Toronto Waterworks Building Redevelopment | 47.55m | 13s | MOD Developments | Diamond Schmitt

[AlbertC]

Nice to see that a YMCA is being planned for this site. Admittedly I have been slacking lately despite having membership, but this would be a pretty sweet location in the future.

 

[AlbertC]

https://tayloronhistory.com/2012/12...maintenance-building-on-richmond-street-west/

Interesting read on this site's history. I used to pass by this area a lot during the '90s as a kid, when my mom had a work studio nearby on Adelaide.

 

[smably]

G&M:
Heritage redevelopment project will bring a great hall to King West

After the long skylights have been restored and the bricked-up windows are brought back to life – some as doorways onto the park – the garage will be given back to the public as Toronto’s first food hall, and on land that once contained St. Andrew’s Market (1850-1931), a city-owned public market much like the beloved and much more successful St. Lawrence Market.

“There are, obviously, markets and there are food courts underneath office buildings, and there is Eataly coming, but there’s no version of the Rotterdam [Markthal],” says Mr. Switzer. “We looked at one in Madrid, and there’s the Chelsea Market in New York.”

Toronto’s Great Hall will most closely resemble Madrid’s Mercado de San Miguel, he continues: “You have a patisserie, you have a chicken place, and in the middle, they’ve got these wine bars and oyster bars and ice cream,” he explains enthusiastically, “so there really is nothing like that in Toronto – you just come in, you have a nosh, keep on going, but [there are] also sit-down restaurants.”

This sounds pretty cool -- and I take back my complaint about lack of permeability:

New transparencies in the old building might help achieve this: a new visual link from north to south will be made possible by maintaining the interior courtyard of the existing C-shaped Deco building, and, perhaps more importantly, office workers on bustling Spadina Avenue who look west down Camden Street will be greeted with a new view through the old Waterworks building all the way to Maud Street.

 

[smably]

In related news, Eva's Phoenix (a youth shelter) is opening in the portion of the building fronting Brant Street:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...es-homeless-youth-a-roof-and-a-new-start.html

That would be the diagonally hatched part on the architectural plans:

 

[neuhaus]

It's about time Toronto gets some kind of urban food hall and surprised we don't have one yet.
I've been to a few U.S. cities where these upscale food halls have been extremely popular for years. It's essentially an upscale food court with a bar in the middle of the dining area with food vendors along one side or around the perimeter. Some are multi-stories with some outdoor spaces and I have seen some built out of shipping containers. They are pretty much hipster hangouts but it creates a really fun social environment and good for groups who can't decide what to eat.

It would be nice if the northern courtyard entrance be aligned with Augusta Ave, as the building is the terminus for that street. It would also create a nice welcoming presence from Queen Street and draw more people in.
With the Ace Hotel coming in on the other side of Brant Street, this area will be totally transformed and not so quiet in the next 5 years.

 

[thecharioteer]

It would be nice if the northern courtyard entrance be aligned with Augusta Ave, as the building is the terminus for that street. It would also create a nice welcoming presence from Queen Street and draw more people in.

While it would be nice, it's not possible to line them up exactly, given that the entire Richmond façade is being retained, and the proposed entrance to the courtyard will be through the existing carriageway (behind the green doors in the pic below):

 

[interchange42]

With the Ace Hotel coming in on the other side of Brant Street, this area will be totally transformed and not so quiet in the next 5 years.

It's no longer the Ace brand which will be running the hotel across the street: it will be Le Germain's second line, Alt Hotel.

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[interchange42]

So, let's go inside for a view. First, during the daytime a few weeks ago at the development's announcement:

Joe Cressy:

Gary Switzer, Eve Lewis, and Noorez Lalani:

Adding Build Toronto, the Garment District Neighbourhood Association, Eva's Phoenix, and the YMCA into the mix.

Add an architect, a mayor, another architect…

…and let's just look at the space in its raw-ish state.

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[UrbanAffair]

Wow, can't wait to see more. Repurposing old industrial buildings like this sure beats a basic facadectomy. Plus, MOD is involved so big plus there.

 

[interchange42]

MOD, and Woodcliffe who have also done wonders with older building stock in the city: Market Street is one example.

Next, there was last night, when the space had been turned into a presentation centre and event space for Waterworks:

So that's the end of the presentation centre (probably the most gorgeous one I've ever seen in this city: 3 cheers for Cecconi Simone)…

…while the future food hall area was turned into an event space for the evening. (Good party Faulhaber!)

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[A Torontonian Now]

I love the use of the Monopoly waterworks symbol for marketing (even if it may border on copyright infringement).

 

[Momin]

Update: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2016/10/waterworks-building-showcases-its-vision-future

 

[AlbertC]

Great photos and tour!

 

[interchange42]

Thanks @AlbertC! It really is a stunning presentation centre, worth touring on its merits alone, whether or not you're thinking of buying here. It's fun to see the future food hall area too, and do a little imagining.

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[Momin]

Update: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2016/11/waterworks-building-redevelopment-looks-history-cues