The Stollery's site would make for a nice little square at some point in the future. (Though this is probably less likely to happen than warp speed space travel.)
 
The Stollery's site would make for a nice little square at some point in the future. (Though this is probably less likely to happen than warp speed space travel.)

Yep. Leave the façade as the exterior of the equivalent of a monastic cloister where people can stroll even in less than ideal weather. Create a garden within the cloister as an island of green and quiet. It would be a memorable oasis, IMO.

But I agree with your estimate of the probability of this happening!
 
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Leave the façade as the exterior of the equivalent of a monastic cloister where people can stroll even in less than idea weather. Create a garden within the cloister as an island of green and quiet.

I love that idea. Perhaps 40 million or so could be raised on indiegogo.com to be buy the land.:)
 
Well, if there is a spot for a square, it should be across Bloor at the base of 2 Bloor E/HBC, where the Royal Bank is currently standing.

AoD
 
And amen to that. With its raised-above the sidewalk location and zero animation, that's the meanest piece of architecture within sight there… and of course it's a bank which is showing utter contempt for the city. Whereas banks used to be some of the city's noblest, most impressive non-ecclesiastical buildings, these days they're nothing more than an expression of corporate soullessness. If any bank branch in Toronto deserves an out-of-control bulldozer to be aimed at it, this is the one.

RoyalBlank.jpg

Google Street View, natch

Am I being clear about how I feel about the Royal Blank here?

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I completely agree, it is incredible how lifeless Bloor is just east of Yonge. That whole bunker needs a complete overhaul and that bank needs to come down to make way for a square. I'll happily drive the bulldozer if someone can get the permits for demo :p
 
I can handle the RBC building on the corner. It's the bunker from hell right beside it that shows utter contempt for the city and its people. It's an embarrassment.
 
The Bay needs windows punched into it too, but that won't fix the corner.

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It is incredible that such a prominent corner has remained that ugly (and badly developed) for so many years. It's the perfect place for a world class restaurant or at least a great coffee shop. The Royal Bank is the worst offender but that whole complex is terrible, from Top to bottom. Yonge & Bloor deserves, so much better. Hopefully, 1 Bloor East will get things started.
 
The whole NE corner of Yonge & Bloor is a travesty ... traveling East on Bloor past the large 'Bay' tower (horrendous), the Bay bunker, and all the way to Park Rd. The South side isn't that bad along this stretch, but the North side looks like something out of a bad 80's sci-fi flick. Continuing East on Bloor past Park Rd. doesn't get much better. As for Yonge, once you go North past Bloor, you have some near-dilapidated buildings on the East side that house a Starbucks, Tim Hortons, and English language schools before coming to the Toronto reference library.

Nuking the RBC Branch (or that horrible looking menswear store on the SW corner) in favour of a parkette would be nice, however with the amount of homeless, vagrants, and solicitors that make this area their home, I do not see it coming out as planned.
 

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