How about a "reconstruction" along the lines of the "ghost" house and shop of Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia (but in stainless steel with LED lighting)? ]

When the uses of the site were discussed at the St Lawrence Neighbourhood Assn last summer this was one of the ideas raised for at least part of the site - where the actual First Parliament building was.
 
You will have a while to wait, at its August 2010 meeting City Council requested a planning report by second quarter 2011. (BTW The ex-Porsche building and land south of it belong to Ontario Heritage Foundation, the only land the City owns is the parking lot and the existing park. The car-wash is the last quadrant to still be in priovate hands.)

Thanks for the update DSC. I've yet to find a reliable single source of info for this project. Whether or not anything happens in time for the 2012 bicententennial it will be great to see something happen here.
 
You might want to look at: http://www.toronto.ca/heritage-preservation/pdf/first_parliament_site_presentation.pdf It's quite old but I think still interesting and worth looking at. One of the most recent ideas is to swap the car-wash quadrant for the land on NE corner of Parliament and Mill Streets so that all of the First Parliament site would be in public ownership and then maybe to build a building on part of the FP site to contain the proposed new and bigger St Lawrence branch of the Toronto Public Library (now at Front/Sherbourne.) This will, I am told, be looked at when the planners report back to the Toronto and East York Community Council in a few (?) months.
 
The hurdle is the car wash and getting the land in public hands. That's the hold up. No progress as of yet, but there are people working hard behind the scenes.
 
How about a "reconstruction" along the lines of the "ghost" house and shop of Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia (but in stainless steel with LED lighting)?

3131748817_d69b0975b1_z.jpg

Love this idea Charioterr! It wouldn't cost a bundle either (which is why i can see it actually being doable in these parts).
 
The Staples is up for sale. With the rising prices in the area, that is why the car wash is holding out.

Thanks for the info. Isn't the Staple's site owned by a developer (Cityzen) or by a company called The Sheiner Group? I got that info from a posting at
http://urbantoronto.ca/showthread.php?15060-177-197-Front-St-E-(Metropia-Urban-Landscapes)&p=488204

I'm wondering why they don't just tear it down...and build. Where did you get your info from, if you don't mind me asking.

Thanks again
 
My source is someone in the know in the heritage community.

I don't know what has been discussed, just heard the site is for sale. Not sure about ownership.
 
This looks "interesting' Since the height limits in Old Town are 15-17 floors this seems a little over the top! A bargaining ploy??

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DSC,
Thanks for the info. I would love to go through the various Building Applications if they are posted online for public viewing. Does anyone have the link for that?

Thanks again
Tee
 
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This looks "interesting' Since the height limits in Old Town are 15-17 floors this seems a little over the top! A bargaining ploy??

Wow. Hell of a bargaining ploy. Delusional.

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...but not far off from the Clear, Pure, and Good-Hearted Spirits at the Distillery. Surely they won't be allowed to be the only tall and pointy things in the neighbourhood.
 
unfair to chalk this one up to the development industry as it's obviously some owner that has washed one too many cars.
 

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