jje1000
Senior Member
Is there any retail planned for the side of the building facing the Corus Building?
Toronto Waterfront Innovation Centre | 53.03m | 11s | Waterfront Toronto | Sweeny &Co
- Thread starter DSC
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christiesplits
Senior Member
The ONLY somewhat redeeming part of this project is that it blocks the terribly mediocre Corus building with a building that is tepidly less so.
Amare
Senior Member
I feel like we use that reason to justify 80% of the non-sense that goes up in this city. I guess time will tell what will block this mediocre garbage from being seen on prime waterfront real estate.
Automation Gallery
Superstar
Haha, i don't think this thing will ever be seen from anywhere on the waterfront unless you're there
ChesterCopperpot
Senior Member
sammmy
New Member
jje1000
Senior Member
Good to know- though I have some concerns that the retail on Block 2 might concentrate their entries and exists facing Queens Quay, leaving the side facing Dockside Drive as essentially the back-of-house.
Another issue is that all the services are also facing Dockside Drive- that area facing the Corus Quay loading docks is going to be dismal to walk through.
There'll be a short section with a couple of closed doors and blank walls. Knapp Lane will take the bulk of the servicing. Into every city a little of that must fall, and calling it dismal is a little over the top. So what if a short section is given over to things we can't avoid, especially if Queens Quay and the section facing the park are saved for more activated frontages.
42
42
Start Fox
Active Member
I agree. You've gotta put the service stuff somewhere, and in this case either it goes on Queens Quay East or on Dockside Drive - I think they made the right choice putting them on Dockside Drive.
I suppose in an ideal world it would go underground (seems like Sidewalk Labs is considering doing something like this, based on what I've seen of their presentation materials from last night), but in that case I suppose you'd need a ramp which would eat up a significant piece of the surface level with an ugly ramp.
I suppose in an ideal world it would go underground (seems like Sidewalk Labs is considering doing something like this, based on what I've seen of their presentation materials from last night), but in that case I suppose you'd need a ramp which would eat up a significant piece of the surface level with an ugly ramp.
jje1000
Senior Member
I dunno, it feels like that with this building in place, Dockside Drive will essentially be a secondary street that'll also be constantly shaded- a lost opportunity for a more intimate space and some level of placemaking beyond the institutional feeling the area currently has.
I think that it might be worth looking into a wider site servicing strategy for the entire waterfront- i.e. it might be worth looking into a centralized underground service spaces, possibly accessed by a single ramp. I also think that there should be some sort of strategy to at least reduce the impact of these service zones- i.e. interesting cladding, murals. Anything but the way they've treated the Corus service docks (boring and deadening).
I think that it might be worth looking into a wider site servicing strategy for the entire waterfront- i.e. it might be worth looking into a centralized underground service spaces, possibly accessed by a single ramp. I also think that there should be some sort of strategy to at least reduce the impact of these service zones- i.e. interesting cladding, murals. Anything but the way they've treated the Corus service docks (boring and deadening).
DSC
Superstar
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From WT
Jarvis Dockwall Reinforcement
In July, Waterfront Toronto began work on placing approximately 35 metres of existing dockwall reinforcement located along the east side of the Jarvis Street Slip. This project involved necessary structural work on the Jarvis dockwall that was required prior to the start of construction at an adjacent development block that will be the future home of the Waterfront Innovation Centre.
Somerville Construction will have a crew working at the site for the next two weekends – September 1-2 and September 8-9. Weekend work will occur between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Minimal noise should be expected with this work. Access to Canada’s Sugar Beach and the Martin Goodman Trail will be maintained at all times.
Dockwall construction is expected to be completed with crews vacated from the site by Wednesday, September 12, 2018.
Jarvis Dockwall Reinforcement
In July, Waterfront Toronto began work on placing approximately 35 metres of existing dockwall reinforcement located along the east side of the Jarvis Street Slip. This project involved necessary structural work on the Jarvis dockwall that was required prior to the start of construction at an adjacent development block that will be the future home of the Waterfront Innovation Centre.
Somerville Construction will have a crew working at the site for the next two weekends – September 1-2 and September 8-9. Weekend work will occur between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Minimal noise should be expected with this work. Access to Canada’s Sugar Beach and the Martin Goodman Trail will be maintained at all times.
Dockwall construction is expected to be completed with crews vacated from the site by Wednesday, September 12, 2018.
achender
Active Member
achender
Active Member
christiesplits
Senior Member
I think what is most disappointing about this building is that because it's called the "Waterfront Innovation Centre," you expect something bold and creative. If they called it the "Lakeshore Corporate Centre," its sterile office park design wouldn't be as bothersome.
TrickyRicky
Senior Member
^True but that’s only if we believe in the whole “innovation” marketing industry complex. As though what people do today or brand as innovation is any different than what people have ever done.