Very few (if any) residential buildings in Toronto are known by their names. Maybe only those attached to hotels (eg. Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons Residences). I doubt that many cab/rideshare drivers would even know "Aura" unless they're skyscraper / urban development watchers. These names are pure branding / marketing - nothing else.
Not sure I agree. In St Lawrence we talk about several buildings by name. The Berczy, Market Square, The Wellington come to mind. Certainly not all names stick.
 
Not sure I agree. In St Lawrence we talk about several buildings by name. The Berczy, Market Square, The Wellington come to mind. Certainly not all names stick.
Maybe residents and locals know them by name. But if you tell a cab / Uber driver to take you to the Wellington, will they know?
 
Not sure I agree. In St Lawrence we talk about several buildings by name. The Berczy, Market Square, The Wellington come to mind. Certainly not all names stick.
I live here and I don't think I would know where any of those names are. Is Market Square the one over Metro? The other two ring no bells for me.
 
I feel like this development will be a sleeper hit, the shopping arcade will be very pleasant with the right retailers.

Here's a few super rough photoshops of the tallest building in some more context (via google streetview):

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That's awesome. I hope this is what the building ends up looking like, because it will be another building that doesn't look like a blue or green glass box.
 
I live here and I don't think I would know where any of those names are. Is Market Square the one over Metro? The other two ring no bells for me.
Of course not everyone knows a building's name but my point was that some names stick more than others. Market Square IS the complex above Metro and Hot House, Berczy is the one at south west corner of Church & Front and The Wellington is the building on Wellington with the large courtyard and fountain opposite Berczy Park,
 
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Very few (if any) residential buildings in Toronto are known by their names. Maybe only those attached to hotels (eg. Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons Residences). I doubt that many cab/rideshare drivers would even know "Aura" unless they're skyscraper / urban development watchers. These names are pure branding / marketing - nothing else.

Generally true, I can think of only a few off the top of my head - e.g. Palace Pier/Palace Place - that taxi/uber drivers would reliably know.

AoD
 
That's awesome. I hope this is what the building ends up looking like, because it will be another building that doesn't look like a blue or green glass box.

This tower is literally a glass box - the trim won't show that well at a distance. Executed well it will still be a very handsome tower.

AoD
 
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Every time I look at these renderings I become increasingly worried about the balconies. A miss in terms of execution we would probably end up with a second Daniels masterpiece, this time more central.
 
June 3, 2021

Dead trees, hideous garbage bins, overly hardscaped, no water feature, benches arranged a heap of dirt with sh*tty plantings that’s supposed to be some sort of focal point, shadowed, forlorn, devoid of people.

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June 3, 2021

Dead trees, hideous garbage bins, overly-hardscaped, benches arranged a heap of soil with sh*tty plantings that’s supposed to be some sort of focal point, shadowed, forlorn...

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The trees are a problem, without a doubt.

They will be under warranty and presumably replaced in fall or next spring.

Some are alive.........difficult to assess their state accurately from a picture, I will endeavour to have an in-person look.

The brick and the planting beds look decent.

The planting bed plants will take a while to get established.

The bed is irrigated, and appears to have good soil; so I'm not too concerned about that at this point.

Back to the trees, I had concerns about using what appear to be Birch here, as they definitely prefer sun........

Though they should be getting a decent amount of it currently (I was more thinking it could an issue once the south tower was complete)

The garbage bins are City-Standard for Parks; and yes, they are hideous.
 
^^^ There's nothing about that "park" that would make me want to linger. Would you want to sit on that bench overshadowed by those repulsive garbage bins? They couldn't find another place for the bins? The whole park is empty and they put them almost on top of where someone's supposed to sit??
 
^^^ There's nothing about that "park" that would make me want to linger. Would you want to sit on that bench overshadowed by those repulsive garbage bins? They couldn't find another place for the bins? The whole park is empty and they put them almost on top of where someone's supposed to sit??

I don't think the siting was well thought out (of the park in general); the garbage cans are hideous no matter where you put them, and in a small space, with limited choice.........still....they are too close to the seats.

(of note, in my experience, Parks rarely gets to decide where bins in its parks go.........waste management does}. This is a side effect of Parks having lost responsibility for garbage in Parks.
Waste management tends to think about what's convenient for them in terms of pick-up, rather that what makes sense aesthetically or for the Park user.
I have no doubt they can be influenced to do better, but too few people try)

The park itself is also very small; I have an ongoing issue w/the current desire to accept on-site park space even where that represents barely usable space.

This is a product of parks having sat on its acquisition $$$ for the most part, for almost a generation.

The message having come down from the pols.......we need parks already, why is the money gathering dust?

But instead of spending it strategically, now they're trying to avoid putting in the proverbial bank.
 
Christ. As someone who actually lives and uses this park (and has lived in the neighborhood fir a good decade plus) it has been a pretty good addition.

Most of the day it has activity. People sitting at the benches. Some folks in one corner doing exercise. A couple having some food.

I sit in it for 15-45 minutes every day, and it is never empty


Thank god it has no grass! It would just become another stupid dog run that is mostly dead from over use. Look at Arena Gardens if you want to see what a small “green” park looks like.

Is it perfect? Of course not. Maybe it has too many trees as a sop to those who dream of green. In any case one side of the park is under construction. The retail to the north is leased but not open yet. Retail on the south will also open into it.
 
Christ. As someone who actually lives and uses this park (and has lived in the neighborhood fir a good decade plus) it has been a pretty good addition.

Most of the day it has activity. People sitting at the benches. Some folks in one corner doing exercise. A couple having some food.

I sit in it for 15-45 minutes every day, and it is never empty


Thank god it has no grass! It would just become another stupid dog run that is mostly dead from over use. Look at Arena Gardens if you want to see what a small “green” park looks like.

Is it perfect? Of course not. Maybe it has too many trees as a sop to those who dream of green. In any case one side of the park is under construction. The retail to the north is leased but not open yet. Retail on the south will also open into it.

Given the small size, relative to potential demand, I agree the park needed to be mostly hardscaped.

Of course, 2 decades back, I also championed the City spending its parks stash to buy the entire block for a new urban park......

That didn't go anywhere.

I'm glad to hear the space is well used.

Given what he had to work with, I think Cormier did a good job.

The trees need to be healthier.....the waste bins should be moved; otherwise quite decent for the size and location.
 
Generally true, I can think of only a few off the top of my head - e.g. Palace Pier/Palace Place - that taxi/uber drivers would reliably know.

AoD
My experience is most people know Aura and One Bloor - *maybe* Ice, but not really.

One Bloor happens to be the address though which makes it easier. I think most people know Aura just because it sticks out like such a sore thumb that most people noticed when it got built. The fact the commercial portion is advertised as Aura as well helps, I’ve heard radio ads say “come to bed bath and beyond at Aura!” And stuff.
 

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