Toronto The Well | 174.03m | 46s | RioCan | Hariri Pontarini

If the architecture turns out as good as the renders, this will be a great addition to the city. As well, I am very relieved that big box stores and enclosed malls did not play a prominent or even secondary role in the built form.
 
Now this is a great project. Let's hope the city approves it so construction can begin in two years.
 
Tuscani01 said:
I knew purchasing at CityPlace would pay off someday! Just need to wait a few years now! It's too bad a second pedestrian bridge across the rail line wasn't part of this project. It would have made for a perfectly connected neighbourhood (King west, Wellington, CityPlace, Waterfront)
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While some well-scaled, infill projects can add to the existing charm of a neighbourhood, large-scale new developments take some time to develop charm and character; amenities; vibrant retail; public art; and a sense of community. Some cynical and pessimistic members (perhaps a generation of people who want things instantly) fail to see that and look to places like Cityplace as a fail and doomed to be St. James Town...when it's still a construction site and developing!! It's rubbish thinking. If people are patient enough then the original developer's and designers' vision can become a reality and even better than the original vision.

The same goes for The Well. Charm and vibrancy within the complex are not going to happen over night. But this is an awesome vision and one that I buy into even after reading all the comments on The Star lol :p
 
Looks like something u would see in Europe. Finally, they're thinking outside the box. Good job.
 
Finally, what I've been asking for, retail lane-ways like Melbourne. The gods have answered my prayers but this is Toronto, so I will have to wait to see if it's time to celebrate. If in deed, they do turn out like presented, that would be pretty damned cool! I hope pedestrian shopping areas will become the new norm in Toronto.
 
My impression from what I've read is that the variety and type of retail, and the overall walkability of the area will be analogous to the Shops at Don Mills.

Which if it is, would be awesome! Especially seeing as it would be so close to the downtown core.
 
Very impressed! It may be cliche to say, but indeed, this is a very northern European-type development.

Too bad that south of Front Street (CityPlace) wasn't developed more like this. I think the results would have been a bit better, even though I think point towers are generally fine in many cases.

I'm also glad bout this missing piece of pedestrian infrastructure...
... landscaped sidewalk along the south side of Front Street, partially cantilevered over the slope leading down to the GO Bathurst rail yard.
 
Let's hope this plan is the closest one to the one that actually gets built. It's the best one by far.

Now, about that DRL...
 
Reminds me of Paternoster Square in London. In that context it's a little soulless, but better than much of what exists here. I think the fact that our version will have a residential component helps.
 
Soul comes with time. Toronto is a young city. The only reason y Rome has soul is because it goes back for thousands of years.
 
I guess a lot of people don't really know the history of Toronto, or even care about it. They don't even know what our waterfront used to look like. Or why the Gardiner and rail corridor are located where they are. Or the thousands of parking lots that dotted the city. Toronto is far better now than it has ever been, and yet people still complain about what we don't have that other cities do have lol. It's hilarious actually. Why aren't they seeing the positive changes? I don't get it at all.
 
Too young to remember? It's stunning to think back to what that entire area looked like 15 years ago.
 
vatche said:
Soul comes with time. Toronto is a young city. The only reason y Rome has soul is because it goes back for thousands of years.
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Sorry, I expressed myself poorly. Paternoster Square is soulless when compared with the rest of the City. It's a totally privatized space, which everyone realized during Occupy London when the main camp was set up next door at St. Paul's. The Toronto version I think will be better, because at least there will be more people about after 6pm.
 
RiverCity1 said:
I guess a lot of people don't really know the history of Toronto, or even care about it. They don't even know what our waterfront used to look like. Or why the Gardiner and rail corridor are located where they are. Or the thousands of parking lots that dotted the city. Toronto is far better now than it has ever been, and yet people still complain about what we don't have that other cities do have lol. It's hilarious actually. Why aren't they seeing the positive changes? I don't get it at all.
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I think people have the right to be critical, though. Yea, Liberty Village used to be a slum but it's still a missed opportunity IMO....same for Cityplace. The city is still moving in the right direction with the occasional blunder along the way. No biggie.
 
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