The mechanical penthouse at EXS is being poured.
1.png

5.png

2.png

3.png

4.png

1690525408664.png
 
cd concept said:
Looking at the future downtown core in the photos up above. It would have been nice if they would create a below and above path network between every major development. To get around in, on these very cold and hot seasons!
Click to expand...

Especially for this development where it would’ve been in the best interest of Oxford to have a path connection to the mall. I am surprised they didn’t think/plan for it.
 
cd concept said:
Looking at the future downtown core in the photos up above. It would have been nice if they would create a below and above path network between every major development. To get around in, on these very cold and hot seasons!
Click to expand...
khaldoon said:
Especially for this development where it would’ve been in the best interest of Oxford to have a path connection to the mall. I am surprised they didn’t think/plan for it.
Click to expand...
I honestly don't think it would be that hard to achieve (particularly above ground) in the future, even if there's no planned connection now.

A connection seems like a no brainer, but in reality I just don't think enough else is planned to be able to build something that won't be torn down in the very near future while more buildings are filling in. The mall especially isn't going to build a major bridge or tunnel connection if they don't know what it's actually going to connect to directly (i.e. the building that's in between the mall and the Exchange District).

I'm not at all discrediting your point, because you'd think they would at least have a spot in the plans specifically meant for a future connection of some form, especially with the major transit hub being just a few hundred metres away but on the other side of the mall. But I think a big part of the reasoning is just that they don't know what to build and where to build it yet.
 
As someone who lived in downtown Toronto for half a decade I would say that a path network takes people off the main streets which reduces business opportunities on ground floor buildings. I’d much rather everyone walk the street and have condominium podium stores have a chance than diverting people straight to the mall. These stores under the condos or offices are going to have a hard enough go so close to square one. They need every bit of help they can get.

Some people might not have a problem with this part of the path but I find it distasteful. The path is a private network. Because of that there is plenty of security. Which means that I can stroll around there for hours with no intention of buying anything and it’s all good. But homeless people are thrown out of there faster than their head spins. Sure the plus side is that it is cleaner and safer. But it goes against my values of what a city should be.
 
With deserted streets, PATH is the very last thing they should invest in.

The key component is whether these stroads will be re-designed as attractive pedestrian friendly urban high streets after both the density and PT goes in. If all they're doing is building density, it will have to be considered a failure and colossal missed opportunity.. Unfortunately, a lot of these towers don't meet the street in an engaging way. It will take a lot of money and time to rebuild them at grade to accommodate an apron of retail, restaurants, etc.
 
isaidso said:
With deserted streets, PATH is the very last thing they should invest in.

The key component is whether these stroads will be re-designed as attractive pedestrian friendly urban high streets after both the density and PT goes in. If all they're doing is building density, it will have to be considered a failure and colossal missed opportunity.. Unfortunately, a lot of these towers don't meet the street in an engaging way. It will take a lot of money and time to rebuild them at grade to accommodate an apron of retail, restaurants, etc.
Click to expand...
The truth is Toronto has only recently started to prioritize their downtown streets for pedestrians. New bike lanes. Street car row streets. Pedestrian only streets. These are all relatively new initiatives. John street, king street, bloor street( between avenue and Yonge) the future yonge street are all newly looked after.

What makes Toronto pedestrian friendly is that its downtown is built on a grid. Pedestrians can easily zig zag their way through downtown a multiple different ways to get to the same place.

The streets around square one are all either two lanes in a direction or even singular lanes. Those streets will be fine to walk along once the density comes in, retail is at the bottom and more traffic lights are installed to facilitate the condos parking garages. They won’t be much different than many downtown Toronto streets. There’s burnamthorpe, mavis and hurontario which are three lanes in each direction that is the bigger problem. Those streets are more like university avenue which is never going to be great to walk down. But even in Toronto streets like this exist.

personally it looks like they have been successful making a pedestrian relatively friendly area at confederation and burnamthorpe. It should only improve with more density. The real question is are we going to redesign these streets into a grid or is there going to remain a lot of dead end streets.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top