[egotrippin]

If you are one who decided to live in a major developing city key word like Toronto.. Shadows are to be expected.cities have tall buildings and it's a trend now that will not be going away anytime in the next few 10000 years so. Get over it people.. Just moved the parks. But they need to fully develope into mature trees before ever getting rid of ones in place that may later be effected by shadows.. Toronto is growing and always will continue to do so. It's inevitable is it not. So. Why move to the city if your worried about bloody shadows.. You can't have both worlds in Toronto.. Here is not enough room in the core to have such a silly issue. Is there not city planners in Toronto to see the big picture of where it's headed. There will never be a park like in new York. There's just not enough room here to allow for a big park and big towers so.. I'm stick.. What's to come of Toronto with only filling the gaps with towers relatively the same highta in the end.

For starters, we're not geographically limited except to the south, unlike Manhattan which is limited in many ways. We have plenty of room for big towers, and certain sites in the existing downtown warrant some protection from shadowing. I'm sick of the "IT'S A CITY!!!1" arguments; there are lots of cities as big or bigger than Toronto that demonstrate that there's a lot more to good city building than highrises everywhere, all the time.

Secondly, I get the creeping feeling that the champions of out-of-control highrise and "supertall" development, the ones shouting the same old "it's a city" jibberish don't actually live in the city, or at most live in vertical suburbs like CityPlace* that lack the organic growth and development patterns of more established neighbourhoods; the ones where context is as, or more, important than outright building heights.

*No offense to CP as a whole, but I think you know what I'm saying.

 

[Lizthevw]

I love tall buildings, and I love architecturally beautiful or interesting buildings. I also love positive cash flow and a sound return on investment. The construction part of me would love to see Brookfield Office Properties develop a stunning new building in Toronto (I was underwhelmed with what to me was the complete anonymity of BA West). The investor in me loves BPO's return on equity and excellent management, and I am afraid the two desires rarely seem to work in harmony.

 

[Southcore]

Interesting they left out the Adelaide project but included 1 York which I would have thought is a lot more preliminary

A little while ago LeftCoaster on SSP said the office component of 1 York could go ahead on spec.

 

[Oliver Tweed]

The Toronto Financial Services Alliance (the other TFSA) was trying at one point to establish a global Risk Management Institute in Toronto, because Canadian financial institutions are considered among the best in the world at risk management.

This would be a huge boon for the city and would provide lots of class A tenants. I hope it happens. Haven't heard an update in a while.

 

[rpeters]

I think the 3 towers of BA centre is a good plan, it will expand the financial district a little further north and add more density to the skyline than a single large tower would. (looking down queen street from the east end, you will often notice their is nothing to look at) Their design will also add a 21st century style to the 20th century marble of scotia plaza and the bmo tower.

As for NPS, I live in this city and that square is the ugliest part of Toronto in my opinion. pure concrete on concrete, with ugly concrete city hall behind it. more shadow would benefit the square as it gets scary hot in the summer with the concrete soaking up heat like a sponge. NPS is like a parody of 1960s shortsightedness, brutalist, not enough windows, pure concrete, and ugly as hell.

 

[Red October]

As for NPS, I live in this city and that square is the ugliest part of Toronto in my opinion. pure concrete on concrete, with ugly concrete city hall behind it. more shadow would benefit the square as it gets scary hot in the summer with the concrete soaking up heat like a sponge. NPS is like a parody of 1960s shortsightedness, brutalist, not enough windows, pure concrete, and ugly as hell.

Say what? The entire concave face of both towers is pretty much ALL windows... City Hall is one of the more interesting buildings in a city of Jenga blocks.

 

[Edward]

ugly concrete city hall behind it. more shadow would benefit the square as it gets scary hot in the summer with the concrete soaking up heat like a sponge. NPS is like a parody of 1960s shortsightedness, brutalist, not enough windows, pure concrete, and ugly as hell.

Shows what you know. The City Hall cladding is not concrete.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Edward:

Well, it is precast concrete with strips of marble embedded within I believe, but as concrete building goes, I think the City Hall aged quite gracefully.

AoD

 

[k10ery]

From a distance you are really only seeing the marble, which has probably helped it keep its good looks.

 

[ptbotrmpfn]

So egotrippin and others who I have offended by my comment. I don't apologized for my view on what to me makes a city but Toronto is a constant shape shifter. And in a good way it's really booming. And will do so as more people see its appeal and potential Toronto is slowly going to bring more jobs, more people, more parks, more of everything that makes a great city, one day better then newyork. Can only hope. I share your views on keeping it simple but I just don't see Toronto comming to a halt in regards to structures of any kind. Big or tall. Of course I'd like to see a super tall as many would majority over rules me o this as most don't like to see progression take place. Change is scarey. Always will be. Fact is change has been going on since Toronto became world known. My opinion again sorry for offending anyone's bubble of keeping things the same. I don't live in Toronto your right. That doesn't mean a thing to me and holds no argument. I imagin what it would be like and it's the same as anywhere else. New things freak people out. Even in my city we have no huge buildings. Nothing over 14 storeys. But I moved here cause I met my partner here. He's a country kinda guy otherwise I'd be living there in a heart beat. Love the noise and excitement of bigger cities. But as an observer of city growth like all, most around here and else whe would agree that cities are big.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

From a distance you are really only seeing the marble, which has probably helped it keep its good looks.

If you go up to the green roof and look very closely at the tower you'll see that the marble strips are only about 1" - 2" wide (exact measurements fail me but it seems to me they are about 1" wide) which form numerous "creases" within each column. You can't see them from a distance. Below are three photos that sort of show the marble strips but to really see them you have to be much closer

Photos from BlogTO - http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/05/the_green_roof_at_toronto_city_hall/

 

[adma]

As for NPS, I live in this city and that square is the ugliest part of Toronto in my opinion. pure concrete on concrete, with ugly concrete city hall behind it. more shadow would benefit the square as it gets scary hot in the summer with the concrete soaking up heat like a sponge. NPS is like a parody of 1960s shortsightedness, brutalist, not enough windows, pure concrete, and ugly as hell.

Given the tone of your post, you'd probably offer similar criticism of the TD Centre and refer to the architect as "Miles Van Der Rohe".

 

[k10ery]

If you go up to the green roof and look very closely at the tower you'll see that the marble strips are only about 1" - 2" wide (exact measurements fail me but it seems to me they are about 1" wide) which form numerous "creases" within each column. You can't see them from a distance.

The inlay covers more than half the surface of the precast panels, it is raised from the surface, and it is a lighter colour. The striations you're seeing in those pictures are marble, not concrete.

 

[Automation Gallery]

A little while ago LeftCoaster on SSP said the office component of 1 York could go ahead on spec.

Thats what they are saying.......

Among the buildings in addition to Bay-Adelaide expected to go, or already under construction, are RBC WaterPark Place, a 933,000-sq.-ft. development by Oxford Properties Corp.; One York, an 800,000-sq.-ft. project from Menkes Developments Inc. and Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan; and a 760,000-sq.-ft. building from GWL Realty Advisors, which has signed two major tenants.
http://www.canada.com/business/comm...+poised+boom/6623854/story.html#ixzz1vDuHqp2X

 

[AndreaPalladio]

Awesome news. So I guess this means Scotia found a buyer for Scotia Plaza, wonder if they got the 1bln+ they were looking for. And good news about them retaining it as their headquarters (assuming that would mean the name and tower logo remain intact).

Hope BACII isn't as bland as the original.

Scotia Plaza has been sold to Dundee and H&R, for 1.27 bn