Toronto Massey Tower Condos | 206.95m | 60s | MOD Developments | Hariri Pontarini

I agree regarding this being one of the more interesting projects going on right now. If you will allow me to reflect for a moment I find it interesting that the best and most creative work is often being done where the context puts restrictions on the design process. The worst work is often the work done when the owner and designer have free rein.
 
Tonight.

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Can yonge be salvaged u think?

Salvaging Yonge would at least involve widening the sidewalks by the equivalent of one traffic lane each from Bloor to Front, paving them with attractive, durable stonework that's not immediately ripped up and badly patched, installing a heating system in them a la the Netherlands so they're walkable in winter, planting street trees in Silva Cells, doing some interesting in-pavement lighting, and regularly scraping chewing gum off the new sidewalks. If we wanted to get truly jiggy with it we could ban cars from the remaining two lanes and run a streetcar line from Rosedale Station to Queen's Quay. God knows, given Line 1 congestion it might be the one transit project in this town - other than the mythical DRL which let's be honest will never be built - that's actually supported by passenger demand.

But this is Toronto so none of that will happen. We might get a slide deck with some lovely renderings though. And of course we'll be able to thrill to a chorus of suburban Councillors reprising their greatest hits: "The War on the Car", "Justice for the Suburbs", "Fiscal Responsibility" and the classic Mammo solo "Tax This!"
 
I'm sorry but yonge is fine. It's walkable in winter, it's safe, sure it can be improved but the way some of you hate it I just don't get. I walk it from just north of Wellesley down to Richmond almost everyday morning and night and I have a much more pleasant experience than walking down Bay the same stretch. Yonge is more interesting and Bay is too wide, too boring, and crazy windy in winter. (I'm not hating on Bay it's fine in my mind as well). I just don't get this disdain. Yonge street is fun. That's why it's busy and crazy at times. Adds character.
Heated sidewalks though... that is in my opinion pure extravagance and unnecessary.
 
Yonge Street has some interesting buildings, businesses and street life, but I hate the dingy retail, the cramped and inadequate sidewalks, the vagrants, how it's dark at night because of inadequate street lighting, the cheap pavements, the heritage buildings that are falling apart, and the lack of greenery. There are so many ways it could be improved, and I try to avoid it if possible because it reeks of civic indifference. "Who cares if the street is an ugly mess with cramped sidewalks? Just do your shopping and go back home to the suburbs. Don't worry about the state of Yonge Street."
 
I'm sorry but yonge is fine. It's walkable in winter, it's safe, sure it can be improved but the way some of you hate it I just don't get. I walk it from just north of Wellesley down to Richmond almost everyday morning and night and I have a much more pleasant experience than walking down Bay the same stretch. Yonge is more interesting and Bay is too wide, too boring, and crazy windy in winter. (I'm not hating on Bay it's fine in my mind as well). I just don't get this disdain. Yonge street is fun. That's why it's busy and crazy at times. Adds character.
Heated sidewalks though... that is in my opinion pure extravagance and unnecessary.
Yonge Street isn't even close to being fine. Your standards are just way too low!
 
In my opinion, something that really lowers the attractiveness of Yonge is the dumpy looking business, particularly as you get closer to Bloor. The building themselves aren't necessarily that bad, but it's the cheap, and frankly ugly looking signage that is so common among smaller business that causes certain areas to look bad. Also, many brick buildings along Yonge are in serious need of some cleaning up, like I've seen paint peeling, discoloured bricks, and just overall dirt build up.
 
In my opinion, something that really lowers the attractiveness of Yonge is the dumpy looking business, particularly as you get closer to Bloor. The building themselves aren't necessarily that bad, but it's the cheap, and frankly ugly looking signage that is so common among smaller business that causes certain areas to look bad. Also, many brick buildings along Yonge are in serious need of some cleaning up, like I've seen paint peeling, discoloured bricks, and just overall dirt build up.

The dumpy looking businesses are part of the charm. Renovate or rebuild the street and rents will go through the roof. At that point all we will have for retail is Shoppers, Subway, Pizza Pizza and a bank multiplied by 50. Will look nice but it will have no soul. Unless the same corporate chains over and over is again is what you like. Do we really want Yonge Street to be an outdoors version of the Eaton Centre? Not my idea of progress.
 

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