Toronto Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

Shake Shack...
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Their Dundas location is quite nice. Also an interesting system. Laminated menus for people in the queue. Pager system for ordering so you can get a seat.

I didn't tip when ordering, but there's also employees who were taking trays from people at tables and also refilling drinks. That was surprising to have table service, but the employees are also necessary during to keep all the tables clean.
 
Another observation: it’s very difficult to greet visitors arriving in Toronto via VIA.
There’s no gate/track info for arrival and the O.G. arrival greeting area (the ramp going to the lower level/front street promenades) is of no use as passengers can flow through the VIA concourse to all directions after coming down the escalators.
Perhaps there should be some branding of that arrival area in the Front Street promenades as the Meeting Zone and put signage inside the via hall to direct passengers there.
 
Ratazana said:
Another observation: it’s very difficult to greet visitors arriving in Toronto via VIA.
There’s no gate/track info for arrival and the O.G. arrival greeting area (the ramp going to the lower level/front street promenades) is of no use as passengers can flow through the VIA concourse to all directions after coming down the escalators.
Perhaps there should be some branding of that arrival area in the Front Street promenades as the Meeting Zone and put signage inside the via hall to direct passengers there.
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This is true. I had to explain to my parents recently to ask for directions to the Great Hall and to wait by the clock there because I knew if I was late getting to Union, I could easily miss them coming down the escalator & then have no idea which way they had wandered. Of course, it's usually easier with cell phones to find people these days (luddite parents excluded), but it's not the ideal system.
 
Wow a ton of action in terms of retail over the past week, I’m not intentionally spamming this forum I’m just coming across a ton of stuff.

Going into unit 4 across from Blue Bovine in the West Wing is the Bovine Wine Club and wine storage area:
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We all know Shake Shack is going into the former Queenston location, but that unit was split into 2 smaller plots; Miznon is going into the second, smaller plot:
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When you think about it, businesses in this hallway, particularly the foodie aisle are really lucky to be getting in now, this area will be the main pathway between the future Bremner Concourse and the TTC subway, so almost every Lakeshore West and East rider will be passing these businesses every day.
 
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The transformation of Union Station has been insane….honestly sometimes I forget I’m in a train station and I take a lot of it for granted.
I appreciate now what the developers were envisioning for this place…it’s almost become a meet up spot to do anything as a group downtown.’ This plus the new bus terminal and hopefully the expanded streetcar station has really made things so much smoother.

They just really need to open that new pedestrian bridge connecting the East concourse to the bus terminal and CIBC towers. You have no idea how many tourists I’ve run into asking me how to get to Union Station from the bus terminal and vice versa. Lol.

EDIT: Except the VIA concourse….my god that place looks dank and depressing. Is there any plans to give it a facelift?
 
6ixGod said:
Except the VIA concourse….my god that place looks dank and depressing. Is there any plans to give it a facelift?
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Believe it or not the VIA concourse got a facelift recently, what exists now is the result.

It was a attempt at making the area look historical, which looks fine in some cases (I think the entrances to the platforms look fine), however the brown paint and huge uncovered florescent lights look horrible.

The VIA concourse is also the shortest space in the station which contributes to how crowded the area feels, but Winnipeg Union also has the same height constraint and yet it looks way better:
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I know that the HSR news is very preliminary but is there any indication how it would fit into Union? New addition or existing tracks? UPX got a new terminal. 🤔
 
rdaner said:
I know that the HSR news is very preliminary but is there any indication how it would fit into Union? New addition or existing tracks? UPX got a new terminal. 🤔
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Union is out of question as we’ve committed to delivering service that uses the entire width of the Lakeshore ROW.

The clear favourite in this debate is Summerhill. It will, at least, come with the cost of a freight bypass elsewhere but it’s the most ideal ROW.
 
reinventingthewheel said:
Union is out of question as we’ve committed to delivering service that uses the entire width of the Lakeshore ROW.

The clear favourite in this debate is Summerhill. It will, at least, come with the cost of a freight bypass elsewhere but it’s the most ideal ROW.
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HSR will come to Union.

The station itself will have the capacity to handle it.

The USRC east will be very fully utilized.

But that's where its going. Unless someone's had a change of heart.....

I mean there's certainly lots of time to re-think that.........but that is the plan.
 
Northern Light said:
HSR will come to Union.

The station itself will have the capacity to handle it.

The USRC east will be very fully utilized.

But that's where its going. Unless someone's had a change of heart.....

I mean there's certainly lots of time to re-think that.........but that is the plan.
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I just don’t see it working without significantly degrading the express service potential on Lakeshore east/Stouffville. I suppose that will just be the consequence we accept…
 
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