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

Richard White said:
Subway commuters will arrive on the same level as the food court. Id expect that to generate some foot traffic. I would hope the food court would be open beyond typical office hours but then im not sure what the economic numbers look like
Click to expand...
So the Union TTC station mezzanine and covered moat is on the food court level? That also means the newish walkway to northwest is on the food court level.

That would be the game changer then! I should look at those old plans again - gosh, it must have been a decade or so since we started closely looking at them - hard to remember any more!

edit - If anyone else has forgotten like me where all these old drawings are hidden, they are in the slideshow at http://urbantoronto.ca/database/projects/union-station-revitalization

The diagram in particular of the food court level is very optimistic, with all the connections to the teamway, moat, ACC, and to the south. I'd imagine that ultimately that there'll always be a lot of foot traffic at food court level. And there'd eventually be some stuff open long past 7 pm if the laws of supply and demand still hold!

urbantoronto-1230-3711.jpg
 
Last edited:
nfitz said:
So the Union TTC station mezzanine and covered moat is on the food court level? That also means the newish walkway to northwest is on the food court level.

That would be the game changer then! I should look at those old plans again - gosh, it must have been a decade or so since we started closely looking at them - hard to remember any more!
Click to expand...
That’s not completely correct. The TTC concourse level is at the same level as the Union Food Court, but it requires going through both retail levels under Bay and Via Councourses. There is no level passage from TTC to Food Court along the north end of Union Station (Front Moats), as it required going up in the Front East Moat and down at the York Concourse.
 
Last edited:
Richard White said:
This about sums it up.. the food court will not be open past 7 pm. It is interesting to note that there is still plenty of traffic in the York Concourse at that time and that the Mcdonalds in the Bay Concouse was open much later than 7 PM on a regular basis.
Click to expand...
They've removed the closing hours since. It now reads as follows (link):
Open daily from 7am and 10am on weekends

Also, they're removing the fencing around the food stalls (sorry, won't call them restaurants). Looks like opening day is imminent.
 
Leo_Chan said:
There is no non-level passage from TTC to Food Court along the north end of Union Station (Front Moats), as it required going up in the Front East Moat and down at the York Concourse.
Click to expand...
Doesn't look a particularly big up and down looking at the drawing. Presumably just a short ramp. Not enough to discourage people I'd think.

I really haven't been paying full attention. The food court would be where the "York Street Promenade" is shown on that image I posted above?
 
nfitz said:
Doesn't look a particularly big up and down looking at the drawing. Presumably just a short ramp. Not enough to discourage people I'd think.

I really haven't been paying full attention. The food court would be where the "York Street Promenade" is shown on that image I posted above?
Click to expand...
York Street Pedestrian Retail
 
raptor said:
They've removed the closing hours since. It now reads as follows (link):
Open daily from 7am and 10am on weekends

Also, they're removing the fencing around the food stalls (sorry, won't call them restaurants). Looks like opening day is imminent.
Click to expand...

I wonder what will happen to the small Tim's kiosk currently outside the York Concourse. It opens at 6 am (and is well used at that time) but the food court only opens at 7,
 
Northern Light said:
Union's Food Court will do just fine on weekends.
Click to expand...
I'm in agreement with you there.

The Union Food Court has excellent market potential and connections once the full lower level is finished.

The Union Food Court will be the fastest way to get to the York Concourse from TTC without touching stairs (until the escalators underneath York Concourse).

It has relatively attractive restaurant retailers that makes it sufficiently a destination for nearby condo dwellers, while also a definite attraction for weekend workers, hungry tourists, day trippers, game days, and more. With 15-minute service hitting several GO lines in the (relatively) near future, electrified or not -- and increased fare integration -- there will be plenty of market for the lower level of Union as long as they execute well, and as long as they don't cancel 15-min service. Location is excellent and there is a route of zero stairs between TTC and Food Court via the Pedestrian Retail route (at least). That said, they need to make several west PATH extensions, too, to attract even more business.
 
I think they are trying to do what is done at Grand Central Terminal.

A difference is that Grand Central boards on two levels. The food court is on the lower level where some people have to get to anyways in order to board.

Hope Union is also successful. What is really needed is a little grocery store or grab and go shop.
 
The retailers will set their own closing hours. 1900 was just an option and McDonalds will surely extend their hours like they did at the Bay Concourse.

The small Tim's will shut down and be removed at the York Promenade.

All I can say is the food court will open before Dec.
 
WillTo said:
I think they are trying to do what is done at Grand Central Terminal.

A difference is that Grand Central boards on two levels. The food court is on the lower level where some people have to get to anyways in order to board.

Hope Union is also successful. What is really needed is a little grocery store or grab and go shop.
Click to expand...
Longos or Farm Boy. :p
 
mdrejhon said:
I'm in agreement with you there.

The Union Food Court has excellent market potential and connections once the full lower level is finished.

The Union Food Court will be the fastest way to get to the York Concourse from TTC without touching stairs (until the escalators underneath York Concourse).

It has relatively attractive restaurant retailers that makes it sufficiently a destination for nearby condo dwellers, while also a definite attraction for weekend workers, hungry tourists, day trippers, game days, and more. With 15-minute service hitting several GO lines in the (relatively) near future, electrified or not -- and increased fare integration -- there will be plenty of market for the lower level of Union as long as they execute well, and as long as they don't cancel 15-min service. Location is excellent and there is a route of zero stairs between TTC and Food Court via the Pedestrian Retail route (at least). That said, they need to make several west PATH extensions, too, to attract even more business.
Click to expand...
I’d like to see a tunnel underneath the Front West Moat that connects the Union Food Court with Royal York, while connecting with the NW PATH and the TTC (under Sir John A Macdonald Square).
 
Leo_Chan said:
I’d like to see a tunnel underneath the Front West Moat that connects the Union Food Court with Royal York, while connecting with the NW PATH and the TTC (under Sir John A Macdonald Square).
Click to expand...
The original tunnel between Union Station and the Royal York Hotel had to be closed due to the expanded Union subway station. I assume that precludes any new tunnel between the two buildings.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top