Yesterday afternoon I went to City Hall to attend the presentation of The Well development. The developer, architect and landscape designer addressed some concerns with the development raised at the previous meeting. Some areas of improvements include:
1. Redesigned office tower. According to architect the previous design was too ordinary and even boring (it was apparently the only building in the development initially designed by some US firm) and also would cast a stronger shadow on the Clarence square. The new building designed by Hariri Pontarini will delay the shadow by about 40 minutes in the afternoon. The panel loved the new building design that is comprised of three blocks that increase in height westward. It was mentioned that Whole Foods will be in that building.
2. Reduce shadow on north side of Wellington. This would be achieved by pushing the buildings on Wellington further south so the shadow would stop at the curb of the north side of Wellington.
3. Improve public realm. This includes more green spaces, a wide (12 meters/~40 feet) treed promenade running North-South inside The Well. Public art, light installations.
4. A wider angle to tall buildings on Front Street side allowing for wider gap between them. This gap apparently exceeds the city guidelines for distance between the buildings.
There was a number of other changes to the development, such as a one continues "spine" going East-West through The Well. It starts from Spadina/Front corner and runs across uninterrupted. Questions were raised mainly about retail - a suggestion was made that the development should attract more smaller, local retailers rather then big box stores. Also some concerns were raised about viability of second floor retail and easy access to it. At the end everyone at the Panel voted for accepting the changes with minor suggestions.
Unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures of the new renderings. The only pictures I could take are of the scale model. If someone went there and took some pictures, please share.