[dashingdan]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

The lack of greenery bothered me at first, but the square has grown on me. I have never felt unsafe, uninvited or unsavory in the square. It's there in the middle of hundreds of people. How can you feel unsafe? Lots of people make it more safe, I would think. Plus there's always something going on in Dundas Square. And Metropolis is going up. I think Yonge & Dundas is really the heart of the city and its only going to become more popular.

 

[gbelan]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

update,they have put up one of the two bliboards that were removed from the eaton centre media tower.also the ryerson business buildings frame for their tv screen is up as well.

 

[Ed007Toronto]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

Was by the Ryerson Business School building tonight. Actually looks pretty good lit up. Also, contrary to previous mentions here there will be substantial room for trees and other plants along Dundas.

 

[allabootmatt]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

Walked by today. Very much like the Ryerson biz school...Metropolis is looking even more massive than expected. It has a great, looming presence when you look east on Dundas. I think it's going to be a great addition to the square.

 

[mark simpson]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

"... they have put up one of the two bliboards ..."

Great news

 

[adma]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

For some reason, Ryerson's boxy banality makes me think of (East) Berlin's Palace of the Republic--can't explain really

 

[Suicidal Gingerbread Man]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

they have put up one of the two bliboards that were removed from the eaton centre media tower.

Good news. Why did they take it down, anyway?

 

[Suicidal Gingerbread Man]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

U2 and Coldplay suck now anyway. Now if we could somehow bring Jeff Buckley back from the dead.

I like Jeff Buckley, and all, but something tells me that even if he were alive, U2 and Coldplay would be bigger draws.

 

[budboopriest]

I've been out of town for soo long. Would anyone be kind enough to do an update photo tour of metropolis, ryerson and the surrounding areas...please and thank you.

 

[tudararms]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

ED007 - "Boy are you ever a fountain of negativity. And not just in this post but in seemingly every post lately. Is there nothing that you like in this city?"

I guess I am guilty of assuming that a featured discussion on a major radio station, regarding one of the most discussed projects on this forum might be of interest to those who didn't hear it. What's more I don't believe I claimed to be in agreeance with those opinions or not. On the contrary, on the same day before posting above I posted the following regarding Dundas Square in another thread:

"Dundas Square is actually turning out quite nice, certainly in comparison to the way it was before. I was walking through the Eaton Centre last weekend to dodge the rain and I really did get a sense of being drawn through the place to the outside square, the action outside seeming far more interesting to me, crass commercialism and all. Then again, the commercialism inside the mall is fairly crass too. The Eaton Centre truly feels like a mall, albeit a spectacular one, while Dundas Square manages to feel like a place where one can just hang and be, enjoying the sites and sounds."

Does the above post qualify as an example of the negativity to which you refer, or is it honest criticism or opposing ideas that you don't like?

Archivist: "tudar can be a bit of bore sometimes frankly. Who else would take to heart and re-transmit in such detail the opinions of people who call into to radio talk shows?"

(ducking a gratuitous cheap shot) Archivist's elitist and boorish editorializing notwithstanding, I do believe that there are those out there who may be interested to know what the hoi polloi feel about the square.

"Anyways, perhaps those people who called in have never been to Europe? Not that uncommon to find mostly treeless ad-laden squares in Europe, or in Buenos Aires, New York, Tokyo etc."

Thanks for setting that straight, Archivist.

 

[alklay]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

I agree that the squares in Europe usually have no trees or greenery. My guess as to why that is not an issue is that most of these squares are surrounded by enough aesthetic beauty, in the form of beautiful architecture, to counter the fact that there is no natural beauty. Times Square is so overwhelming in commercial signs that the overload of stimuli gives one no time (or need) to look for trees for aesthetic stimuli.

Perhaps the problem with Dundas Square, in its present state, is that there is not enough aesthetic beauty or stimuli to stop people from looking around and thinking "this is kind of 'blah' or 'ugly'. This may change as the commercialism fills up the area.

I recently walked through the square with a friend and asked his opinion (while standing on the Eaton Centre side, looking across). He looked around, thought it was kind of 'bland' and could not stop commenting about how ugly the long canopy on the north side was. Unfortunately, with the ugliness of Olympic Centre, the unfinished Metropolis and the third world Hakim, there was nothing to elevate his general opinion as to the aesthetics. Perhaps that is why people want more 'geenery.'

 

[spmarshall]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

I got into the Business Building, on business naturally. The inside is quite nice, a huge contrast to the old building on Victoria. The atrium/courtyard is a nice touch, and looks like it will work fairly well once complete. Workers are everywhere scrambling to finsh the job on both the interior and exterior.

I don't hate the exterior, though it is a bit too boxy and no embellishing features. It will look okay once there's some greenery on street level and the final touches are complete. The canvas Ryerson banner looks tacky, hopefully that's temporary.

 

[SD2]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

The square has the same problem it's had for years - it's still surrounded (or at this point, bordered on the north side) by a construction zone. Olympic Spirit is finally finished, but still seems very much like a work in progress.

The square was supposed to be the 'eye of the storm', a contrast to the surrounding activity. At this point there's still not much of a storm around it.

As projects are completed and the area matures it will become a much more compelling square.

 

[indense]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

i wonder if the canopy could be "greened" - plant grasses and such on the top - like the ryerson computer science building.

personally i really like the square although there are a few things that could be improved

1) the stage is configured all wrong - it looks like the front of the stage is facing north
2) TO Tix is the wrong retailer for that location and adds nothing to life at the square - a cafe would be more appropriate
3) they cart away the tables and chairs too damn early - leave them out 24/7
4) the east side of the square, behind the stage should not be used for storing fences and cinder blocks and other shit - it just looks bad and uninviting
5) they never use the coloured lights in the ground any more
6) in the winter, they shovel pathways across the square - shovel the whole damn thing, put the tables and chairs out - this is Canada, people will sit

that's it. nothing too serious or unfixable. i think whoever is running the place will figure it all out eventually - the security guys have certainly chilled out since it first opened which was the first major complaint

 

[ganjavih]

Re: PCL: Metropolis Update June 1/06

I think alklay is bang on. People can often tell something is not quite right, but sometimes can't quite put their finger on what the problem is. For example, everyone blames the condos on Queen's Quay for the waterfront's unachievements. Dundas Square does have several things going against which makes people think it needs something else. It's been unfinished for almost ten years, lacks impressive architecture and clearly suffers from cost cutting. The solution? Greenery of course! But seriously, once it's done, hopefully there will be enough cheese and gaudiness to district people from its shortcomings. Not a huge amount of greenery or impressive architecture at Tokyo's Shibuya Square or even Times Square for that matter.