I agree and that was my point. However it seems that no attempt was made to continue with the apparent beauty of tree lined streets as seen in the photos. Perhaps the time is now.
 
From 2018, a glimpse of one of the Dickinson façades during demolition.

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Next phase, I'd like to see that apartment on the North side of this complex restored to what it was originally (see pics of that from the page before). The current one is a Po-Mo cheeze sandwich holdover that's throwing the rest of the reno job off, IMO.
 
thecharioteer said:
Not to mention what happened south of Bloor when Queen's Park Crescent got widened in 1934:

1930, looking north to Bloor:

View attachment 299644

1934, widening in progress:

View attachment 299645

1972:

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Call me crazy but I like the 1972 view of Queen's Park Crescent. Don't get me wrong, the 1930 version is lovely but the 1972 incarnation looks good to me too. Toronto had to expand and here it was done well based on the thinking of the day. 1972 looks big-city, modern and optimistic.
 
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GenerationLee said:
I've never enjoyed what the impact of this renovation would do to the building itself...a glass addition on top will always look terrible on a masonry building, but the elevator shaft like structure and suburban office style extension north is a huge disappointment.
Avenue Road as it currently stands needs a refurbishment (And obviously has for a while*)...at this point I think it'll be dangerous to leave the road as is for the nect thirty years. Hopefully the city will try to make this stretch more akin to itself from over 80 years ago.
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The pre-renovation crown of the building with the Palladian window looked better imo (I believe that was the Roof Lounge)
 
UtakataNoAnnex said:
Next phase, I'd like to see that apartment on the North side of this complex restored to what it was originally (see pics of that from the page before). The current one is a Po-Mo cheeze sandwich holdover that's throwing the rest of the reno job off, IMO.
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I liked that building but in my opinion it wouldnt really fit in on such a prominent site on Avenue Road (Although it's still better preferable the glass box currently under construction)

I think that kind of modernist design would suit Humber Bay lakeshore (mini Miami) nicely, especially with some pastel colors, fountains, and lush landscaping. Somthing to add density while making up for the loss of the motels that were demolished in that area.
 
xy3 said:
I liked that building but in my opinion it wouldnt really fit in on such a prominent site on Avenue Road (Although it's still better preferable the glass box currently under construction)

I think that kind of modernist design would suit Humber Bay lakeshore (mini Miami) nicely, especially with some pastel colors, fountains, and lush landscaping. Somthing to add density while making up for the loss of the motels that were demolished in that area.
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I disagree. The detailing of that building no way makes it look cheap or is cheap in fact. And would easily compete with anything AA put out today. As well as it would more compliment the modern upgrades to this project currently, then the existing *building does now.

*Note: I think it's the same building only with a cheap suit thrown over it to keep it up with 80/90's PoMo/Stern'esk Jones to my understanding.
 
UtakataNoAnnex said:
I disagree. The detailing of that building no way makes it look cheap or is cheap in fact. And would easily compete with anything AA put out today. As well as it would more compliment the modern upgrades to this project currently, then the existing *building does now.

*Note: I think it's the same building only with a cheap suit thrown over it to keep it up with 80/90's PoMo/Stern'esk Jones to my understanding.
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It's sad the modern 'upgrade' did not include a fountain to make up for the loss of the fountain in the previous addition on Avenue Road.
 
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Why isn't it standard procedure to put thing back the way you found it? Filling the sidewalk in with concrete or asphalt is NOT putting it back. When I move to Canada as a kid it shocked me. Decades later nothing has changed. How does one get this to change? It just can't go on any longer.

You lift the paving stone out, fix what needs fixing, and then you put the paving stone back in. How is this not basic common sense? It speaks to the culture that people think they can destroy something and then leave it like they do. It's outrageous.and I'll never wrap my head around people like that. At the very least, they need to have crews who come in the next day to restore what THEY destroyed.
 
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isaidso said:
Why isn't it standard procedure to put thing back the way you found it? Filling the sidewalk in with concrete or asphalt is NOT putting it back. When I move to Canada as a kid it shocked me. Decades later nothing has changed. How does one get this to change? It just can't go on any longer.

You lift the paving stone out, fix what needs fixing, and then you put the paving stone back in. How is this not basic common sense? It speaks to the culture that people think they can destroy something and then leave it like they do. It's outrageous.and I'll never wrap my head around people like that. At the very least, they need to have crews who come in the next day to restore what THEY destroyed.
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I think there might be a reason here: there's currently a water main replacement project on Bloor between Avenue and Spadina. That work is to be followed by the entire stretch getting new raised/dedicated bike lanes, sidewalks etc, similar to the stretch west of Spadina - Bathurst. So I see why they may not rebuild the sidewalks until the entire is block is repaved and sidewalks are refurbished.
 
MoObserves said:
I think there might be a reason here: there's currently a water main replacement project on Bloor between Avenue and Spadina. That work is to be followed by the entire stretch getting new raised/dedicated bike lanes, sidewalks etc, similar to the stretch west of Spadina - Bathurst. So I see why they may not rebuild the sidewalks until the entire is block is repaved and sidewalks are refurbished.
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Can't speak to the reason in this case, but I know at Maple Leaf Square they simply filled in the dug out areas with asphalt/pavement, no attempt to put the stones back in. E-mailed the city about it and nobody seemed to care. Same with other "little things" like maintaining art installations, always a dead end.
 
sikandar said:
Can't speak to the reason in this case, but I know at Maple Leaf Square they simply filled in the dug out areas with asphalt/pavement, no attempt to put the stones back in. E-mailed the city about it and nobody seemed to care. Same with other "little things" like maintaining art installations, always a dead end.
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I wonder if that had to do with all the development going up and around near MLS. No doubt in the future more work will be done.
 
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