what happened to Context?

[Edward Skira]

An excerpt from the Mozo Sept 2006 newsletter:

Floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows are one of the great
features of the Mozo's condominium units. The condominium's
budget allows for one exterior window cleaning per
year, which can seem too infrequent when our windows
have accumulated a film of dirt. But a number of factors
make window cleaning at the Mozo a challenge. Increasing
the frequency would involve considerable inconvenience to
particular owners in the building and additional costs that
would be reflected in everyone’s maintenance fees.
The original roof anchor mechanism that was designed for
the rooftop of the Mozo building was never installed by the
developer. The developer instead installed roof anchors on
the terraces of the units on the 14th and 9th floors.
Whenever we do an exterior window cleaning, we must get
access through the units from residents on these floors to
allow workers to inspect the roof-anchors. Once the
anchors pass inspection, the same residents are advised to
allow window cleaning personnel to bring their equipment
through the units to the terraces. For 14th floor residents,
this involves carrying the cleaning equipment up stairs to
the second level. Adding to the complexity and cost of the
cleaning job is the asymmetrical balcony layout on the
building’s west side and Toronto Hydro’s need to install
protective covering over hydro lines along King Street East
at the corner of Sherbourne Street.The window
cleaning process is therefore a costly and
inconvenient one. For these reasons, we continue to budget
for one cleaning per year.

I can see why most developers go with a simple box. Doing something interesting can bring immense complexity with it.

 

[Mike in TO]

I wonder how the windows will be cleaned at the L Tower...

 

[Urban Shocker]

Very carefully.

 

[urbandreamer]

A giant "windshield" wiper perhaps? Or will there be a resident shoeshine boy? lol. Couldn't resist that one.

 

[Urban Shocker]

Maybe Sankai Juku could clean them next time they play the Hummingbird Centre, suspended upside down and slowly lowered from the roof in a reprise of their performance at the Bell Trinity Square building in 1984. Unfortunately, one of them fell to his death during a similar performance in the States and they retired the work.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I wonder how the windows will be cleaned at the L Tower...

I was over at the ROM late last Saturday night poking around and noticed the windows hadn't been cleaned yet. Now those are windows which truly present a challenge being cleaned!