Even on a bad angle, can now see that it's curtainwall, and also that it's got some texture with the vertical fins. Bodes well for the lower floors at least

There was a good interview about the theater on CBC radio not long ago. The theater sounds like there isn't much left to preserve. Almost remarkable they kept it standing as long as they did. Edit: Here's the audio. Around 2:30 he's talking about the history of the building and its state...

I didn't notice the gaps until you zoomed in on them... but is that uplighting? This is an instant landmark if it is

That'd be an odd spot for a platform, given it's directly below the ACS's platform. Doesn't look like the crane could land anything there without the ACS interfering. That platform almost looks like it's an easement requirement to protect the property to the north since they're building up to...

Is that precast on the north elevation? Stone?

I'm amused by the steel structure for the exit stairs. I don't doubt that the wood construction is safe... but it's almost like the engineers are admitting that it's not *that* safe

I didn't realize the tower floors also canted to the west. It has some geometry, at least

Probably, but I imagine they'd try to sell it as "renaturalizing"

State is responsible for this? Interesting that there doesn't seem to be any waterproofing at the slab edge.

I really dislike this trend of building envelopes being broken up by random disconnected systems. Beyond invariably looking like a mishmash, look at all those interfaces. I see leaks, everywhere

So... Metropolis, again?

Some of the hatred goes back to the construction phase, before we even saw the top third. For many of us, we were looking at the bottom two-thirds for a long time before the curving curtainwall showed up. And that was lots of time to really notice the clunky, busy, and cheap windowwall covering...

Nah. There's just not much incentive to "leak". Generally if you happen to be privy to information before it's public knowledge there isn't a lot to be gained by posting to a forum. Like, even if I was totally assured it couldn't be traced to me... who cares?

At least it's curtainwall down low. If it switches to windowwall past the tenth storey it might look less bad from the street?

Much of the St Catherine of Siena congregation moved over to St Brigid's, where an Italian mass is said and the Festa Della Madonna Assunta is still celebrated. St Brigid's school also offers Italian instruction alongside French. There were a bunch of other pockets of very regionalized Italian...

I don't see value in hitting both. Upgrade the connectivity between them, sure, but do we really need HSR between Union and Pearson? But Pearson via the midtown corridor, that seems like it avoids many of the issues with getting HSR into Union, while also ticking an awful lot of boxes for what...

I see the appeal to Union... but I'd also think a Pearson connection makes sense. It would spread the traffic away from the already jammed corridors in/out of Union, it would offer better regional connectivity, it would further cement the transit hub around Pearson, and I could even see it being...

I wouldn't mind if the City considered this a mid-term holding, and at some point worked out a landswap if/when 817 comes up for development. I'd rather the park mid block (and potentially abutting the reference library), and then the Yonge/Church frontages at the corner getting an animated...

The huge blank west-facing wall is unfortunate, given how long it may take for the neighbouring lots to see development. But otherwise I like the massing and materiality. I'd also prefer to see the planter removed and space for a patio instead. The restaurants along there seem to do well, it'd...

The finishing on this thing is unreal though. The detail is remarkable for a city project. Costs were not spared