Big turnout-- mostly property owners around the building (many from 25 Maitland) who are upset that they are going to be in shadows or lose their views. I heard some people snapping away getting pics of the slideshow. I was unable to... my Blackberry has a loud camera and I wasn't sure if I was allowed. I was also trying to pay close attention.
We only saw massing studies and some very preliminary ideas for the ground level. The man sitting beside me had a document with a retail rendering which was much more interesting than the ones shown up on the screen.
I was tempted to tell people to stop being so rude and sarcastic to Peter Clewes (who was there representing the project; which sucks for him because Lanterra would have faced a riot if they showed up!) and be more constructive because going after height won't be fruitful for the neighbourhood's efforts-- in fact, if it gets cut down, it wouldn't be down to the 12 floors or so the majority of people there thought more reasonable. I did, however, end up saying (when I got the microphone after a couple hours of different comments) that I felt it was important not to complain so much about height/shadowing that the design of the ground level and podium is overlooked in these community meetings-- I suggested (although I realize the site is only so big) to put residential or office around the parking levels, a la Market Wharf condo.
Many people complained of lack of parking, which I thought was ridiculous. Given its urban site on a subway line (literally right above it), it should go for the minimum amount of parking possible. However, I do agree that the lane-way behind it is going to face some serious issues, and unfortunately, it really is a lot to squeeze on to one site. I'm not saying I'm against the height, but I do think that perhaps there is no way to put that many units into two towers on this one site without having many inconveniences first and foremost for the future condo RESIDENTS of this complex when using the alleyway and moving in and out, etc.
The towers are extremely slim and seem to have a very square floorplate to match... the line-drawing we saw is very squashed down. It looked to me, out of all of aA's projects, like two "SPIRE" condos beside each other. Very sleek and handsome. The balconies wrap around three sides, and look to have fritted glass like Festival Tower. However, these are still massing models, and could change, similar to how 21 Grenville did. The proportions are, however, very slim and vertical. The woman beside me (who made all sorts of animated groans and sounds of disgust to her husband as a commentary throughout, which was almost as distracting as her ridiculously loud clapping to any comment that opposed the development) turned to her husband and exclaimed that it was Toronto's World Trade Centre. I actually thought that was quite complimentary, and in some ways, its proportions are more like the WTC than other twin-tower condo developments Toronto has seen before. (Anyways, she gets no points for saying that since she exuded a distracting air of negativity.)
Let me know any questions you have!
