Thanks for posting the link, Alvin. It's a good story that's quite fair to both Keesmaat and Mirvish (though Mirvish does come off looking like a bit of an ass). The Keesmaat bashers (they know who they are) would be wise to read it.
 
I thought this paragraph was instructive to our back-and-forth debate regarding the feasibility of the original plan:

What finally convinced him to stop pushing for the original plan was a third-party financial analysis, commissioned by Keesmaat, of the project’s viability. It concluded that constructing three mega-towers in such a tight space would be significantly more expensive and complicated than building two. If he built three towers, Mirvish stood to lose money. If he built two, everyone would win. When she handed Mirvish the report, his jaw dropped.
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(Edit: didn't see AoD's post: but yeah, I thought that this was a bombshell as well)


I wonder how feasible this really is:
If everything goes according to plan, Mirvish will break ground in the winter of 2016.
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Yeah, pretty good article indeed. Winter 2016 for a start, though... seems like a long way off. Lots to revise and negotiate between now and then.
 
enjoyed reading this:"Mirvish wasn’t moved by the public affection for the store (meaning Honest Ed). To him, this much-loved local landmark was a vulgar relic. He is dismissive of people who wish to hang on to what he considers our history of mediocrity, and points out that if our current heritage laws had been in place in the 1960s, Mies van der Rohe’s TD Bank towers would never have been built because the pre-existing Bank of Toronto headquarters could not have been levelled."
 
ksun said:
enjoyed reading this:"Mirvish wasn’t moved by the public affection for the store (meaning Honest Ed). To him, this much-loved local landmark was a vulgar relic. He is dismissive of people who wish to hang on to what he considers our history of mediocrity, and points out that if our current heritage laws had been in place in the 1960s, Mies van der Rohe’s TD Bank towers would never have been built because the pre-existing Bank of Toronto headquarters could not have been levelled."
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How wonderfully sensationalist by taking things out of their historical context. In any case, he certainly isn't winning me over as fan. What he may consider as a "vulgar relic" is a very current and necessary institution for some - you know, those that don't have pricey art collections. I really wonder what Ed would think of all of this, too bad we'll never know.
 
Canadian Chocho said:
How wonderfully sensationalist by taking things out of their historical context. In any case, he certainly isn't winning me over as fan. What he may consider as a "vulgar relic" is a very current and necessary institution for some - you know, those that don't have pricey art collections. I really wonder what Ed would think of all of this, too bad we'll never know.
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It's a retail store, not an "institution". And it is right on the subway line very close to downtown.
 
Canadian Chocho said:
How wonderfully sensationalist by taking things out of their historical context. In any case, he certainly isn't winning me over as fan. What he may consider as a "vulgar relic" is a very current and necessary institution for some - you know, those that don't have pricey art collections. I really wonder what Ed would think of all of this, too bad we'll never know.
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Honest Ed's is like a Toronto mini-Walmart. It is not an institution, nor any heritage to be protected by any stretch. If you need cheap stuff, Walmart is not far away. Plus, how many poor people really live at Bloor/Bathurst?
I am very glad it is sold and will be replaced by something more appropriate for Bloor/Bathurst than a gigantic two story discount store.
 
ksun said:
Honest Ed's is like a Toronto mini-Walmart. It is not an institution, nor any heritage to be protected by any stretch. If you need cheap stuff, Walmart is not far away. Plus, how many poor people really live at Bloor/Bathurst?
I am very glad it is sold and will be replaced by something more appropriate for Bloor/Bathurst than a gigantic two story discount store.
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I agree that it is appropriate to replace the existing use, which is no longer all that viable and represents an untapped potential (proximity to transit, the core, etc). That said, it doesn't really negate the landmark nature of the store - it should be commemorated in some way.
 
As much as it was not much more than a flea market, it is a shame that Toronto is steadily losing its bright lights that entranced many as a child (and an adult).

March towards sterility!
 
There's a lot I get at honest ed's that I can't find anywhere else. Comparing it to walmart is missing the point. Their business model may be similar, but culturally they are worlds apart and could not be more different.
 
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