evandyk
Senior Member
Yeah I don’t like the form of the building, but I’ll take 1600 apartments over a car dealership any day.
I mean sure but it's very rare that a developer puts more effort into the interior than they do the exterior. I'd also argue massing is incredibly important far more so than the architecture itself but that's just meIts redeeming qualities are that it provides HOUSING, huge short-term and some long-term economic activity, increased property taxes, development charges, community benefits etc. etc. The critiques of built form and architecture are probably valid (let’s wait and see but… not holding my breath) but they don’t make it a total failure. There are important things other than massing and architecture.
Yeah I don’t like the form of the building, but I’ll take 1600 apartments over a car dealership any day.
No more pictures please. Can we just delete this thread?More pictures please. I want to see more shots of this beautiful gem. I think it’s an architectural masterpiece. It’s just perfect for the neighborhood. I only wish they had planned a phase 2.
I'm not sure what your point is when you say "AND a grocery store." This was a Sobey's Urban Fresh store that closed at the same time as Sobey's closed other Urban Fresh stores (2014). The site clearing didn't start until 2018 so Sobeys made a business decision to close the store approximately 4 years before they had to. Based on this and my recollection of the store always being a ghost town, the store closed because it wasn't needed.This is precisely why crap gets built.
BTW, it was a dealership AND a grocery store.
The Sobeys opened at about the same time as the No Frills opposite. There was really not the demand for two grocery stores 50 yards apart (at least at that time) and there's a Metro and a Loblaws pretty close too). The NO Frills was a bigger store and they 'won'.I'm not sure what your point is when you say "AND a grocery store." This was a Sobey's Urban Fresh store that closed at the same time as Sobey's closed other Urban Fresh stores (2014). The site clearing didn't start until 2018 so Sobeys made a business decision to close the store approximately 4 years before they had to. based on this and my recollection of the store always being a ghost town, the store closed because it wasn't needed.
And the St. Lawrence Market!There was really not the demand for two grocery stores 50 yards apart (at least at that time) and there's a Metro and a Loblaws pretty close too).
The developer overpaid for the site. They needed this density to make it work.I'm not one to be a NIMBY that's for sure but this just feels like it tears the fabric of the neighbourhood apart. Could they not have at least tried to match the feeling of the surrounding buildings at street level?
I certainly wouldn't want this place going up near where I live either.
AFAIR, there was also the problem that they had a large 'by right' density due to some OMB decision several decades ago and could have built right up to the lot line on all sides.The developer overpaid for the site. They needed this density to make it work.
Granted, City Planning could have allowed taller towers instead of a hulking mess if they weren't so heightist, and they could've reduced parking minimums so that some of that above-ground parking could be allocated for some of the residential density.
To those wondering what went wrong with this project, those are good places to start.
It's an ugly building, and I have no idea what the interiors look like, but it's going to be a home for a lot of people, and that counts for something.
...from the stuff I've seen of it, at least that was more interesting to look at. >.<So was Kowloon Walled City.
I'm not sure what your point is when you say "AND a grocery store." This was a Sobey's Urban Fresh store that closed at the same time as Sobey's closed other Urban Fresh stores (2014). The site clearing didn't start until 2018 so Sobeys made a business decision to close the store approximately 4 years before they had to. Based on this and my recollection of the store always being a ghost town, the store closed because it wasn't needed.