Toronto Wellesley on the Park | 194.15m | 60s | Lanterra | KPMB

I was at a community meeting tonight that was attended by Ward 27's Councillor Wong-Tam and Provincial MPP for Toronto Centre, Glen Murray. I wouldn't have believed it unless I heard it from the horses mouth but it's a very strong possibility that this land may indeed be converted to a park. Given that Queen's Park is a block west I think I'd rather see this developed with highrises but I wouldn't be disappointed to see a park go in here either. Watch this space for future news on this property.
 
i agree ^^^ this site is way to big just to be an open park, and the fact that all that separates it from yonge street is a strip of low rises doesn't help.
the city deserves more!!!

... and like i said before, a super tall wouldn't be so bad :D (but of course, more realistically, i can see at least 2 towers go up on this site (and NO not 2 supertalls, but 2 high-rises maybe 200m)
 
dt_toronto_geek said:
I was at a community meeting tonight that was attended by Ward 27's Councillor Wong-Tam and Provincial MPP for Toronto Centre, Glen Murray. I wouldn't have believed it unless I heard it from the horses mouth but it's a very strong possibility that this land may indeed be converted to a park. Given that Queen's Park is a block west I think I'd rather see this developed with highrises but I wouldn't be disappointed to see a park go in here either. Watch this space for future news on this property.
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wow, i'm quite disappointed.

prime land right next to a subway station ... what a waste !
 
Personally, I think an well-designed urban square - park could be amazing here. Maybe provisions could be made for a future cultural centre as well. It'd give the Opera Place condos a more pleasing reason for their name.
 
dt_toronto_geek said:
I was at a community meeting tonight that was attended by Ward 27's Councillor Wong-Tam and Provincial MPP for Toronto Centre, Glen Murray. I wouldn't have believed it unless I heard it from the horses mouth but it's a very strong possibility that this land may indeed be converted to a park. Given that Queen's Park is a block west I think I'd rather see this developed with highrises but I wouldn't be disappointed to see a park go in here either. Watch this space for future news on this property.
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I was at another meeting last night where I got confirmation that Morguard and the Allegro condo have settled their dispute.

The site now remains only in litigation between the Ontario goverment and Morguard. Apparently if this site wasn't developed in the allotted time, then the government of Ontario was to reacquire the land.

I predict this prime spot will sit vacant for some time. Then we'll get 1 more Morguard tower, some Ontario government offices on Wellesley, and parkland to the south by the YMCA.
 
My understanding all along was yes there was to be a parkette in the MIDDLE of that block (currently with Allegro and Bay Club) ... 2 additional buildings were suppose to go up along the north and east edges, thereby creating a U-shaped building footprint at ground level surrouding the parkette
 
I don't really see the need for an additional open space - there is the parkette right by YMCA, the open space at the forecourt of the Govt of Ontario complex, plus the awful circulation space within the block. Personally, I'd rather trade that for something that is dense but human-scaled, with an eye on ensuring something intricate instead of yet another monolithic, quasi-superblock development.

AoD
 
Bayer said:
I always thought there was supposed to be a park there.
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You're right, in the original plan there is another park mentioned, good eye:

"The comprehensive redevelopment of the north block is to include approximately 825 condominium units built in four phases, containing a total gross floor area of 78,400 square metres, including approximately 4,180 square metres of street-related retail and service uses fronting on Bay and Wellesley Streets, a private recreation facility, below-grade parking and a new 2,017 square metre public park."

For reference, the YMCA park across the street on Breadalbane is 1,733 square metres.

and again:
"2.2 Redeployment of Density
The massing and density on the north block is a partly a function of reallocating density from two locations:
a)approximately 6,700 square metres from the south block which was not developed at 25 Breadalbane Street
b)density attributable to the north block parkland (not including density attributable to the area of the city lane within the parkland)"

and again:
"The lower buildings of the north block development will be adjacent and to the south of 24 Wellesley Street West which sits at an angle to the street. This arrangement mitigates impacts and provides residents of 24 Wellesley with views west and south into the new public park."

and again:
"The south and north block public parks will total 3,750 square metres or just under one acre."

and again:
"The north block parkland development will take place in stages, first as interim landscaping treatment associated with the phased development of the north block. The open space area is adjusted with each phase of development as the internal U-shaped service lane is created"

and finally for steveve:
"While this development is a substantial change from the existing temporary open space on the site today, it should be emphasized that the site is zoned for substantial residential development."
 
any park in this area needs to be right off of Yonge st. It doesn't need to be large. If they could trade some of this open space for a space as wide as two store fronts on Yonge, then they can build a Paley or Greenacre pocket park like in NYC that would be well used. Placement and design of parks is critical. Good urban parks have an intimate relationship to the street.

see
Paley Park http://youtu.be/v1hiRhqSQkU

Greenacre Park http://youtu.be/aZ_SbPnd2dE
 
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There really isn't enough parkland in the Bay/Yonge/Church corridor in Downtown Toronto. There are also more children downtown and few local parks for them and their parents to go to. My guess is that these play a part in any decision to convert part or all of this space for park space.

You need some green to balance off all that massive construction that's been going on throughout downtown Toronto. Done well it could really add to the area. Also you get a panoramic view of a section of downtown from that spot which would make a great background for a cool park space.
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
I don't really see the need for an additional open space - there is the parkette right by YMCA, the open space at the forecourt of the Govt of Ontario complex, plus the awful circulation space within the block. Personally, I'd rather trade that for something that is dense but human-scaled, with an eye on ensuring something intricate instead of yet another monolithic, quasi-superblock development.

AoD
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I agree with the first part of your statement, though I would not place any height restrictions on potential development.

just because there is open space available here doesnt mean that the whole thing needs to be a park or even that an attractive park is possible in this location. To me, this empty block is really detracting from the fabric of the city. I cant believe what a mess this whole situation is and how long it's gone on. I'd like to see a 3 or 4 tower development along the lines of the Zeckendorf Towers in Manhattan:

buildingout1-980x620.jpg
 
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