Toronto Via Bloor | 138.37m | 46s | Tridel | a—A

...to which is shared in part with a dedicated bicycle path.

To be sure though, and since I have an appointment near that area in the coming days, I'll walk by there to see how much my Andy Rooney moment is worth the rant and print over my stated peeve about this.

Edit/Update: I'll also try to figure out where those traffic lights are coming from the same picted...as I don't recall any such along that stretch the last time I was walking by there last month.
Update: So I did follow-up on this today in person...and it does appears even with the planters there, there is enough public sidewalk left to drive a truck down (not that I would encourage that). Meaning the space between the planters and edge of the sidwalk is very generous in width indeed for entire length of this project Bloor E. side. So while my postion on planters remains, I'll have to walk this one back...therefore, I sit humble pied corrected. /sigh
 
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This nearly brings a tear to my eye - a shiny new streetwall of walkable retail where for decades a useless, muddy greenfield lay along a major street.
It's nice to see but as with so many new buildings, they've managed to get important details backwards. The planting beds should be by the curb and the main part of the sidewalk should be right next to the storefronts. That would provide some buffer between pedestrians and car traffic and get people walking next to shops and window displays, allowing for window shopping. This simple relationship is how every traditional main street is designed. The way it's built, pedestrians are exposed to car traffic and separated from the retail. That makes it a less pleasant walking environment and worse for businesses.
 
^^^ I get what you're saying but it looks to me like the new sidewalk's quite generous and the pedestrians are still a ways away from the car traffic. There's even a bike lane in between.
 
I see the west tower and it reminds me of the original proposal for the site (must have been a decade ago now) that consisted of three towers like that one with winter gardens between. It was bold and had a really impressive scale.
 

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