning department?

42

I am not an expert in Heritage architecture, and don't need to be in order to find something aesthetic enough to have a photograph with as a tourist or local resident.
There is nothing aesthetic about that beige portion above to deserve preservation over modern innovative architecture. That said, I believe the city of Toronto is just guilty of mowing down several victorian architecture in the past, they are just in a race to preserve anything old as opposed to preserving architectural merits.
 
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I am not an expert in Heritage architecture, and don't need to be in order to find something aesthetic enough to have a photograph with as a tourist or local resident.
There is nothing aesthetic about that beige portion above to deserve preservation over modern innovative architecture. That said, I believe the city of Toronto is just guilty of mowing down several victorian architecture in the past, they are just in a race to preserve anything old as opposed to preserving architectural merits.

1. Heritage isn't always about aesthetics
2. Even if it were, this building has clearly seen better days. It's the vision, research and design of heritage professionals that bring buildings such as this one back to life (and thankfully so).
 
I am not an expert in Heritage architecture, and don't need to be in order to find something aesthetic enough to have a photograph with as a tourist or local resident.
There is nothing aesthetic about that beige portion above to deserve preservation over modern innovative architecture. That said, I believe the city of Toronto is just guilty of mowing down several victorian architecture in the past, they are just in a race to preserve anything old as opposed to preserving architectural merits.

it might not look good right now, wait till it is renovated/preserved.
 
The "beige portion" reminds me of the facade saved for Burano (Addison on Bay) and that turned out ok imo. Sometimes old bones (even if facade only) add some street character that is more welcome than new construction. Ain't much I guess but still better than a tear down.
 
1. Heritage isn't always about aesthetics
2. Even if it were, this building has clearly seen better days. It's the vision, research and design of heritage professionals that bring buildings such as this one back to life (and thankfully so).

I think in this case, the beige structure was retained as:

1. It retained at least some architectural detailing of note.
2. Keeping it would help retain some of the aesthetic cohesion of the streetscape, as YSL will be injecting a glass podium into the remaining space.

Also on that point- aesthetic cohesiveness is one of the more underrated aesthetic elements of urban design that tends to get lost when focusing on individual buildings. Most buildings on Yonge Street would not stand out on their own architecturally- but put together, they creates a larger overall effect.

It's harder to argue for the preservation of individual buildings (i.e. the stray bay-and-gables scattered around the Entertainment District), but put together, the argument becomes much stronger (Cabbagetown).
 

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