[someMidTowner]

There were plans like this for North York that predate Mel as Mayor. He should get credit for implementing the plans.

Any idea on where the plan originated? I would be overjoyed if i could let my brain disassociate a successful urban plan being credited to a racist furniture salesman......sorry i'm still bitter about losing the olympics (even though they might have bankrupted our city...)

 

[Canuck]

Any idea on where the plan originated? I would be overjoyed if i could let my brain disassociate a successful urban plan being credited to a racist furniture salesman......sorry i'm still bitter about losing the olympics (even though they might have bankrupted our city...)

Not to get too far off-topic, but Lastman in no way lost the Olympics for Toronto.

The games were China's to lose. Any verbal gaffs were totally inconsequential, and any media that has or had suggested otherwise is grossly misinformed.

 

[someMidTowner]

Not to get too far off-topic, but Lastman in no way lost the Olympics for Toronto.

The games were China's to lose. Any verbal gaffs were totally inconsequential, and any media that has or had suggested otherwise is grossly misinformed.

Noted. I was too young (at the time of the bid) to cast judgement on the news was saying. All i could really absorb at the time of the story was what the media was fussing over. So i will take your word for it. but i agree we are indeed deviating too far off topic. Heres a more appropriate question for the topic: what (if any) retail stores will operate out of the ground floors of this development? With the public square (semicircle?) being built across the street at Hullmark, you wonder what will open there retail-wise

 

[UD2]

whatever opens will likely be largely Asian in nature. I heard that the shops sold out very quickly after T&T Supermarkets confirmed their presence.

 

[wang888]

whatever opens will likely be largely Asian in nature. I heard that the shops sold out very quickly after T&T Supermarkets confirmed their presence.

i wasn't aware T&T confirmed their presence, should be a really busy intersection when this is all done

 

[someMidTowner]

i wasn't aware T&T confirmed their presence, should be a really busy intersection when this is all done

If the sheppard line gets extended this will not only be a busy intersection, but a busy hub. Of course this is very far away...the sheppard line needs to connect to YUS and the scarborough/or eglinton crosstown line (whichever... i seriously dont care which one) Either way this is clearly shaping up to be Yonge and Bloor North..unless Yonge/Eglinton can claim that title first. the density at yonge and sheppard is most certainly increasing. Cant wait to see the results

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Not bad for a cell phone shot at all. quite clear in fact. All these projects at yonge/sheppard are really exciting. Looks like Mel Lastman's vision of a "downtown north york" is finally shaping up. Now all we need is for all the North York development projects to shift south of the 401 (kind of like the Financial district has crossed the rail lines in recent years) My ultimate dream is a non stop yonge street canyon from Eglinton to Finch....its a long way off but one day...

Actually, Mel Lastman's vision of a "downtown North York" and that of the former North York City council included only offices along Yonge Street in downtown North York. The residential condos would be behind the office building along Beecroft Road or Doris Avenue.

In the last 13 years since amalgamation, in North York Centre there's been over 50 new residential condo towers built, under construction, in design or planning stages,... but only one complete office building. This is hardly Mel Lastman's vision,... more like a nightmare! "Downtown North York" is now a vertical sleeping community.

 

[UD2]

Lots of activity at the construction site today.

There was a line up of 6 or 7 dump trucks and the drilling is well underway.

 

[UD2]

Jvy80 are you still around? would you be able to snap another shot for us? we miss your wonderful pictures.

 

[NYk Drne]

well. The current site manager told me once that they plan to finish digging by the end of December. So we'll beable to gauage their so-called "lateness" by measuring the number of months that they spend digging past December this year.

does anyone know where i can find any sort of documentation on this community centre/tunnel things?

There is discussion of the community centre on the West Lansing Homeowner's Association website under the Emerald Park section of their "Development Watch" page. It is very brief and refers at the walkway in passing. Apparently the local councillor, John Fillion has informtion on the history here.

I had seen other references, but could not find them now.

 

[jivey80]

Sept 11, 2011 Update:

Nothing to report, but here's a picture.

 

[UD2]

thanks Jv

that drill in the forground. Is that the same drill that Emerald park uses to drill on the western edge? what is it doing with Hullmark?

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

thanks Jv

that drill in the forground. Is that the same drill that Emerald park uses to drill on the western edge? what is it doing with Hullmark?

That shoring drill was back at the EmeraldPark site today.

I think that yellow shoring machine was there to shore up the new TTC Yonge-Sheppard Subway ventilation system. Remember a few years ago, Yonge Street just north of Finch had lane closures for a couple of years as the Finch Subway station got new ventilation system. They were supposed to do Yonge-Sheppard right after that but held off due to the proposed Tridel-Hullmark Centre and EmeraldPark construction, which hadn't started at that time. Both Tridel-Hullmark Centre and EmeraldPark are responsible for helping the TTC with the ventilation shaft work,... that's why the Emerald Park shoring machine was working near the Tridel-Hullmark Centre. It looks like Yonge-Sheppard subway station is getting their new ventilation system now.

 

[NYk Drne]

Sunnyray is right on about the drilling for the ventilation here; on Sunday they had the northbound curb lane blocked with pylons (you can see them in Jivey's picture) and concrete curbs to allow room for the rig and the associated equipment--the work was going on at the time.

I was not by there today, but it looked like this work will be taking place for a while; the sidewalk on the east side of Yonge was also blocked with instructions for pedestrians to use the west side sidewalk. I imagine that the northbound traffic from 401 to Sheppard will be backed up the morning and afternoon rush hours.

On Sunday afternoon it looked like rush hour on Yonge going north[added Tuesday]--but today there was nothing, all of the work was completed. The shoring rig was back on the Emerald Park site.

Maybe it was Emerald work, not Hullmark work.

 

[UD2]

drill was back on the hullmark center side yesterday. Looks like they're only working during weekends.