Toronto Crosstown LRT | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | Arcadis

[W. K. Lis]

Knowing what goes on in this city, we'll probably see yet another condo development take place on the bus terminal site. I'm not optimistic on seeing any kind of office space whatsoever around here.

It used to be that physicians and dentists actually had their offices on the first floor of houses. People (sometimes even the doctors themselves) would live on the second and/or third floors. Then they were forced, by municipal zoning by-laws, to locate away from residential areas. It resulted in their patients having to drive instead of walk to their appointments.

We're finally returning to mixed-use, except that the offices the doctors will now use, will have higher rents. And we'll wonder why the doctors charge a lot for their services.

 

[Amare]

The way the term "mixed-use" translates in this city is, build a wall of ground level retail which consists of cafes, dry cleaning services, and banks while the other 95% of the development is residential. This is the trend Yonge and Eglinton has been going through over the past 5 years, and I dont see it changing with the bus terminal.

Like I mentioned in the past, this site would be an excellent location for a new TTC headquarters as it's still owned by the public sector. The TTC's current headquarters is literally decaying and I dont see why that city couldnt negotiate a similar type of deal the province did with the LCBO lands at Cooper St. But with the way things work in this city, all that will be overlooked and it will all be sold off for a quick penny without a provision for anything.

 

[Palma]

The scenario above is playing out everywhere. The condos on Wilson opposite Wilson subway station have those ground floor "mixed" sitting pretty well empty. I don't see much happening either at condos at Dufferin and Lawrence on those ground floor spaces. Gov;'t is famous for just selling off land for less than what its worth and when they have the opportunity to save money as I heard this week the gov't could have cancelled some Samsung deal with no penalty and save 1.5B and did not do so.

 

[Zach6668]

The scenario above is playing out everywhere. The condos on Wilson opposite Wilson subway station have those ground floor "mixed" sitting pretty well empty. I don't see much happening either at condos at Dufferin and Lawrence on those ground floor spaces. Gov;'t is famous for just selling off land for less than what its worth and when they have the opportunity to save money as I heard this week the gov't could have cancelled some Samsung deal with no penalty and save 1.5B and did not do so.

Retail/commercial follows population. It takes a while for the demand to build up to the point where new stores are profitable. Plus, being new buildings, they typically ask for higher rents and or sometimes even commercial condo units. Lots of different factors at play, but especially for ground floor retail in newer condo neighbourhoods, it takes a long time for the right market conditions to create thriving and interesting retail.

However, the whole idea of planning is so that in the long run, we have those spaces available. They may go underused now, but it's better to protect for them than to have a neighbourhood in 40 years with no room for any walkable commercial activity.

 

[W. K. Lis]

For those who missed out on the Mount Dennis Station Open House on May 27th, you can link to the presentation at this link.

They played around with the station layout.

Building No. 9 will be "moved". The bus loop is now bigger and moved.

I wonder if the buses from the Mount Dennis garage will use the Kodak lands as a "short cut" to and from the bus terminal at Mount Dennis Station?

 

[dowlingm]

Apologies if this was previously confirmed - there looks to be a delivery spur off CP MacTier there?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Noticed laybys on Eglinton next to the secondary entrance. Likely for a quick kiss-n-ride, though the "official" kiss-n-ride is next to the third entrance.

 

[wopchop]

The whole line would be operational so they can have the late vehicles operating NIS along with in service vehicles. I expect it has something to do with evening out the mileage (An alien concept to the TTC).

Genuinely curious, but what exactly is the benefit of this? When I think about this from a fleet management perspective, doesn't this mean that all of your vehicles will start requiring major repairs at the same time? Seems like it would create periods of very heavy manpower requirements (i.e. lots of overtime) to perform all this work in a smaller time period.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I deduce that it's so vehicles in the fleet don't reach end-of-life long before others.

For example, because of Bombarier's poor performance on the LFLRV delivery, our oldest LFLRVs, delivered in 2014, will have been part of the fleet 5 to 6 years longer than our newest LFLRVs, which Bombardier claims will be delivered in 2019.

Remember that these fleet of vehicles have a lifespan of approximately 30 years, so a 6 year difference in age and usage is not insignicant. If vehicles were put to work equally, we'd have vehicles reach end of life 6 years earlier than others.

 

[wopchop]

I deduce that it's so vehicles in the fleet don't reach end-of-life long before others.

For example, because of Bombarier's poor performance on the LFLRV delivery, our oldest LFLRVs, delivered in 2014, will have been part of the fleet 5 to 6 years longer than our newest LFLRVs, which Bombardier claims will be delivered in 2019.

Remember that these fleet of vehicles have a lifespan of approximately 30 years, so a 6 year difference in age and usage is not insignicant. If vehicles were put to work equally, we'd have vehicles reach end of life 6 years earlier than others.

True, but any new vehicles that you order will not arrive all at once, as we are seeing all too well. In fact, the first vehicle that you've ordered will reach you long before the last vehicle that you order, so I don't see how this is incompatible with some vehicles reaching end of life long before others. Unless I am missing something obvious.

 

[Steve X]

Genuinely curious, but what exactly is the benefit of this? When I think about this from a fleet management perspective, doesn't this mean that all of your vehicles will start requiring major repairs at the same time? Seems like it would create periods of very heavy manpower requirements (i.e. lots of overtime) to perform all this work in a smaller time period.

So whatever parts have to be replaced by a certain mileage can be done so within a certain time frame. With uneven mileage across the fleet, some cars would have parts replaced late while others replaced prematurely. Sometimes TTC vehicles in good condition are even retired prematurely as the other half of the fleet needs to be retired.

For a small fleet of 14 vehicles on the ION, it's cheaper to order all the parts, store them for a short period of time and replace them all at the same time (meaning within a month or so) than across a few months. They may need a specialized team to come to town to do such tasks which is not financial effective to replace half the fleet and wait half a year while having the parts taking up space at the service facility.

 

[mdrejhon]

that area is looking just as bad as Yonge and Bloor where condos are coming right out to the sidewalk as if they are going over you (condo on south east side of Bloor and Yonge). Just awful. Lets see what happens when prices crash and investors pull out.

The amount of sidewalk before/after that condo is about the same. The wide Bloor sidewalk will be kept, as I understand.

-- the construction hoarding make it more cramped at the moment. Isn't SOUTH-EAST corner one of the taller condos being built -- that one has nice sculpted glass which makes it stand out compared to the other boring condos.

I am curious what kind of retail will be occuring, though.

On the other hand, I am unhappier with the SOUTH-WEST corner Yonge-Bloor as I liked the older(possibly heritage quality?) facade that was there, I am dissapointed the facade that was there has been removed/demolished. I am not sure if it was a true demolish or a facodomy (with it being stored temporarily somewhere else). I hope that's the case, better tolerate a facdomy than it being gone forever...

 

[Palma]

Retail/commercial follows population. It takes a while for the demand to build up to the point where new stores are profitable. Plus, being new buildings, they typically ask for higher rents and or sometimes even commercial condo units. Lots of different factors at play, but especially for ground floor retail in newer condo neighbourhoods, it takes a long time for the right market conditions to create thriving and interesting retail.

However, the whole idea of planning is so that in the long run, we have those spaces available. They may go underused now, but it's better to protect for them than to have a neighbourhood in 40 years with no room for any walkable commercial activity.

where does the rent go for those commercial ground floor spaces? Is it to condo board?

 

[W. K. Lis]

More than a year late, Bombardier eyeing fall delivery for Eglinton Crosstown test vehicle: Metrolinx

See link.

...
The testing vehicle for the light rail lines was supposed to arrive back in 2014 so that Metrolinx could begin the lengthy testing in shop and on track before the vehicles are approved for the line. However that arrival date was then adjusted to spring 2015 and the agency is still waiting.

Both the Eglinton Crosstown and the Finch LRT line are slated to open in 2021.

“So far we’re not announcing that we’re going to be delayed, but we want to keep that on track,” Aikins said.

She said Metrolinx is in touch with Bombardier almost daily and the company has verbally communicated that it now expects the test vehicle to arrive in the fall, though a written proposal for delivery of all the vehicles is expected in the coming weeks.

In an email to CP24.com, Bombardier spokesperson Marc-Andre Lefebvre said the company is "more than confident that it will meet its commitments" to ensure service can begin on the Eglinton Crosstown Line in 2021, particularly because they will deliver pilot vehicles this fall.

"(This gives) an 18-month period to conduct the planned nine-month period of qualification testing," he said. "Since production of the vehicles is required only to start in the second quarter of 2018 to meet the Metrolinx target of 42 vehicles by January 2020, this will enable us to have a nine-month buffer period, that is more than sufficient, to resolve any potential issues that might arise in qualification."

...

 

[someMidTowner]

East TBMs are now right between Bayview and Mt. Pleasant: