Re: PATH in RoCPIII

The fly in that ointment is that the tunnels, which used to be public, are now restricted (I think) to government employees.

The core tunnel system, i.e. that leading from the subway to Macdonald Block, is still public--just as Macdonald itself is. It's the Whitney/Parliament offshoot in particular that's off limits--dunno about Publ Ontario...
 
Re: PATH in RoCPIII

i did my term paper last year proposing a connection from metropolis to the library building. it makes SO much sense! perhaps that is why it is not happening...
 
Re: PATH in RoCPIII

adma, I believe they are closing it all down, over time. Pubs Ont was made passcard protected a little over a year ago. Ultimately, plans are to move public-facing services to College Park and close access to the blocks entirely, a tragedy in my view, given the fabulousness of the interior of the building and the unmitigated optimism of its sixties art.

I guess it's the same approach that they are taking with the ugly concrete planters out front - where security is tending to predominate.
 
Re: PATH in RoCPIII

Somehow, such a 100% move seems more overzealous now than it might have been five years ago. In that case, even major Yonge/King office tower elevators might as well go passcard-protected...
 
Updates:

  • Yonge sidewalk to be widened by 2.2m while retaining right turn lane (total 7m sidewalk on Yonge); Gerrard sidewalk to be widened with double height colonade - podium to cantilever over Gerrard sidewalk - minimum 4m Gerrard sidewalk width.
  • 500 bike parking spots on main floor and underground
  • special paving treatment
  • PATH plan priority to northwest corner of Gerrard and Yonge with goal to eventually connect to Ryerson. City planning is working with neighbouring landowners for potential future PATH connections.
  • Gerrard Street walkway to College Park will be at least 8.1m plus 3m for a colonade.
  • Bay Street Walkway will be 8m + 10m for a vehicle ramp.
  • Yonge Street walkway is proposed at 26m wide with a sculpture at the entrance (public art contribution). Lighting, safety, retail on the walkway and weather protection will be addressed in the design of the walkway.
  • Downtown Yonge Street BIA will be involved in streetscaping to ensure new project fits in with long-term plans
 
How about 10 gizillian dollars (or a bit less) for the park behind the building?
 
Nice to see that there will be a stretch on Yonge with more elbow room. I like the idea of extending PATH. I'm not sure I understand completely how they intend to extend it to Ryerson though, or are they tunneling south through to the Delta Chelsea and down to the Atrium on Bay? That would be very cool.
 
Sounds like they are providing a containted PATH system in College Park that can eventually be connected to Ryerson across the Gerrard and Yonge intersection. Ryerson would need to buy and develop the south east corner in that scenario
 
Sounds like they are providing a containted PATH system in College Park that can eventually be connected to Ryerson across the Gerrard and Yonge intersection. Ryerson would need to buy and develop the south east corner in that scenario

naw, jorgenson hall is 30m off the corner of yonge and gerrard...it would help, but it's not a must.
 
A few more updates - the application will likely have some significant revisions in the future prior to being rolled out for sales and the potential OMB hearing:

  • Public art proposed at the Yonge St end of the Hayter Street Walkway
  • PATH route options being further explored
  • BIA has a master streetscape plan including new pedestrian scale and roadway lighting, intersection markers, bike rings and sidewalk pavement.
  • Small retails shops to be included along the Hayter Street walkway (I'm envisioning something similar to Roy's Square that will be demolished for 1BE)
  • Tower floorplates 1,300sqm to 44th floor, 1,150sqm on 44 and 45, 980sqm 55-75th floors
  • City of Toronto Guidelines for Tall Buildings states that a floorplate over 743sqm should be highly articulated.
  • City planning wants tower moved west to be 24m from Liberties building, the height of the tower lowered, articulation of the tower and the floor plate size reduced.
 
I'm concerned by the size of the floorplates proposed. In my opinion, the floorplates should be reduced and perhaps as an incentive the city could allow greater height or remove it's objections to the height in exchange for reducing the floorplates.
 
It sounds like they are going to great lengths to make this project work. I think developers should be given the extra height if they're willing to invest in fixing up and improving the area and making design changes to appease city planners.
 

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