Toronto Hullmark Centre | 167.94m | 45s | Tridel | Kirkor Architects

[sunnyraytoronto]

Since that cement cube wasn't in any of the original rendering of the plaza,.... I asked one of the construction guys that same question about a month ago,... he said its for a TTC sign. That's a pretty big TTC sign!

If you recall, since the Sheppard Stubway line opened around 2001, there was a cement bunker emergency exit at that plaza along Sheppard (see attached images from Cruzin4u page 39 post# 582 and NYk_Drne page 40 post# 593),... one end closer to Yonge & Sheppard corner had an antique finished ATM and camp-fire artwork along with stone signage saying "Bonnington Corner". That "Bonnington Corner" stone signage is still around the site at the plaza so I'm guessing they plan on remounting it somewhere at the plaza,.... likely on that stone cube you mentioned. In addition, the original camp-fire artwork was removed by the city foedr safety reason since it was originally placed on ground level but when covered by snow became a tripping hazard and liability,.... I'm guessing that'll be placed on top of the stone cube you're asking about.

Attached are rendering of the square - none of which shows that mysterious cube:
- Original rendering had huge open space with weird circular spiral designs which became lights - not going to happen - original rendering also had huge TV screen but local councillor didn't want a Yonge-Dundas Square here
- Most recent rendering released just before they started construction - some striped green space with sitting areas, flower beds, water fountains, etc,... Construction so far resembles this rendering except,... the rendering has no cube. The cube is place right at the west end of that pink flower bed and water fountain structure.

 

[Torontovibe]

That square looks like such a disappointment. There is no seating or even an restaurant patio, to give it some animation. It looks like it's going to be a dead space but I hope I'm wrong. It needs some art, a fountain or something.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

That square looks like such a disappointment. There is no seating or even an restaurant patio, to give it some animation. It looks like it's going to be a dead space but I hope I'm wrong. It needs some art, a fountain or something.

Didn't you read my post???? "Most recent rendering released just before they started construction - some striped green space with sitting areas, flower beds, water fountains, etc,... Construction so far resembles this rendering except,... the rendering has no cube. The cube is place right at the west end of that pink flower bed and water fountain structure."

And the water fountain has some type of artwork designed into it.

There are are seating along the striped green space,... but definitely no restaurant patio,... why would you need restaurant patio seating in front of Rexall drugstore and RBC bank. The GUU at south end on Avondale should have restaurant patio seating.

 

[officedweller]

The corner area is still a work in progress. Anyone know what that concrete cube is for?

Yeah, looks like the plinth for a tall box sign.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Outside it feels like minus 20 degrees Celsius with the wind chill effect but work on the Grand Plaza must continue,... using temporary fencing and clear tarp, they've erected a shanty-town like tent structure that's being heated so they can work outside.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Hullmark Centre NORTH TTC entrance on Sheppard looks ready now but should open mid February,.... interesting slope in tunnel between lower concourse level (stairs, escalator & elevator) to collector booth level at Sheppard Stubway eastbound platform. Note: Wall tiles are leveled and shows slope relative to floor. Note: This is the pedestrian tunnel connection Tridel HullmarkCentre had problems designing (it sits directly above northbound Yonge to eastbound Sheppard subway turning tunnel) which delayed north tower above it by about 1 year. Pedestrian tunnel on TTC system usually don't have such slope,.... this seems steeper and longer than the slope in pedestrian tunnel between Sheppard-Yonge main collector booth level and Sheppard Stubway northern (westbound!) platform.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Rexall looks ready to open

RBC looks almost ready to open

 

[junctionist]

Those interiors are decent but fairly sedate. They're what you'd expect from an uptown location, though the 1980s buildings in the area have massive atriums and granite cladding inside and out. (Back then, they were building a downtown for North York.)

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

We all know that TTC will move to the numbering system so why not have the Line 1 and 4 symbols on those new signs?

 

[whatever]

Or, is nothing else, why did they need to include the icons with the image of a subway surrounded by a purple or yellow border? I wish they'd just pick a system and stick with it

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Rexall probably opens on Monday,.... paper covering windows are gone and they had staff in on a Sunday doing last minute clean up,... cleaning windows, mopping, wiping, etc,...

BTW, see window above and to right of Rexall signage,... seems like someone forgot to take out those little white spacers after installing window.

 

[salsa]

Rexall probably opens on Monday,.... paper covering windows are gone and they had staff in on a Sunday doing last minute clean up,... cleaning windows, mopping, wiping, etc,...

I noticed some staff too .

Most of the plaza is now open, however it will be quite barren unless they add some benches and greenery.

Any idea what this tall structure is for?

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

See my previous post# 1501,..... greenery in those rectangular inserts and benches too.

That tall structure is basically done,... it'll support glass laid on top of upper truss deck and lower deck. Latest image in post# 1501 show them in battleship grey, but originally the horizontal beams were in blue and vertical pole in white, that was from original rendering with 3 storey high big screen display on concave podium in square.

That tall structure seems to be a canopy to make it feels like Yonge-Dundas Square but locals didn't want the Big Screen Yonge Dundas Square feeling,... there'll be a little water fountain and art display glass mural(?) below that tall structure.

 

[Standard]

I walked by today and noticed that the entrance to the Sheppard subway is opened from Hullmark Centre.

 

[salsa]

I walked by today and noticed that the entrance to the Sheppard subway is opened from Hullmark Centre.

It is indeed. I went there today to take a look. It's pretty decent, but also quite banal. The walls are just pure white, completely devoid of any art or design features. And for some reason there are no automatic sliding doors at this entrance, even though they exist at the other new entrance at the south side of Hullmark Centre.