marcus_a_j
Senior Member
New ad campaign for Mazda 3?
New ad campaign for Mazda 3?
Solaris
Senior Member
4 for Audi A4
5 for Beamer 5 series
the list goes on and on ...
5 for Beamer 5 series
the list goes on and on ...
Roy G Biv
Senior Member
"Quality of their environment"?
These immigrants were most likely poor in their countries, and weren't exposed to high design. Rich people or people who care about pretending to be rich care about these kinds of things.
Immigrants are most likely poor in this country (St. Jamestown, at least), and are may now being exposed to high design, but realize they don't the time or energy to care when they're trying to put food on the table.
I grew up in a "low quality environment", and the thought that some privlieged doofus was outside our basement apartment sticking his nose up at our bedsheet drapes, while my Mom and Dad worked their asses off to allow to live as I live now, is almost offensive.
Ok, yes, I believe in codes that improve the aesthetic of the city. Provide a way that they can be attainable and enforceable and FAIR, and I'm all for it. I'm not all for you acting like an insensitive, snobby asshole. Your attitude it more deterimental to society than bedsheet-drapes.
And the fact that you believe gays and immigrants are mutally exclusive identities is laughable.
casaguy
Senior Member
I know as many gay low-lifes as I do immigrant low-lifes. We can't generalize here.
If the buildings were actually maintained well and cared for with pride by the owners and the staff, the residents would follow suit.
Let's hope that what happens with the new Regent Park venture.
If the buildings were actually maintained well and cared for with pride by the owners and the staff, the residents would follow suit.
Let's hope that what happens with the new Regent Park venture.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Two giant HVAC units were dropped onto the roof this week which is such a shame
ProjectEnd
Superstar
I just found some additional info about the Regent Park redevelopment on the mjmarchitects website.
"New state of the art aquatic facility designed as part of the Regent Park revitalization project. Regent Park is one of Canada's largest and oldest public housing developments. Its revitalization plan includes the demolition of the existing housing and the redevelopment of the area, which will increase the density of housing and incorporate mixed social and market geared living units. Regent Park pool will be a key component of the community's reintegration into the surrounding urban fabric, designed to be a community centre not only for Regent Park, but a facility accessible to all of Toronto. The building will incorporate environmentally sustainable strategies and demonstrate the City's new Green Development Standard. Some features currently being developed are a green roof system, a thermal energy supply from a new central plant built for Regent Park, natural ventilation, and natural lighting to all areas of the building.
24,000 sq. ft."
"New state of the art aquatic facility designed as part of the Regent Park revitalization project. Regent Park is one of Canada's largest and oldest public housing developments. Its revitalization plan includes the demolition of the existing housing and the redevelopment of the area, which will increase the density of housing and incorporate mixed social and market geared living units. Regent Park pool will be a key component of the community's reintegration into the surrounding urban fabric, designed to be a community centre not only for Regent Park, but a facility accessible to all of Toronto. The building will incorporate environmentally sustainable strategies and demonstrate the City's new Green Development Standard. Some features currently being developed are a green roof system, a thermal energy supply from a new central plant built for Regent Park, natural ventilation, and natural lighting to all areas of the building.
24,000 sq. ft."
Chuck
Senior Member
Window coverings serve as an excellent indication of the type of tenants that live in building. If I see sheets or cardboard hanging in the windows, it's a warning sign and I look elsewhere. When it comes to apartments, I absolutely judge the book by its cover.
casaguy
Senior Member
Condo cash was going to save Regent Park. Kiss that idea (and others) goodbye
JOHN BARBER
jbarber@globeandmail.com
October 4, 2008
Toronto developers who weren't too busy this week searching for new bankers to finance their pre-sold but un-built housing projects passed time gossiping about which of them would fail first. The targets of anxiety varied, but the consensus was clear: No matter how orderly the eventual cleanup may or may not be, the party's over.
For some, the job is to replace financing promised by defunct Lehmann Brothers of New York, which until recently was active in the local condo market. Others are being forced to dig deeper into their own pockets to shore up the waning confidence of nervous bankers.
Pre-sales to willing buyers count for little in the new environment: Some industry veterans are now being asked to produce actual building permits before their banks will let them begin construction.
"These guys close their doors fast," said one. "It's common knowledge that even the most robust developers are having trouble getting financing. It's tough, tough, tough."
Whatever happens next week or next year, the late boom will be remembered as having transformed the central city, with tens of thousands of new apartments standing as evidence of dramatically renewed vitality. But outside the magic core, in older suburbs desperately seeking new investment, nothing will have changed.
In that respect, the most obvious victim of the credit crunch is the city itself, which has invested so much political capital in the promise of ever-increasing real-estate values. Sagging values clearly imperil such signature policies as waterfront renewal, the land-transfer tax, social-housing rehabilitation and even the vaunted Mayor's Tower Renewal program.
Barring a miracle, the new tower now rising at the corner of Dundas and Parliament will be the last evidence of the much-anticipated revitalization of Regent Park, Canada's largest public-housing project - and the city's most ambitious attempt to use condo sales to finance social policy.
There was a time it almost seemed possible. Senior governments had abandoned the housing business and land values were soaring. The solution was to sell off part of the site for market housing in order to rebuild public housing on the rest.
But even in the best of times, the city was unable to find a developer to take the risk. Undeterred, it self-financed construction of the first "market" building. With even the most prominent developers now struggling to finance construction on prime midtown sites, there seems little hope for Regent Park.
And Lawrence Heights, that other battered public-housing neighbourhood in a much more remote location, currently awash in talk of similar, bootstrap-style revitalization? Forget it. Without real money from government, nothing will happen.
Waterfront redevelopment is much less challenging in theory, but one look at the harbourfront shows what happens when policy-driven authorities attempt to surf against the waves, developing housing in a "negative equity" market. Their failure takes permanent shape on the skyline.
With its ambitious plans for the East Bayfront on the other side of Yonge Street, Waterfront Toronto has set the same trap for itself, promising all kinds of goodies that the real estate is supposed to pay for. It was a good plan yesterday.
Although still inchoate, the Mayor's Tower Renewal could emerge as the ultimate victim of the crunch.
Most of the magic money needed to finance this revitalization scheme is expected to come from energy savings. Presuming the same economics applies tomorrow, many old high-rises will get new winter coats over the next few years. But the big moves intended to revive distressed neighbourhoods as a whole depend on real-estate leverage that no longer exists.
While it lasted, the real-estate boom presented an interesting alternative to government-financed social policy. Significant revitalization occurred, but only in locations dictated by the market.
The rest of the city waited patiently for a turn, it now seems clear, that will never come.
JOHN BARBER
jbarber@globeandmail.com
October 4, 2008
Toronto developers who weren't too busy this week searching for new bankers to finance their pre-sold but un-built housing projects passed time gossiping about which of them would fail first. The targets of anxiety varied, but the consensus was clear: No matter how orderly the eventual cleanup may or may not be, the party's over.
For some, the job is to replace financing promised by defunct Lehmann Brothers of New York, which until recently was active in the local condo market. Others are being forced to dig deeper into their own pockets to shore up the waning confidence of nervous bankers.
Pre-sales to willing buyers count for little in the new environment: Some industry veterans are now being asked to produce actual building permits before their banks will let them begin construction.
"These guys close their doors fast," said one. "It's common knowledge that even the most robust developers are having trouble getting financing. It's tough, tough, tough."
Whatever happens next week or next year, the late boom will be remembered as having transformed the central city, with tens of thousands of new apartments standing as evidence of dramatically renewed vitality. But outside the magic core, in older suburbs desperately seeking new investment, nothing will have changed.
In that respect, the most obvious victim of the credit crunch is the city itself, which has invested so much political capital in the promise of ever-increasing real-estate values. Sagging values clearly imperil such signature policies as waterfront renewal, the land-transfer tax, social-housing rehabilitation and even the vaunted Mayor's Tower Renewal program.
Barring a miracle, the new tower now rising at the corner of Dundas and Parliament will be the last evidence of the much-anticipated revitalization of Regent Park, Canada's largest public-housing project - and the city's most ambitious attempt to use condo sales to finance social policy.
There was a time it almost seemed possible. Senior governments had abandoned the housing business and land values were soaring. The solution was to sell off part of the site for market housing in order to rebuild public housing on the rest.
But even in the best of times, the city was unable to find a developer to take the risk. Undeterred, it self-financed construction of the first "market" building. With even the most prominent developers now struggling to finance construction on prime midtown sites, there seems little hope for Regent Park.
And Lawrence Heights, that other battered public-housing neighbourhood in a much more remote location, currently awash in talk of similar, bootstrap-style revitalization? Forget it. Without real money from government, nothing will happen.
Waterfront redevelopment is much less challenging in theory, but one look at the harbourfront shows what happens when policy-driven authorities attempt to surf against the waves, developing housing in a "negative equity" market. Their failure takes permanent shape on the skyline.
With its ambitious plans for the East Bayfront on the other side of Yonge Street, Waterfront Toronto has set the same trap for itself, promising all kinds of goodies that the real estate is supposed to pay for. It was a good plan yesterday.
Although still inchoate, the Mayor's Tower Renewal could emerge as the ultimate victim of the crunch.
Most of the magic money needed to finance this revitalization scheme is expected to come from energy savings. Presuming the same economics applies tomorrow, many old high-rises will get new winter coats over the next few years. But the big moves intended to revive distressed neighbourhoods as a whole depend on real-estate leverage that no longer exists.
While it lasted, the real-estate boom presented an interesting alternative to government-financed social policy. Significant revitalization occurred, but only in locations dictated by the market.
The rest of the city waited patiently for a turn, it now seems clear, that will never come.
urbandreamer
recession proof
Oh well, there's always hope in the Hammer.
Clearly, several developers are on the ropes, if even Barber's talking about it. So, which ones are they? (Daniel's spec builds, perhaps?)
Clearly, several developers are on the ropes, if even Barber's talking about it. So, which ones are they? (Daniel's spec builds, perhaps?)
CanadianNational
Senior Member
October 4th, 2008
Barber's column seems overly dire. It's too early to declare how bad this slowdown is going to be.
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Observer Walt
Senior Member
I continue to think less and less of Barber. The column is sensationalistic. "Will never come" ??? What evidence is there of that?
I don't have inside knowledge of financial arrangements for Regent Park, but if the model was good a year ago, why would it not be now? Yes financing is tightening up for developments in Toronto, and that has been known for the past several months. Some projects will be delayed, and some will have to live with more onerous terms. The financial markets actually will get back to normal some time, and in Canada, I think that will be sooner than later.
I don't have inside knowledge of financial arrangements for Regent Park, but if the model was good a year ago, why would it not be now? Yes financing is tightening up for developments in Toronto, and that has been known for the past several months. Some projects will be delayed, and some will have to live with more onerous terms. The financial markets actually will get back to normal some time, and in Canada, I think that will be sooner than later.
catcher_of_cats
Active Member
Taken a few days ago
Topped out and getting ready to remove the crane
Sackville Street getting ready to run through the site once more. I am surprised that they are using a concrete roadbed, which seems a bit of an overkill for such a minor road.
Topped out and getting ready to remove the crane
Sackville Street getting ready to run through the site once more. I am surprised that they are using a concrete roadbed, which seems a bit of an overkill for such a minor road.
maestro
Senior Member
^sub-layer
I noticed the other day they have broken ground on the ten storey "One Oak Street"
I noticed the other day they have broken ground on the ten storey "One Oak Street"
grey
Senior Member
Idiot.John BarberCame Out Of The Closet To Say:
The rest of the city waited patiently for a turn, it now seems clear, that will never come.