The destruction of St. Lawrence for those parking lots is sad. With that said, I'm glad people had a different mindset back then; had the debate over the financial district been as fierce as Mirvish-Grehry, we might not have our most beautiful towers (esp. TD Centre, and Scotia Plaza) today.

We would have had one of the most beautiful heritage districts on the continent. The same tower development would have happened somewhere else in the city.
 
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What's with the weird things sticking out of the glass? I hope that won't be there permanently.
 
What's with the weird things sticking out of the glass? I hope that won't be there permanently.

Good question. My guess is that these are snow guards to prevent snow and ice slides ... they start appearing on the 58th floor, which is the upper floor of the penthouse unit.

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Does anyone have a link or a pdf with the main level / podium plans? I'm curious to see how they laid things out, especially with that separate entrance to the north of the tower.

I've done a search on the city's website but the only drawings of the building I was able to find was before it was altered and the "boot" was removed from the design.

Is this a case where because the zoning amendments were made when the design was in its old form, there are not such drawings of the newer version of the design on the public record?

Thanks!
 
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Does anyone have a link or a pdf with the main level / podium plans? I'm curious to see how they laid things out, especially with that separate entrance to the north of the tower.

I've done a search on the city's website but the only drawings of the building I was able to find was before it was altered and the "boot" was removed from the design.

Is this a case where because the zoning amendments were made when the design was in its old form, there are not such drawings of the newer version of the design on the public record?

Thanks!

A few links that might be of interest:

- City of TO staff report Sep 10, 2013 (Sony Centre Redevelopment – Public Plaza Funding)
- Landscape Design (Claude Cormier - Landscape Architecture + Urban Design -SONY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS)
- 360 panorama of Sony Plaza taken on Oct 14, 2013 (360cities.net)
 
We would have had one of the most beautiful heritage districts on the continent. The same tower development would have happened somewhere else in the city.

Ehhh... disagree. While it would have been great to have kept the older buildings along Front/Wellington/The Esplanade, the buildings themselves were just too small and provincial to be considered "one of the most beautiful on the continent". Cities like Montreal, Chicago, and even ones like Indianapolis and Detroit/Cleveland had much more grand architecture at the time and would without a doubt be more attractive than Toronto's. I also think Winnipeg's Exchange District is more attractive personally.

Also controversial opinion, but I think the Gooderham Building looks better as a stand alone building with Berczy Park behind it than if the rest of that block had been kept. It ensures attention is brought to that specific building.
 
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We would have had one of the most beautiful heritage districts on the continent. The same tower development would have happened somewhere else in the city.

I agree. For me it's less about whether it would've been the best or not, but the fact that we would've had something unique.
 

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