Toronto Imperial Plaza | 96.01m | 23s | Camrost-Felcorp | Onespace
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junctionist
Senior Member
Now it looks like something out of Detroit.
adma
Superstar
In the name of consistency, I *hope* the new windows have a greenish tint to them.
Xray_Crystal_Junkie
Senior Member
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
It's heartening to see much-loved friends, such as this one and Dickinson's 111 Richmond West, being restored and repurposed in all their original glory without being unnecessarily "brought up to date" with the addition of monstrous carbuncles or whatever. Let's hope the Sutton Place revamp takes this approach. It's good to be reminded what early Modernism's strengths were.
gristle
Senior Member
The point is that the Detroit building is abandoned - with no plans for it to be rejuvenated. The Imperial Plaza building is getting a new lease on life as a residential building - regardless of what you think about its looks.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
One of the most ungainly tower/podium pairings ever.
Xray_Crystal_Junkie
Senior Member
It was a train station with office above, thus the tower/podium pairing. In my opinion is looks great, and equally (more?) grandiose and imposing than our own Union station.
And to gristle's: My comment and the one I was referring to were based solely on the aesthetics of the buildings, not rejuvenation plans (although there has been many for Michigan Central Station over the years that have all subsequently fallen through).
I think really the point I was trying to make is Detroit isn't the post-apocalyptic hell-scape that I've often seen it made out to be in these threads (and just generally from people I've talked to that have not been there). Yes there are quite a few abandoned buildings (and too many open lots thanks to the bulldozer) in Detroit but overall it has quite a beautiful downtown (at least the CDB and around the arenas/stadiums). Besides being pretty car orientated (it is Motown after all) a walk around the area strething from Martius Park to Cobo is quite spectacular for architecture buffs. Examples:
DPD HQ
One Detroit Center
Penobscot Building
Guardian Building
Book Tower
Fisher Building
Yes the occupancy of most of these are quite low, but they're still standing and in great condition. There are quite a few others that I didn't mention as well.
Not that I don't like the Imperial Building we have, I really love that lobby and hope they don't butcher it when they divide it into three.
P.S.: My apology to the Mods for getting so off topic, perhaps I should create a Toronto v. Detroit thread lol
And to gristle's: My comment and the one I was referring to were based solely on the aesthetics of the buildings, not rejuvenation plans (although there has been many for Michigan Central Station over the years that have all subsequently fallen through).
I think really the point I was trying to make is Detroit isn't the post-apocalyptic hell-scape that I've often seen it made out to be in these threads (and just generally from people I've talked to that have not been there). Yes there are quite a few abandoned buildings (and too many open lots thanks to the bulldozer) in Detroit but overall it has quite a beautiful downtown (at least the CDB and around the arenas/stadiums). Besides being pretty car orientated (it is Motown after all) a walk around the area strething from Martius Park to Cobo is quite spectacular for architecture buffs. Examples:
DPD HQ
One Detroit Center
Penobscot Building
Guardian Building
Book Tower
Fisher Building
Yes the occupancy of most of these are quite low, but they're still standing and in great condition. There are quite a few others that I didn't mention as well.
Not that I don't like the Imperial Building we have, I really love that lobby and hope they don't butcher it when they divide it into three.
P.S.: My apology to the Mods for getting so off topic, perhaps I should create a Toronto v. Detroit thread lol
Yup - let's get this back on track please!
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gristle
Senior Member
Fortunately there is the handsome Imperial building, and it is getting a new lease on life.
As for this city versus that city, what exactly is the point of these things? Detroit isn't Toronto. It will never be.
As for this city versus that city, what exactly is the point of these things? Detroit isn't Toronto. It will never be.
Xray_Crystal_Junkie
Senior Member
I'm not the one that originally made the comparison to Detroit. I simply pointed out that it isn't quite fair.
adma
Superstar
Actually, I agree that Michigan Central's awkward--and so's the Book Tower, for that matter. But we're more forgiving of such awkwardness today (abandoned or not)
Automation Gallery
Superstar
Interesting, finding out a bit of the past of this structure
The Imperial Oil HQ was being built in one of the city’s most prestigious — and therefore influential — residential neighbourhoods and the construction noise was not going to be appreciated.
To reduce much of that noise, Imperial chose to weld its metal framework rather than use hot rivets driven by jackhammers. Today, Imperial Plaza is the largest welded-frame building in the world.
Civic leaders in the paranoid Cold War days liked Imperial’s small windows, thick walls and its location outside the city’s financial core and designated it as ideal for a survivors’ hospital if and when Toronto was hit by the big one — an atomic bomb.
http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/newsfeatures/article/1135630--david-feldman-is-a-man-for-all-seasons
The Imperial Oil HQ was being built in one of the city’s most prestigious — and therefore influential — residential neighbourhoods and the construction noise was not going to be appreciated.
To reduce much of that noise, Imperial chose to weld its metal framework rather than use hot rivets driven by jackhammers. Today, Imperial Plaza is the largest welded-frame building in the world.
Civic leaders in the paranoid Cold War days liked Imperial’s small windows, thick walls and its location outside the city’s financial core and designated it as ideal for a survivors’ hospital if and when Toronto was hit by the big one — an atomic bomb.
http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/newsfeatures/article/1135630--david-feldman-is-a-man-for-all-seasons
CityPlaceN1
Senior Member
Would love to own a south facing unit here.
The vast majority of units still get a full southern view - but yeah, I would not want to have bought on the southeast corner.
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