Toronto Five St Joseph | 160.93m | 48s | Five St. Joseph | Hariri Pontarini

urbandreamer said:
I'll take grit any day over sanitized restoration like you see at Five. But yes, our Toronto ancestors sure knew how to build a city.
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"Grit"? Surely there's a difference between the patina of weathered bricks and aged copper and the careless defacement all too common on Yonge?



 
Armour said:
I can't taking looking at pictures like that. Seriously, what kind of alcohol were people drinking in the past that allowed them to let such exquisite works of art degrade to piles of filth, ultimately to be demolished? Just imagine how incredible the city would be if we preserved streetscrapes like that. That's on par with any European city, in terms of architecture. It's impossible to imagine how we could go from such pristine grace and charm and become such a downtrodden city. There was so much romanticism in the old Toronto and I'm completely in love with how the city looked, even though I never had the chance to experience it in such a state. Had we preserved most of our built heritage, I wonder how different the city would be today...I imagine there would be greater civic pride, identity and much less apathy towards our public realm and built form.

When one looks at photos of those buildings on Yonge St, as posted above, is it any wonder why there is basically no public support for heritage preservation? To most people, it's as if we have nothing worth saving. Most of our exceptional buildings are so poorly maintained, so it's no surprise that the general public is indifferent to such matters. Torontonians go to New York, Chicago, Boston, Europe, etc. to enjoy the architecture, and are completely oblivious to what we had and still do have that is worthy of such attention.
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Most of our exceptional buildings are in adequate shape. These largely average prewar structures where market conditions have not been favourable have long since disappeared from the likes of New York, Chicago and, Boston. Here those that remain hang on to become part of some large development to subsidize the facade restoration costs.
 
Armour said:
I can't taking looking at pictures like that. Seriously, what kind of alcohol were people drinking in the past that allowed them to let such exquisite works of art degrade to piles of filth, ultimately to be demolished? Just imagine how incredible the city would be if we preserved streetscrapes like that. That's on par with any European city, in terms of architecture. It's impossible to imagine how we could go from such pristine grace and charm and become such a downtrodden city. There was so much romanticism in the old Toronto and I'm completely in love with how the city looked, even though I never had the chance to experience it in such a state. Had we preserved most of our built heritage, I wonder how different the city would be today...I imagine there would be greater civic pride, identity and much less apathy towards our public realm and built form.

When one looks at photos of those buildings on Yonge St, as posted above, is it any wonder why there is basically no public support for heritage preservation? To most people, it's as if we have nothing worth saving. Most of our exceptional buildings are so poorly maintained, so it's no surprise that the general public is indifferent to such matters. Torontonians go to New York, Chicago, Boston, Europe, etc. to enjoy the architecture, and are completely oblivious to what we had and still do have that is worthy of such attention.
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Nathan Phillips' true legacy.
 
urbandreamer said:
I'll take grit any day over sanitized restoration like you see at Five. But yes, our Toronto ancestors sure knew how to build a city.
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I also appreciate the grungy flair of some of our older, rougher building stock. But there's no denying that many, if not most of them are rotting from the inside out.

Unless we start forcing landlords to properly maintain heritage buildings both aesthetically and structurally, they'll continue to crumble into disrepair, at which point our only realistic options are sanitization and demolition. This being the case, and the Yonge HCD being a prime example of charming Victorians in frightening states of disrepair, I think we should be praising projects like Five for a job very, very well done.
 
salsa said:
I was condemning the loss of the heritage buildings and the crappy buildings that eventually replaced them. As for Brookfield Place, I like it however I will say that I'm not happy with how it clashes with the view of the Gooderham building. The Gooderham is very unique and probably one of the most photographed buildings in this city, but those monolithic twin towers behind it really undermines it's presence and diverts attention away from it in my opinion. I understand that towers are important and that not everyone would agree with me, but if the city cared more about heritage view corridors then I'm sure a better outcome could have been hashed out that wasn't as overwhelming.
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Hm, interesting how much opinions differ, as, like said above, I take the sight-line of Gooderham and Brookfrield place to be beautiful. I appreciate it every time I'm in that area, and it's been 30 some odd years.
 
I prefer the view of the Gooderham building with the towers in the background as well. It's no coincidence that it's an attractive vista. Brookfield Place's spires compliment the spire of the Gooderham Building. However, I'm opposed to random boxes rising above the legislature or Old City Hall's clock tower. Those view corridors of architecturally significant public buildings should be preserved with nothing distracting the eyes from their silhouettes against open sky.
 
I imagine that the building at Front & Scott will be demolished and an office tower will rise in its place within the next decade or two; though I would prefer to see Berczy Park extended to Yonge St.

As for the Gooderham vista;
junctionist said:
I prefer the view of the Gooderham building with the towers in the background as well. It's no coincidence that it's an attractive vista. Brookfield Place's spires compliment the spire of the Gooderham Building. However, I'm opposed to random boxes rising above the legislature or Old City Hall's clock tower. Those view corridors of architecturally significant public buildings should be preserved with nothing distracting the eyes from their silhouettes against open sky.
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I preferred the vista more when Royal Bank Plaza was more visible in the background. I don't mind the TD Canada Trust Tower as a backdrop now, but I've never liked the Bay Wellington Tower. It's an awkward looking, chunky building and probably my least favourite of the major CBD office towers.

As for the building at Front & Scott; I imagine that will be demolished within the next decade or two and replaced with an office tower; though I would prefer to see Berczy Park expand over its footprint, all the way to Yonge St.
 
Armour said:
I preferred the vista more when Royal Bank Plaza was more visible in the background. I don't mind the TD Canada Trust Tower as a backdrop now, but I've never liked the Bay Wellington Tower. It's an awkward looking, chunky building and probably my least favourite of the major CBD office towers.
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I agree that the Bay Wellington Tower is a bit awkward and clumsy. But I almost always take both towers together as making one statement in the skyline, and I think they really show, when seen from the east, where the south end of the financial district is starting.

But they were also built when I was quite young, and they're the first buildings I really got excited about as they rose, so I think there's a nostalgic element there too.,
 
Miscreant said:
I agree that the Bay Wellington Tower is a bit awkward and clumsy. But I almost always take both towers together as making one statement in the skyline, and I think they really show, when seen from the east, where the south end of the financial district is starting.

But they were also built when I was quite young, and they're the first buildings I really got excited about as they rose, so I think there's a nostalgic element there too.,
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Yeah, I still remember driving to Jays games with my dad, along Front St, while those towers were rising. Even at that young age, I was enamoured by buildings.
 
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