Toronto Time and Space Condos | 101.8m | 29s | Pemberton | Wallman Architects

This is off topic, but Hong Kong's housing market is its own doing and is a direct result of public policy being under the control of real estate tycoons. They in collaboration with the government deliberately limit land supply in small pieces creating man-made shortage. High housing price and land price is essentially a tax on its citizens, only partially offset lower income taxes. In this way, the profits of real estate bosses are guaranteed.

Yes, HK is an island and doesn't have tons of land, we all know that but that hardly explains everything. If you look at how much of HK's developable land is for development (a small percentage), it is not surprising housing price is sky high. They have high prices not because of factors beyond control, but because they choose it. It is kind of similar to San Francisco, where high housing price is also largely man-made, but SF has concern over water shortage and its limit to accommodate residents (perhaps). HK has 8M people, and there are not 300M others nearby who can move to it whenever they want.
 
This will be a litmus test for the OMB. If they don't shoot this down it will seriously undermine my confidence in their ability to guide development.

Yeah, HK is LITERALLY run by oligarchs. No wonder they are protesting.

As for SF, there was a fantastic article about its housing policy that I read last summer: http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/14/sf-housing/
Super in depth history, super complicated by all the competing factors that make up America - developers, NIMBY's, leftist activists, tax policy, the tech industry ... Suffice it to say that they all conspire to disincentivize development. I have never heard of the water shortage angle - it could be overcome I'm sure (Bay area is certainly not slowing down).
 
agoraflaneur said:
This will be a litmus test for the OMB. If they don't shoot this down it will seriously undermine my confidence in their ability to guide development.
Click to expand...

I think that THAT boat has sailed and we know very well that the OMB cannot 'guide development'. It is actually quite odd that this is at OMB (next Tuesday, 10am) because the developer has apparently dispensed with the services of the project architect David Ponterini and hired a new one, Rudy Wallman. Are they going to argue for Ponterini's plans and is Wallman simply implementing them?

Because the change of architect (and / or a redesign) has been in the works for ages, the City has not yet held a public consultation meeting on the project nor has a report on it from City Planning gone to TEYCC. It's kind of hard to comment on a plan that may be changed (and it this case MUST be changed!)
 
Last edited:
The developers could fight for height, massing, density, at the OMB. The exterior expression would not have to be the same as the HP design for Wallman to fall within what could be approved at the OMB. It's also possible that should the OMB grant height, massing, density, etc., that Pemberton might only have to go to the Committee of Adjustment to get approval for whatever changes Wallman's design might bring to the project.

That's all pure speculation, by the way, I have made no inquiries about this development, and Wallman's plan might be markedly different from the get-go. It's possible that the City and the developer will report to the OMB that they are in talks and that it may be premature to schedule the full hearing at this point. We will have to wait and see what goes down at the Pre-hearing!

42
 
The OMB pre-hearing was over by 10.35 today, I was delayed and missed the (lack of) excitement.
The result is that a Staff Report will go to Council for their September meeting, there will be a public consultation meeting and another OMB pre-hearing will be held on 14 October and a 12 day OMB hearing has been booked, if necessary, for 1-12 February 2016. The plans appear to be unchanged as of today but it is not clear what may occur in the next 6 months.
 
Thanks for the update. I hate that the potential of this horrendous design becoming a reality will be hanging over our heads until at least September.
 
I still think this extreme density looks amazing and would push this area in a good direction. From what I can tell, I hope it’s approved by the OMB.
 
arvelomcquaig said:
I still think this extreme density looks amazing and would push this area in a good direction. From what I can tell, I hope it’s approved by the OMB.
Click to expand...
It looks absolutely GHASTLY for the area where it is (hopefully NOT) going to be built. The Front Street side is, MAYBE, acceptable but The Esplanade is a great, well planned - and low to mid-rise street. Adding this hulk will NOT look amazing (at least not in a good way!)
 
DSC said:
It looks absolutely GHASTLY for the area where it is (hopefully NOT) going to be built. The Front Street side is, MAYBE, acceptable but The Esplanade is a great, well planned - and low to mid-rise street. Adding this hulk will NOT look amazing (at least not in a good way!)
Click to expand...

Unless one has a perfunctory fetish for unbroken, overbearing streetwalls.

AoD
 
Does anyone know what the story is with the former Sobeys building? That discount liquidator covered the front with tacky vinyl ads like a year ago and I thought they'd be moving in. Are they just using it as advertising space or something? The building has more and more broken windows and graffiti on it.
 
slicecom said:
Does anyone know what the story is with the former Sobeys building? That discount liquidator covered the front with tacky vinyl ads like a year ago and I thought they'd be moving in. Are they just using it as advertising space or something? The building has more and more broken windows and graffiti on it.
Click to expand...
Apparently Sobeys are still paying the rent on it, they almost had a sub-tenant (the liquidator) but they backed out. As the adverts are NOT for that location I think they are illegal 3rd party posters.
 
That sucks for both Sobey's and the neighbourhood. The tough thing will be filling that space on an interim basis because of the redevelopment looming over it (like a very dark shadow). Here's hoping the awful ads come down soon.

42
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top