Toronto Union Centre | 298m | 54s | Westbank | Bjarke Ingels Group

JasonParis said:
I do really like this project but I still wish the Front Street-facing data centre could be reimagined into something attractive and not street-killing.
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AlvinofDiaspar said:
The building doesn't really face Front Street though - the existing data centre does.

AoD
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It's got to be fortress-like because of what's inside. That's not changing any time soon, unfortunately.
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
The building doesn't really face Front Street though - the existing data centre does.

AoD
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Yes, but when a project this large is being developed and connected to the existing data centre, there could be opportunities to fix the Front St mess. Even through Section 42 if need be. Even some sort of art wall would be a massive improvement.
 
The idea is that 151 Front has to recede and be invisible, lest it be attacked. I'm not disagreeing with you in that the pedestrian experience sucks and it would be great if it were better, but there are larger forces preventing that.
 
The infrastructure exists for this location. Shifting it elsewhere would cost a fortune. Security is paramount. I can understand the hesitancy in introducing new usages by opening up the building's frontage to the community that grew around it.

I don't expect this development to take off anytime soon and not within the usual time frame most commercial designs expire. Anchor tenants may put a higher emphasis on design in the future and it may become cheaper to rebuild the data centre.
 
Just a thought, are the developers keeping in mind that a future park may one day be built just south of the building on top of the railtracks? are they designing something that will have some kind of presence at the ground level? shops/resturants etc?
 
Khaloody said:
Just a thought, are the developers keeping in mind that a future park may one day be built just south of the building on top of the railtracks? are they designing something that will have some kind of presence at the ground level? shops/resturants etc?
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No one has proposed a park south of this building that I'm aware of.

42
 
Khaloody said:
Just a thought, are the developers keeping in mind that a future park may one day be built just south of the building on top of the railtracks? are they designing something that will have some kind of presence at the ground level? shops/resturants etc?
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I imagine you are thinking of Rail Deck park.

That proposal, should it be built, does not run this far east.

The principal site begins at Peter St./Blue Jays way and runs west from there.

There is park/public space contemplated in association with the developments immediately east of there up to John Street which could integrate w/the Rail Deck Park proposal.

Eventually, we many see plans move forward for the Convention Centre site (immediately to the west of this proposal) which may well involve development over the tracks, but absolutely nothing is contemplated in that way, even conceptually, east of Simcoe.
 
I don't want to sound pessimistic but I personally doubt this project will ever see the light of day so no worries. Office space isn't in high demand since COVID began and that's not changing anytime soon. With all these other office towers going up, there is already plenty of space available.

If I had to choose between this tower, CC3 or The Hub Im not sure which one I'd pick....
 
travis3000 said:
I don't want to sound pessimistic but I personally doubt this project will ever see the light of day so no worries. Office space isn't in high demand since COVID began and that's not changing anytime soon.
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The fact that it's just been revised and resubmitted makes me think the exact opposite.
 
I feel like it's incredibly short-sighted to say that this project will never happen because of COVID. Office demand isn't going away forever, no matter how many people are working from home. Modern offices have incredibly dense floor plans for workers as it is, and I think it's safe to say that this trend will be reversing, which will ultimately require companies to lease more space to spread people out.

There may be a lot of major towers under construction (CIBC I, The Well, 160 Front, BAC3), and more that are further up "in line" (CIBC II, The Hub, CC3), but once COVID is in the rear view mirror, office demand will more than likely be back to normal. I reckon we'll probably see this one start in a couple of years along with The Hub and CC3. As @khristopher mentioned, the revision and resubmission of the tower indicates that Westbank and BIG continue to have the confidence to go ahead.
 
travis3000 said:
I don't want to sound pessimistic but I personally doubt this project will ever see the light of day so no worries. Office space isn't in high demand since COVID began and that's not changing anytime soon. With all these other office towers going up, there is already plenty of space available.

If I had to choose between this tower, CC3 or The Hub Im not sure which one I'd pick....
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Nothing is certain; but I can tell you several big leases are in the immediate offing, including new or substantially expanded players in Toronto.

More space is quite likely.

Which towers go first, I'm less clear on, and the exact timing is also fuzzy.
 
Northern Light said:
Nothing is certain; but I can tell you several big leases are in the immediate offing, including new or substantially expanded players in Toronto.

More space is quite likely.

Which towers go first, I'm less clear on, and the exact timing is also fuzzy.
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Can you spill any beans as to which players might be coming to town?
 
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