[Marcanadian]

I'll echo everyone else in saying the townhomes look fantastic.

 

[Armour]

Indeed, they do, but why the gray mullions and street lights? Why is black so rarely used?

 

[cruzin4u]

Black street lights would look much more sophisticated, but there is no doubting the town homes are a winner here. This is how 'The Berwick' towns should have looked.

 

[stjames2queenwest]

Black street lights would have been nice but black mullions in this particular case may have made these look a bit too orange/ Halloween. But in general I agree. Less grey more black

 

[neuhaus]

The blue recycling bins livens up the street.

 

[MafaldaBoy]

I've grown to like this initial trilogy, in spite of its greyness.

18 February 2016:


Emerald City by Jimmy Wu, on Flickr


Emerald City by Jimmy Wu, on Flickr


Emerald City by Jimmy Wu, on Flickr

 

[Tuscani01]

This whole project really shows the enormous potential we have with all of the tower-in-a-park communities that were built around the GTA. Planning mistakes, but built in a way that allows for easy infill and redevelopment.

Another huge untapped opportunity throughout the GTA are suburban strip malls. They provide the greatest opportunity for our burbs to increase densities and build real communities. I can't wait for the day when it makes more financial sense to scrap the free parking and increase density on these lands.

Contrast these projects to single family home subdivisions, where individual property rights make assembling and redeveloping land nearly impossible.

 

[Armour]

I don't buy the notion that tower in the park communities are mistakes. They offer ample green space for respite and other activities (not everyone enjoys being crammed together). I'd prefer to live in a breathable community than one where buildings are lined up right next to each other with little or no outdoor space for the residents to use.

 

[interchange42]

I'd rather that vast open green spaces be parks. We do need them, and a good number of them. POPS would work too, but there are no real tower-in-the-park developments in the suburbs where the green space has been designed with the surrounding community in mind, nor dedicated to them. Maybe some of that green space will be redesigned for POPS purposes in coming years as these communities morph. In the meantime I'm not convinced we need vast green spaces behind fences.

42

 

[Tuscani01]

I'd rather that vast open green spaces be parks. We do need them, and a good number of them. POPS would work too, but there are no real tower-in-the-park developments in the suburbs where the green space has been designed with the surrounding community in mind, nor dedicated to them. Maybe some of that green space will be redesigned for POPS purposes in coming years as these communities morph. In the meantime I'm not convinced we need vast green spaces behind fences.

42

Agreed.

While the built form is known as tower-in-parks, the reality is that these spaces are actually parking lots, driveways, and underused/unmaintained amenities. The park spaces that do exist are uninviting and closed off from the surrounding communities. Overall, not the kinds of spaces worthy of protecting. Id rather see smaller green spaces that are more integrated with the surrounding community than the uninviting spaces that exist in most of these developments today.

This development (Emerald City) for example, seems to strike a good balance between intensification and maintaining/improving open space. Not everything has to be "buildings lined up right next to each other with little or no outdoor space, as @Armour seems to think it could lead to.

 

[salsa]

This whole project really shows the enormous potential we have with all of the tower-in-a-park communities that were built around the GTA. Planning mistakes, but built in a way that allows for easy infill and redevelopment.

I don't think this kind of build form is as simple to fix as you seem to imply. Just walk on any side street in the Yonge & Eglinton area and look at all the driveways and parking lots lining the street in front of every apartment building. Their presence really deadens the street, that combined with the heavy traffic and tiny sidewalks make for an unpleasant pedestrian experience despite intense development in recent years. But unlike Emerald City, a lot of the wasted land here is too small to redevelop, and I doubt that the parking garages can be relocated. What could possibly be done about this?

 

[Tuscani01]

I don't think this kind of build form is as simple to fix as you seem to imply. Just walk on any side street in the Yonge & Eglinton area and look at all the driveways and parking lots lining the street in front of every apartment building. Their presence really deadens the street, that combined with the heavy traffic and tiny sidewalks make for an unpleasant pedestrian experience despite intense development in recent years. But unlike Emerald City, a lot of the wasted land here is too small to redevelop, and I doubt that the parking garages can be relocated. What could possibly be done about this?

Widen the sidewalk, build out the ground floor towards the new sidewalk, and build over the parking garage entrance or leave it as is.

These aren't exactly the types of towers in the park I was referring to though.

 

[jaycola]

This site at Yonge and Steeles is the definition of Tower in a Park and could be redeveloped to accommodate many new residents. While three of these are condos and 2 rentals, you could compensate owners in the $10's of thousands for lost parkland.

 

[salsa]

I don't buy the notion that tower in the park communities are mistakes. They offer ample green space for respite and other activities.

For "respite and other activities", this is green space.

This is not green space.

Not everyone enjoys being crammed together. I'd prefer to live in a breathable community than one where buildings are lined up right next to each other with little or no outdoor space for the residents to us.

Which is why I would like to live in a nice midrise community such as St Clair, not a highrise community dominated by bad urban design.

 

[Armour]

For "respite and other activities", this is green space.

View attachment 68071





This is not green space.

View attachment 68072






Which is why I would like to live in a nice midrise community such as St Clair, not a highrise community dominated by bad urban design.

That's your opinion. Actually, the Graydon Hall example you posted is far more green, if we're going to be technical (by the amount of open green fields and trees). The parking lots are unfortunate, however, and disrupt the flow of green space. I don't think the answer is to necessarily fill in these green areas with more density. Reconfiguring these areas so that they offer more options for users (hockey/basketball courts, wading pools, fountains, squares, interactive public art, etc.) could turn them into amazing, vibrant spaces, while hanging onto vast, empty portions for those that prefer more peace and quiet.

Good luck playing any sports or being able to run freely in the first example you posted. I'll agree that tower in the park communities need much more to their green spaces than just grass and trees, but parks in this city are generally lacking in anything that grabs the attention and focus of anyone beyond the elementary school demographic. Toronto's parks are designed with small kids in mind, and usually, that is it.

Also in the first photo you posted, the park appears to be very small (not sure how large it is beyond what is visible. How would one find respite in such a small space, unless the park is empty? One great thing about suburban parks is that they are huge and often devoid of a single person. This makes visiting great if one needs to contemplate and replenish their spirit. At the same time, it can also make them lifeless and depressing. I guess it depends on the person and whether they prefer constant stimulation (in the way of human activity) or prefer to just be alone with the elements. I enjoy both.