barrytron3030 said:
...this intersection will be intense when ice is finished. the area certainly isnt pedestrian friendly now, what with all the wide roads, and few areas to cross without jaywalking...

i think a greater connection to the roundhouse park would be terrific. maybe a new 'entrance' or gateway arch? or some nice pedestrian bridges linking the north side of the street to the park? considering the parks proximity to such important buildings (roy thompson, cbc, acc, cn tower, skydome, the roundhouse itself) and the lake, i think it should be revitalized.
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York and Bremner are both 4 lanes (5 including left turn lanes) at the intersection and each direction away from it. Same width as Yonge, Queen, King, Bay, hardly wide streets. The area is only slightly pedestrian un-friendly because of 3 corners under construction, and the last is a parking lot (for now). Once all said is done, there will be plenty of wide sidewalks with inviting street level frontages containing stores, restaurants, bars, and attractive office building lobbies. Only York can be difficult to cross due to just one traffic light with a longer cycle in favour of York St. traffic, Besides that, I don't find it difficult to cross any of the streets in the area. Plus new PATH connections in the future will allow people to avoid walking at street level during inclimate weather.

Roundhouse Park is fine. Access from Simcoe may not be the best because of the parking garage entrances and retaining wall. My only concern with the park is that it may not be used enough as there is very little to draw people in right now. WHen MLS, Ice and Infinity 3 and 4 are done, plus Telus and 18 York, there will be a lot more people who will use the park. I see no purpose or justification for a pedestrian bridge from the north into the park. The Roundhouse Building itself needs some TLC, which will be happening, it's just too bad it's a furniture store moving in. But we'll see how that turns out. And I wish the area around the turret wasn't fenced off, but it's to prevent people from going near the locomotive if it's still there.
 
Steam Whistle Brewing is there.

You should come to Toronto some time.
 
AKS said:
What's a furniture store doing there? :O It's an entertainment/sports district.
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While I agree that it's a shame that Leons is moving into the roundhouse, there's no reason to keep furniture stores out of the neighbourhood. It's much more than an entertainment/sports district. It's also hotels, offices, residential, retail, and institutional. Restricting the area to one or two uses is a very suburban idea.
 
MisterF said:
While I agree that it's a shame that Leons is moving into the roundhouse, there's no reason to keep furniture stores out of the neighbourhood. It's much more than an entertainment/sports district. It's also hotels, offices, residential, retail, and institutional. Restricting the area to one or two uses is a very suburban idea.
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Well, there's no reason not to have others there but a furniture store seems misplaced. A mall or some sort of entertainment area like aquarium or something would fit the scene more. A place for people to hang out or enjoy themselves. I don't think a furniture store is a place for people to "hang out" at. Or like in NYC's Central park where they have an (indoor/outdoor?) stage play. I saw people hanging outside and there were some art sculptures like Romeo and Juliette. There were also benches for people to sit. I thought that was a neat alcove in the middle of the park.

The furniture store would probably fit more along Queen or King Street.
 
Are you saying that there should be no retail in this neighbourhood? Allowing (or requiring) retail means allowing furniture stores.
 
People indeed do "hang out at" furniture stores. I hang out at EQ3, chatting with the cute sales associates, and enjoying some comfy chairs....:) But, what would be brilliant marketing? Starbucks@Leon's (or EQ3.)
 
A Boconcept would be nice. Or a CB2. Or a Ligne Roset, but that's asking for a lot of faith in this neighbourhood.
 
It's a neighbourhood with many thousands of new apartments recently built or in the pipeline. Where better for a furniture store to serve new residents moving in? I had a few doubts as to how they would fit into a venue like the Roundhouse, but I trust that Leon's is smart enough to recognize the character of the place and to get it right.

A wide range of retailing and service operations make for a better neighbourhood. Too many times, "ground level retailing in a condo tower" means a coffee shop, a dry cleaner, or a medical office. A real neighbourhood needs a bit more than that limited range.
 
Observer Walt said:
It's a neighbourhood with many thousands of new apartments recently built or in the pipeline. Where better for a furniture store to serve new residents moving in? I had a few doubts as to how they would fit into a venue like the Roundhouse, but I trust that Leon's is smart enough to recognize the character of the place and to get it right.

A wide range of retailing and service operations make for a better neighbourhood. Too many times, "ground level retailing in a condo tower" means a coffee shop, a dry cleaner, or a medical office. A real neighbourhood needs a bit more than that limited range.
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This is true, but it makes wonder why the furniture store can't be located in condominium retail area, especially given the scores of new buildings going up. A real high-rise neighbourhood needs retail spaces which can accommodate more than a coffee shop.

In the end you're right. This isn't actually negative.
 
Well, I don't know if it's the time of day or the day I just happen to go to Leons. I seldom go there, but when I do go, it's pretty empty. The only furniture place that's busy and bustling every time I do happen to go is Ikea. When I was at Leon's it was so dead, I don't even consider it as a place to hang out. I even see more people at home depot than I do at Leon's.

I think if it was ikea, I would consider hanging out there to look at stuff. But if it was Leon's, even if it was nearby I wouldn't be going in.
 
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^ They're going for the $2 organic pasta, which is actually pretty good.

Did the Rogers Video store that was put in the Dome close? It looked that way the last time I walked by about a month ago. Maybe just a cellular/cable store now?

I like Junctionist's idea of the furniture store in the base of a condo. Leon's could work out a deal with Conservatory Group and occupy the entire base of Infinity 3/4 instead.
 
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