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

[nfitz]

considering the line was to be completed in 2020 and next thing we know its 2021. Of course originally it was to be completed earlier and I know due to Ford work got delayed for at least 18 months. But what is the reason it went form 2020 to 2021?

The tendering was slower than expected. And then they have to negotiate a completion date with the contractor.

And who knows when it will really be completed. And of course they will say it got completed on time.

There's huge penalties if it's late. I'd be shocked if it doesn't get delivered by September 30, 2021.

Just like the Pan AM games kept getting the completion dates extended and budget increased and in the end the government said it got completed on-time and on-budget and executives actually got bonuses. Unreal

The Pan-Am games finished on schedule. Are you referring to facilities? The biggest build was the village, and as far as I know that was on schedule.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I had to visit a client in Vaughan on Saturday. Drove back into the city down Jane and saw the new stations on TYSSE. Then I headed down Keele to have a look at Eglinton. I must admit that I have not been on that stretch of Eglinton in five years. Holy cow. The commercial base of Eglinton West is decimated. I was shocked. It looks worse than St Clair did ten years back. Boarded up storefronts abound. When the construction is done, it will be once more from the beginning. Frankly I was upset to see how it looked.. If that is the future of Pape or Don Mills for DRL construction, or Eglinton East for Crosstown East, then I'd be closing my business now.

I'm guessing the construction of the Yonge Street Subway had the same result in loss of business after it was finished?

Nobody going to Yonge Street especially on weekends these days... not.

(The businesses had years of warnings before construction began. If the business did not have a backup plan or a reserve fund or schedule a time for renovations, they shouldn't be in business.)

 

[crs1026]

It would be interesting to know what has happened to commercial rents along Eglinton since the line was approved. Many of those traditional small businesses may have been doomed by changes in property value, rather than by the disruption on the street.

- Paul

 

[BurlOak]

I'm guessing the construction of the Yonge Street Subway had the same result in loss of business after it was finished?

Nobody going to Yonge Street especially on weekends these days... not.

(The businesses had years of warnings before construction began. If the business did not have a backup plan or a reserve fund or schedule a time for renovations, they shouldn't be in business.)

How long was it an open excavation as shown?
I notice that timber planking laid down in the foreground. Is that for construction use, or was it open to traffic?

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

It would be interesting to know what has happened to commercial rents along Eglinton since the line was approved. Many of those traditional small businesses may have been doomed by changes in property value, rather than by the disruption on the street.

- Paul

I think there are several factors with small businesses and not just rents. Sure some people like to support small businesses but many more would rather go to a chain now especially if they offer things like free wifi.

 

[OneCity]

It would be interesting to know what has happened to commercial rents along Eglinton since the line was approved. Many of those traditional small businesses may have been doomed by changes in property value, rather than by the disruption on the street.

- Paul

The rents could only escalate with demand. There would be little demand knowing the construction was coming and has arrived. The rents will go substantially up upon completion and by that time very few small businesses will survive anyway although that could certainly be the nail in the coffin for many. The big pockets have likely already been hawking the space and will take over immediately. Capitalism at work for better or worse

 

[TrickyRicky]

I don't even think most Fortune 500 companies could meet that standard W. K. Lis . As for street retail most are basket cases on a good day let alone resilient enough to survive a major disruption such as the construction of a transit line.

 

[rbt]

The rents could only escalate with demand. There would be little demand knowing the construction was coming and has arrived. The rents will go substantially up upon completion and by that time very few small businesses will survive anyway although that could certainly be the nail in the coffin for many. The big pockets have likely already been hawking the space and will take over immediately. Capitalism at work for better or worse

This is commercial property where leases are frequently 20+ years long with built in annual increases.

A landlord may prefer to have an empty shop for a couple years (or build in an automatic substantial jump) than to get locked in for 20 at a low rate. So yeah, if a lease is up for renewal, there is going to be some strong-arming by landlords even if the project is 5+ years from finishing. Opportunity cost of missing out on future demand driven price increases pretty much requires it.

 

[darth_freeman]

I can't really see people using Crosstown to access businesses on Eglinton or make Eglinton a destination; they will just use it to get to University/Yonge lines faster.

That said, it should result in many new condos and residents, who will need nearby stores and amenities.

 

[Steve X]

I can't really see people using Crosstown to access businesses on Eglinton or make Eglinton a destination; they will just use it to get to University/Yonge lines faster.

That said, it should result in many new condos and residents, who will need nearby stores and amenities.

Not right now doesn't mean it won't happen 20-30 years down the road. The city needs to ensure there is enough office and commercial use along the corridor and not allow residential towers only. The Eglinton West from Allen to Keele has high potentials for redevelopment.

 

[Palma]

Not right now doesn't mean it won't happen 20-30 years down the road. The city needs to ensure there is enough office and commercial use along the corridor and not allow residential towers only. The Eglinton West from Allen to Keele has high potentials for redevelopment.

but it seems all the city does is approve condos north of bloor, never mind even south of it

 

[Palma]

I don't even think most Fortune 500 companies could meet that standard W. K. Lis . As for street retail most are basket cases on a good day let alone resilient enough to survive a major disruption such as the construction of a transit line.

most of the businesses are /were dives. I live near and only used that stretch to go eat or west along eglinton

 

[Steve X]

but it seems all the city does is approve condos north of bloor, never mind even south of it

There isn't really a huge demand for more office towers right now. If the city stops approving condo, there will be nothing much going up. It took a long while for the Mars building to rent out all the units. Startups in TO can really occupy all new office towers if they continue to grow in number.

If we look at this map: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2017/02/downtown-office-market-records-all-time-record-low-vacancy
There were only 3 office towers built downtown in 2016 compared to the many condo towers. It can take a while for office towers to pop up along Eglinton but if the corridor can attract them there. We'll probably see more of a mix development were the lowest 3 floors would be retail, the next 5 to 10 floors up be offices and the remaining be condos. I would like to see the city require more office spaces in new developments along the corridor. Once they screw up by building condos only, the corridor will never develop into an urban core. It would look like Sheppard with towers everywhere but no pedestrian walking around unlike North York Centre or Eglinton-Yonge were office towers exist.

The Sheppard line was terrible and I think the city understands that now. There is no growth in ridership while new towers keep popping up around Fairview. If they repeat Sheppard along Eglinton, we'll likely see the similar result. Maybe they'll able to keep the local businesses setting it ahead of Sheppard.

 

[drum118]

How long was it an open excavation as shown?
I notice that timber planking laid down in the foreground. Is that for construction use, or was it open to traffic?

From photos I have seen, the road was open until there was room under the timber beam for equipment to dig the earth. Once that was done, then traffic and streetcar ran on top of it until it had to be back fill for the new road and sidewalks to be built.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I can't really see people using Crosstown to access businesses on Eglinton or make Eglinton a destination; they will just use it to get to University/Yonge lines faster.

That said, it should result in many new condos and residents, who will need nearby stores and amenities.

Many say that Line 2 killed the vibrancy of Danforth Avenue when it opened in the 1960s. Former surface travel was moved underground and people could no longer see the offerings of Danforth as they were whisked past the neighbourhood underground. Apparently.

That said, most of Eglinton is fairly dead and suburban. Even the most urban parts of Eglinton (with the exception of a small stretch near Yonge) are lacking pedestrian street activity. I can't imagine Line 5 will make it any worse.