[Richard White]

Even the buildings at Kennedy station look like they could be used for an office or even a wherhouse.

I am just grateful this mess at Kennedy is sorting itself out. I cannot wait for the day all the construction is gonezo.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

I am just grateful this mess at Kennedy is sorting itself out. I cannot wait for the day all the construction is gonezo.

Yes me too. They have about half of the station box covered over and are removing the bridge they built so that buses could drive into the station so that they can continue to build the roof of the station and put the road back.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I cannot get over how incredibly tall these stations are. Forest Hill Station is the second tallest building within eyeshot (only surpassed by the brand new midrise development across the street). The picture really doesn't do its height justice. Why are we building metro stations so tall now? This station is a midrise development in its own right.

Yep, it's really excessive.

Can't help but think this is symptomatic of the spiralling costs in subway construction in this city. Obviously above ground construction is relatively cheap, and I doubt the height adds significantly to the budget. But if they're excessively building above ground, imagine what's going on below ground, where we can't see what's going on.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I cannot get over how incredibly tall these stations are. Forest Hill Station is the second tallest building within eyeshot (only surpassed by the brand new midrise development across the street). The picture really doesn't do its height justice. Why are we building metro stations so tall now? This station is a midrise development in its own right.

Yep, it's really excessive.

Can't help but think this is symptomatic of the spiralling costs in subway construction in this city. Obviously above ground construction is relatively cheap, and I doubt the height adds significantly to the budget. But if they're excessively building above ground, imagine what's going on below ground, where we can't see what's going on.

Oh wait....we know exactly what's going on underground. They're building nine storey deep subway stations.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Oh wait....we know exactly what's going on underground. They're building nine storey deep subway stations.

and then building three-story entrances over top of them when only one story is enough, do we really need a high ceiling over an underground entrance?

 

[allengeorge]

So, does anyone know why the buildings are so tall?

I doubt it’s “because we could.” Or...maybe it is?

 

[afransen]

I thought it had something to do with allowing natural light to reach down to mezzanine or platforms. Higher roof allows higher light angle.

 

[smallspy]

So, does anyone know why the buildings are so tall?

I doubt it’s “because we could.” Or...maybe it is?

There is no one singular answer, unfortunately.

Part of the issue is the ever-improving codes for life safety. There are a lot more accesses to and from the train platforms required, and those take up space. There is also the need for things like ventilation shafts, both for exhaust from the tunnels and clean air to them. And thus, there needs to be methods of controlling those.

By virtue of all of this, the footprint for each structure is thus bigger than it traditionally has been in the past. And so in some cases, there are mechanical rooms being built overtop of the entrances. This is being done to try and minimize the footprint of the structure.

In other cases, those mechanical spaces are being oriented vertically, rather than horizontally, in order to achieve the same means.

But in quite a few cases......it's due to Metrolinx's fetish with "design excellence", whatever that term is decided to mean that particular day.

Dan

 

[Johnny Au]

Cedarvale station today:

Northwest corner:

North side:

Under south side:

Closeup of the northwest corner at grade:

Under Eglinton:

 

[M II A II R II K]

Oakwood

 

[Johnny Au]

Oakwood

More Oakwood station pics, this time above ground from March 26, 2021:

Main entrance:

Southwest secondary entrance:

 

[Johnny Au]

Caledonia station on March 30, 2021:

 

[Sagaris88]

I made this future map some months ago.

 

[Johnny Au]

I made this future map some months ago.
View attachment 309301

The Maintenance and Storage Facility is located by Mount Dennis station, not Caledonia.

 

[Sagaris88]

The Maintenance and Storage Facility is located by Mount Dennis station, not Caledonia.

oh true thanks