Toronto One Old Mill & Two Old Mill | ?m | 12s | Tridel | Kirkor Architects

Claude Bitton - Typo in Bloor Address

On the following website http://www.claudebittonrealestate.com/ there is a typo that incorrectly states that the Odeon Humber Block is located at 2500 Bloor Street West. I have contacted the registrant of the domain and they confirmed it is an error. The address should have been 2450 Bloor Street West and should be updated shortly. Unfortunately Google has already linked Tridel to Bitton, and Bitton to 2500 Bloor St. W. even though there is no business relationship between Tridel and Mr. Bitton.
 
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urbandreamer said:
I have no faith in Tridel, a developer that built 90% garbage during the last decade's building boom. aA is the best architect for this site, as long as they use real red brick.
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That's a bit of a general statement ... I'm sure Tridel wins architectural design awards for a reason ~ :p

yes aA is loved here on UT ... but best architect for this site ?? I'm not so sure that's the solution to every development
 
urbandreamer, perhaps your real name is christopher hume....!!
what garbage you write, either that or you work for peter.
aA may be a good firm of architects - but the best ?

we we certainly don't need in the west end is another interpretation
of the downtown core transplanted here by the toronto stars
favorite group of architects.

And, just to give you some perspective.
the latest PUG Awards didn't seem to include any of you favorite sidekicks.
what the public like and what the learned profession seem to dwell upon
is two different things.

as a developer or architect - you certianly wouldn't make it in the real world.
 
Roark8 said:
urbandreamer, perhaps your real name is christopher hume....!!
what garbage you write, either that or you work for peter.
aA may be a good firm of architects - but the best ?

we we certainly don't need in the west end is another interpretation
of the downtown core transplanted here by the toronto stars
favorite group of architects.

And, just to give you some perspective.
the latest PUG Awards didn't seem to include any of you favorite sidekicks.
what the public like and what the learned profession seem to dwell upon
is two different things.

as a developer or architect - you certianly wouldn't make it in the real world.
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http://www.nonstick.com/sounds/Miscellaneous/ltmi_034.mp3
 
I'd rather see Peter Clewes at 2490 Bloor West than lots of other architects. It could be a nice western book end to Bloor West Village for his project 'Home' from the eastern end of the village.

He's not the only architect that I'd consider here though, and I don't consider all things Kirkor to be crap by the way, but it's Tridel whose architectural record is extremely spotty that worries me. They're starting to build some better designed buildings, but this ye olde Tudory stretch of Bloor, and the line drawings we've seen so far, indicate that we're more likely going to get a schlocky take on Wright from Tridel than anything that could be called an homage... and I'd rather we ended up with something that architectural critics could happily declare a worthy homage.

So bring on the aAs, the KPMBs, the Giannone Petricones, the Cores, the Quadrangles even, and I'd be more at ease about this project.

42
 
interchange42 said:
I'd rather see Peter Clewes at 2490 Bloor West than lots of other architects. It could be a nice western book end to Bloor West Village for his project 'Home' from the eastern end of the village.
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Though also keep in mind the role that urbanism, never mind architecture, plays. I mean, compare the Home condo with its ground floor retail and the Official Starbucks of the High Park Jogger, with the retro-schlock condo across the street from the 2490 site which offers nothing at the ground floor but mean townhouse residence entrances. Which one's more urbane?
 
On a related note, what's the reason why there is zero retail along Bloor along that long stretch between Prince Edward and the South Kingsway? That has always annoyed the hell out of me because it's an unnecessary dead zone right along the subway.
 
Towered said:
On a related note, what's the reason why there is zero retail along Bloor along that long stretch between Prince Edward and the South Kingsway? That has always annoyed the hell out of me because it's an unnecessary dead zone right along the subway.
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Alas, I can think of thousands of souls resident in Park Lawn Cemetery who would disagree:

2917898699_ee94405965.jpg


(Sorry, it was too good to pass up.)

But in all seriousness: (1) I agree with you; (2) I think the cemetery has something to do with it; (3) there are a few offices along the north side of Bloor just east of Prince Edward; (4) the Kingsway retail strip peters out just west of Prince Edward; (5) it's a pretty long trek from Old Mill to Prince Edward, and there isn't even any retail at Old Mill station; and (6) fun tangential fact: there were originally supposed to be subway stations at Prince Edward and Montgomery, but those plans were shelved in favour of the current single-station configuration at Royal York.
 
interchange42 said:
I'd rather see Peter Clewes at 2490 Bloor West than lots of other architects. It could be a nice western book end to Bloor West Village for his project 'Home' from the eastern end of the village.

He's not the only architect that I'd consider here though, and I don't consider all things Kirkor to be crap by the way, but it's Tridel whose architectural record is extremely spotty that worries me. They're starting to build some better designed buildings, but this ye olde Tudory stretch of Bloor, and the line drawings we've seen so far, indicate that we're more likely going to get a schlocky take on Wright from Tridel than anything that could be called an homage... and I'd rather we ended up with something that architectural critics could happily declare a worthy homage.

So bring on the aAs, the KPMBs, the Giannone Petricones, the Cores, the Quadrangles even, and I'd be more at ease about this project.

42
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I still think we have to be careful in how we pay homage as you put it.
Everything done by aA's, Core, KPMB all looks the same.
At least from the stuff I've seen - convince me otherwise ?

I don't think the building looks Tudor in any sense, or are you refering to the buildings across the road ? Which in the lifespan of a city, we need to embrace all forms of building - only then will we be able to admire something that has been well designed and detailed.
 
Roark8 said:
I still think we have to be careful in how we pay homage as you put it.
Everything done by aA's, Core, KPMB all looks the same.
At least from the stuff I've seen - convince me otherwise ?

I don't think the building looks Tudor in any sense, or are you refering to the buildings across the road ? Which in the lifespan of a city, we need to embrace all forms of building - only then will we be able to admire something that has been well designed and detailed.
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Well, if you can refrain from using flip remarks and oversimplified descriptions, can you tell us what it is you don't like about those three firms' work?
 
Roark8 said:
I don't think the building looks Tudor in any sense, or are you refering to the buildings across the road ? Which in the lifespan of a city, we need to embrace all forms of building - only then will we be able to admire something that has been well designed and detailed.
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The Tudor Revival condos that are being referred to are located west of this site on Bloor. The proposed 2500 Bloor is in a style properly referred to as "ill-guided hodge-podge" :D although the developer describes it as "Frank Lloyd Wright inspired". :rolleyes:

(I asked the Tridel-employed expert who was standing beside the renderings at the recent community meeting - which building or architectural feature in the area the thing referred to? I kid you not, his response was "well, its not Victorian as there aren't any other Victorian buildings in the area." :( It's crazy, but this wally was paid to be there! (There isn't a Victorian within a 15-20 minute walk (Annette St. and then High Park Ave. I think - although there are some fabulous examples there.)
 
Flippant remarks ?
Oversimplified descriptions - perhaps you are looking at all the recent examples of the work being done by these firms. Unless you are Christopher Hume, who describes Peter Clewes as the preminent Condo architect in Toronto.

There are good examples in this City of work done, that is different - Quadrangle have a building going up on Lakeshore, a twist of Gothic with stepped balconies facing the city.
However, providing a glass box and tarting it up with spandrel panel patterns is really not quality architecture.

In my view - there is no style in Bloor West Village. Its an idea of living there - just like the Beach. There is nothing any developer could do, or any architect to find a precedent to latch onto. So you can go safe, and do a glass box - even something as boring as Home on Bloor Street [which does NOTHING to address Bloor street at that intersection as it has turned its back on it].
 
^You think Peter Clewes has anything to do with what his clients demand? aka, cheap Toronto developers unwilling to take a risk with anything other than what's worked before--a glass box tarted up, for example. No, aA is capable of incredible work, they just rarely can find developers with balls big enough to follow through. (Fernbrook Home's Pier 27 being an outstanding exception.)

Home has a terrible street presence, I agree. I hate how the developer--Context--cheaped out with the ugly coloured brick, the blank walls facing Bloor (due to elevator shaft placement), etc. Of course, Home was an early aA design...probably conceptualized c.2000. Nine years is a long time to do something different.

So yeah, Bloor West Village does have a style--very c.1900 red and brown brick. That doesn't mean a Rezen or Ideal Lofts-styled building wouldn't work here--if it worked in c.1900 King East or College St context, than why not here? Doesn't have to be a knock off, either.

Tridel could do much much better. But imho, they are letting their marketing department "design" the building based on local demographics--think old school Ukrainians, etc. Since most people buy a condo based on a floorplan, does it not matter what the building's public face looks like for the next 100 years? Yes!

Tridel: I sincerely hope this building gets cancelled.
 
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