I hadn't realized earlier that this proposal includes the facadectomy of the rather elegant red stone building immediately east of the LCBO. Isn't it listed?
 
Not even a few token staggered balconies? Man, Toronto's architects are getting tired.
 
This is one great property to develop. Looking forward to the outcome

RM
 
Ramako said:
Not even a few token staggered balconies? Man, Toronto's architects are getting tired.
Click to expand...

Anyone noticed the sloped railings on the West and South elevations?
Very unusual (kind of 70's) and wastes some valuable balcony space.

I am also not sure about those faceted windows on the North and West elevations -- it doesn't seem to relate to the building.
With the slanted glass railings and faceted windows I think they are marketing this building with some kind of reflection or crystal theme.

Being in its early stage there will definitely be some revisions to this design.
 
Rendering and some info:

5436317794_cdb3129568_o.jpg


  • The LCBO will maintain its location at the base of the new building
  • Second storey of retail space for various other tenants.
  • An agreement between the city & developer for more density on the site was established when LCBO was initially proposed
  • 1905 built heritage building on site was added to the city’s heritage inventory in 1973
  • An addition to the heritage building was completed in 1913
  • E.R.A. Architects has been contracted to preserve the heritage buildings exterior. The plan is to go beyond just saving the facade and to save other parts of the heritage building as well as recreating aspects of the interior layout within the final structure.
 
As I said on twitter earlier today, I love this building but at this prime intersection, wish they'd ditch the balconies and just have curtain wall all the way to the top. Balconies are for the 'burbs. :p

The new podium alone would make an incredible building--just add some colour--brick, panels, stone--and repeat 100x and I'd be very happy. Core here has finally hit on a unique twist on Toronto residential--the bay windows of Victorian houses. Bravo!

Hope it launches sometime in 2011....

This area--when built out--is gonna feel like downtown Vancouver meets Manhattan--with vibrant retail, tons of pedestrian action, etc. c.2025 it will feel exciting to be in this area--no longer a need to go to NYC to feel the buzz? I hope so...

(Those that think the ET is being destroyed, think again. What's really happening is the vibrant pedestrian life at night is becoming a 24/7 thing. I used to live at Spadina and Queen--just 10 years ago the area was so dead during weekdays you could shoot a cannon down any street and not hit a soul!)
 
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Mike in TO:
What do you mean by
•An agreement between the city & developer for more density on the site was established when LCBO was initially proposed

I can't understand how any agreement of any kind could be made at that time.
Regards,
S'Bus
 
SpadinaBus said:
Mike in TO:
What do you mean by
•An agreement between the city & developer for more density on the site was established when LCBO was initially proposed

I can't understand how any agreement of any kind could be made at that time.
Regards,
S'Bus
Click to expand...

They could have asked for a rezoning to permit more density, and the city could have approved it. Just because it is approved does not mean they would actually have to build at that density. It just opens the door to using the property for much more in the future without having to go through the rezoning process again.
 
Tuscani01 said:
They could have asked for a rezoning to permit more density, and the city could have approved it. Just because it is approved does not mean they would actually have to build at that density. It just opens the door to using the property for much more in the future without having to go through the rezoning process again.
Click to expand...

They couldn't do that without a public process and that was not done. There is nothing about this in the Staff Report either.
 
I like the rendering but I wish they would retain the iconic facade of the lcbo building. Such a shame to lose a piece of our heritage like this.

;)
 
SpadinaBus said:
Mike in TO:
What do you mean by
•An agreement between the city & developer for more density on the site was established when LCBO was initially proposed

I can't understand how any agreement of any kind could be made at that time.
Regards,
S'Bus
Click to expand...

The points Mike in TO made were taken from an article in today's NRU. The article also noted that the City felt that the site could be used to greater intensity when the owner approached the City with the one-storey LCBO plans. There was an understanding that the City wanted the owner to pursue a more intensive use (though sensitive to the heritage building on the site, while citing the mid-30-storey buildings in the area) and the owner agreed. Nothing formally acknowleged was referenced except that the LCBO was approved as a temporary use.
 
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