[AlbertC]

Nov 18, 2020

 

[Northern Light]

Same owner (Slate) as 2 St. Clair W

Same firm (Gensler)

Very different result.

 

[ProjectEnd]

 

[someMidTowner]

The mural was a great addition, but I think they should've given the podium new energy-efficient windows that preserved the original design and left it at that.

 

[MoObserves]

Our major intersections in this city do suffer from big banks on prominent corners syndrome. You don't see it to the same extent in other cities around the world.
It's the big banks trying to one up each other, but in 2021 does a bank really need to be on ground level retail where much of banking is happening online or by appointment. I really don't get bankers going about their business in aquariums. I understand maybe having ground level entrance, signage, but you can always have a direct access to second floors, and allow for the idea of more interactive corner stores to exist, whatever they may be selling.

 

[xy3]

I wish the shadow boxes had were done in a light brown/bronze spandrel rather than the aqua, to pay homage to the original design.

 

[interchange42]

For posterity's sake, here's the best of the Google Street View images from before the makeover, from Nov 2016 when the lighting was the most pleasing:

While the original wasn't stunning, I do agree that Slate and Gensler rather mucked this one up, pretty much on par with the Robarts expansion tonal issue.

42

 

[DavidCapizzano]

I have a suspicion that Scotiabank is responsible for what happened here but I can't say for sure.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

When the older cladding looks better than the new one... /sigh

 

[LUVIT!]

It was 70’s ugly ... “let’s all chant”... everybody... now it’s just plain fugly

 

[isaidso]

WTH? If someone told me they had signed off on this I'd think they were pulling my chain. Speechless. One more reason to never go to this intersection ..... even if it's a 10 second drive by. My eyes might never recover.

 

[GenerationLee]

It feels more suburban somehow....like a cheap office plaza. I don't understand why these reclads are just approved without at least some regard for design.

 

[TossYourJacket]

I'd rather they'd just replaced the whole building tbh. It wasn't a good looking building before, and now it's just a weird mess of two buildings smashed together.

 

[AlbertC]

April 2, 2021

 

[isaidso]

Speechless.