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On the opposite end I think if we can create a large retail or kind of a mini mall in the base of a building and make the building itself this centralized shopping center, why not have a super large retailer at the base of a building such a wallmart, costco, or canadiantire?
Some of these strip malls such as finchdale have both the big chains (TD, Shoppers, hakim, beer store, subway etc.) and the small mom and pop shops (the dollar plus, the coin laundry, the sports bar and grille, punjabi curries and kebabs, hakka, r bakery, medical offices.) coexist together
 
Jonny5 said:
Definitely on the retail. This localism trend has mutated into a twee affectation of urbanism that actual residents don't need and don't use. Centralised shopping centres are most often really great places, even if they are *gasp* more than 15 minutes away!
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I completely disagree. The selection of retail in many of these places is poor, but the idea on paper is superb. I think having to go 15+ minutes just to do any shopping is awful.
 
LemonCondo said:
We need to mandate a "units per sq foot" minimum. Avoid the huge mono units that will only be occupied by Shoppers Drug Mart or The Beer Store.
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Or at least there need to be some design guidelines that make smaller units viable, and easier to subdivide.
 
yoshirocks702 said:
On the opposite end I think if we can create a large retail or kind of a mini mall in the base of a building and make the building itself this centralized shopping center, why not have a super large retailer at the base of a building such a wallmart, costco, or canadiantire?
Some of these strip malls such as finchdale have both the big chains (TD, Shoppers, hakim, beer store, subway etc.) and the small mom and pop shops (the dollar plus, the coin laundry, the sports bar and grille, punjabi curries and kebabs, hakka, r bakery, medical offices.) coexist together
Click to expand...
I think the problem with the big box stores is that they negatively affect walkability by creating large blank walls that are not usually very animated or perhaps even filmed over. Big box can be part of the mix, but might be better on the second story, with smaller retail units at ground level. And typically a big box is going to be looking for some parking, likely underground. Thinking along the lines of the Bathurst and Lakeshore Loblaws, where the grocery store is mostly on the second level, and smaller retailers are on ground floor (LCBO, SDM).
 
afransen said:
I think the problem with the big box stores is that they negatively affect walkability by creating large blank walls that are not usually very animated or perhaps even filmed over. Big box can be part of the mix, but might be better on the second story, with smaller retail units at ground level. And typically a big box is going to be looking for some parking, likely underground. Thinking along the lines of the Bathurst and Lakeshore Loblaws, where the grocery store is mostly on the second level, and smaller retailers are on ground floor (LCBO, SDM).
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The walkability aspect is not just the blank wall…. it’s the diversity of destinations and services that lead to greater numbers of people coming and going, and the value of the street as a “main street” - nobody walks to Metro or Loblaws, because they need a car to haul away their weekly grocery load.

I don’t consider LCBO or SDM to be “smaller” businesses. The frontage of a single LCBO can replace a green grocer, two small bistros, and a couple of small shops, and a pizza stand. If the only store on a block is an LCBO, the average person will only have reason to be there once a week (ok, twice a week…. lol) whereas now, a person may visit that block several times a week to make a variety of purchases..

We are already seeing good chunks of Yonge St being transformed into a much more sterile environment thanks to redevelopment. We can’t afford to see the same happen on College, Roncy, Bloor West, the Danfort, or Queen in the Beaches. In the suburbs, we have miles and miles of strip malls that are prime locations for new development - if every 8-store strip mall is replaced by a single Shoppers, that’s a huge erosion. I already see this happening on the Queensway, for instance…. its stores may not be high traffic or trendy, but they seem to serve a market, and as various restaurants and such build clientele they have enhanced the street as a zone for economic growth and the potential and real quality of the street life has increased. We need to preserve the street vitality as we add density, not erode it.

And even if those small businesses survive by simply finding affordable space elsewhere….the commercial activity and everyday life that they represent is effectively moved off our main streets and away from the transit and bike lanes. Is this an acceptable outcome?

- Paul
 
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I'm only surprised this didn't happen sooner

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(Not sure what the image source is)
 
May 26
More up on my site

Ended up on Finch Friday and decided to take a look at things. Lot easier going eastbound than my last trip.

Still stand behind my prediction that this line maybe completed by year end and will be 2nd or 3q of 2024 before service starts. The biggest block is west of Arrow Rd for the creek and that will set a better timeline when the line will be completed.

Lots of guideway being pour and waiting for it to be done, let alone adding the rail. Lot more overhead is up from poles only to been strung.

Humber station is seeing new roadwork being done for the southbound 27 and Humber College Blvd eastbound. Station still not completed.

Someone was asking if the current bus terminal will be move to the station and what I was seeing is an area for the new road to the college with a wide sidewalk/platform for dropping riders off and picking them up with only part of it completed. This means buses will use 27 to gain access to this area as well the college, As for leaving the college, need to see more site work to say what is going to happen.

Shims for the trackwork have been place in the grove, with centre poles going into the guideway north of the station.
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turbanplanner said:
Are you sure? I assumed that earlier but saw cut outs unless I'm missing something?
View attachment 483710
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You didn't miss anything.

With this style of track construction, the switches and crossovers need to be assembled first - sometimes off-site, but sometimes like this - before being inserted and then grouted. You can see the space that has been cast in the top concrete layer waiting for the whole assembly to be dropped in.

Dan
 
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