Toronto Yonge City Square Residences | 117.09m | 32s | Gupta | Arcadis

And she wonders why the city had so much trouble with redeveloping lands. Interesting how when it affects them, efficiency arguments gets cast to the wayside by these so called fiscal conservatives and it's all about the neighbourhood.

AoD
 
Curious thing is, at least within Stintz's own ward, 4050 has *no* proximate residential neighbourhood to speak of--any legit criticism here, I feel, would have more to do with watershed impact than neighbourhood impact...
 
Thankfully, I'd say - it is a truly stupid idea. Unfortunately, we'd miss out on the potential for some truly unique displays - like wax statues of operators taking a nap, using the cellphone or period replica (circa 2000s) of ticket booths covered with handwritten signs for that added touch of class!

AoD
 
Someday the TTC should open a proper museum (despite the current cynicism about the system), and while this may be a good place to move the TTC's headquarters, it would make sense to me to have a TTC Museum located at one of the system's yards where one can include rolling stock.

42
 
http://app.toronto.ca/DevelopmentApplications/navigatePlanningApp.do?method=next&reportType=2

4050 YONGE ST

Site Plan Approval 10 319455 NNY 16 SA Ward 16
- North York Dec 23, 2010 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Build Toronto is proposing to develop the subject site with an 8-storey mixed use building with a total height of 43 metres (141 feet). The development would have a total gross floor area of 46, 380 square metres (500,000 square feet) of which 41,873 square metres (450,730 square feet) would be for office use and the remaining gross floor area would be for retail, restaurant and museum uses. There would be 231 vehicular parking spaces provided within 2 levels of below grade parking with access from Wilson Avenue.

A transit museum here is crazy, and I predict will become a massive failure. It should be located downtown, probably near Union Stn, and perhaps on that stupid parking lot for the dome that CP originally planned seniors housing on.
 
The other part I find hilarious here ... the giant building across the street (the old shell building I believe) is sitting half empty - this is with 200,000+ square feet of space available ... the TTC probably needs more then this I believe.
Seeing how badly different TTC departments seem to communicate with each other I don't see why they even need to be in the same building.

The museum is a joke as well - it's too small to say the least - it does belong downtown as well but it may do OK there if it was decent.
 
A museum that's too small and isolated will only marginalize the TTC's past. The past is important for its present identity and encourages people to have a stronger emotional connection to Toronto transit and to embed it in the city's culture. For transit, that's quite desirable considering that driving also has a emotional and cultural pull to its side. Transit shouldn't be the boring, institutional alternative but at the heart of the city's culture.
 
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/l...l-approves-office-building-on-ttc-parking-lot
Community council approves office building on TTC parking lot


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Community council approves office building on TTC parking lot. North York councillors have approved a development for an office building at the northwest corner of Wilson Avenue and Yonge Street. Toronto council will consider the development at its July 12-13 meeting. Image/GOOGLE STREET VIEW

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Although the TTC no longer plans to call it home for its headquarters, a controversial office building for the northwest corner of Wilson Avenue and Yonge Street has been approved by North York councillors. The property, at 4050 Yonge, is now a 260-space commuter parking lot and includes a TTC entrance building leading to an underground tunnel taking commuters to the York Mills subway station on the west side of Yonge, and the York Mills GO Transit bus terminal on the east side of Yonge.
As recently as last winter, the proposed development was to house TTC headquarters, currently located at 1900 Yonge at Davisville Avenue, but those plans have since been abandoned.
Don Logie, senior vice-president of development for Build Toronto, the city's arm's-length real estate development arm, said the organization is confident it can attract a tenant.
"We think this is going to be a very good location and we're optimistic we will get a tenant in the near future," he said.
The proposed development calls for a seven-storey building, according to a city report presented to councillors at the June 22 community council meeting. City council will consider the development at its July 12-13 meeting.
The building would be almost 44,700 square metres (480,800 square feet), including about three-quarters for offices and almost 5,600 square metres (60,000 square feet) for retail, restaurant and cafe space.
A green roof is proposed on the sixth and seventh floors and an atrium in the centre of the building would provide natural light.
A three-level parking garage would hold 371 parking spaces and 134 spots for bicycles.
After residents expressed concerns, Build Toronto made changes, including working with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority on the remediation of the valley lands, Logie said.
In addition, since the development was first pitched in April 2010, the height of the building has been reduced to seven storeys from eight, the floor area has been scaled back by more than 1,700 square metres (18,400 square feet) and the number of parking spaces have been bumped to 371 on three levels from 231 on two levels.
But several residents remain upset with the plans, including Trevor Jones, director of the Yonge Ridge Homeowners Association.
"This is a regrettable and disappointing project for our community," he said.
Jones laid out a number of concerns including the loss of TTC commuter parking spots to be replaced with tenant-only spots, fears there won't be enough parking spots for everyone using the building, increased traffic on surrounding streets, limited kiss and ride parking spaces on Old York Mills Road, and ecological problems by constructing the building in a flood plain area.
Arguing there are already about 9,300 square metres (100,000 square feet) of vacant office space in the immediate vicinity, Jones said he is surprised Build Toronto opted for an office building on the site rather than a condominium building.
Mitchell Shnier is also worried about the loss of commuter parking spaces, pointing out 130 parking spaces are soon to be lost beside the nearby Miller Tavern.
"This is a TTC property, public property, and what they're doing is discouraging people from using it," he said.
But Eglinton-Lawrence Councillor Karen Stintz said there are other parking spaces in the area and argued it is time to develop the existing parking lot.
"I think it is fair to say a parking lot is not the best use at the corner of Yonge and York Mills, Yonge and Wilson," she said.
However, while Don Valley West Councillor Jaye Robinson acknowledged Build Toronto has made a number of concessions, she said she couldn't vote for the development.
"The bottom line is this does impact Ward 25 Don Valley West (which abuts the property) and my job is to be the voice for those residents," said Robinson, the only councillor who voted against the proposal.
 
I wish them good luck ... it's a great idea ... but the comment above regarding the 100K+ of currently available office space (right across the street actually) is 100% correct.

It's the York Mills center building, the previous headquarters of shell I believe ? Or the like. Anyway large chunks of this building are empty.

The large office complex(s) to the north are retentively well leased though (90% or more if I recall).


But the key is, if the space just to the east cannot attract a lead tenant how do they imagine they will ? A good argument to be made here is the space will be much more environmentally conscious implying lowering operating costs and the like ... also there may be tax incentives.

Lot's of retail too ... that's good! this is area is pretty derelict, I do wish it was office / condo project.
 
I know that one of the big 5 banks will be moving a number of employees to one of those buildings at Yonge & York Mills, beginning this fall. I'm not sure exactly which building, and not sure exactly how much space, but it should be a number of floors.
 
I know that one of the big 5 banks will be moving a number of employees to one of those buildings at Yonge & York Mills, beginning this fall. I'm not sure exactly which building, and not sure exactly how much space, but it should be a number of floors.

Moving employees from where ? Most banks have tons of employment throughout the GTA not just downtown.
 

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