[DtTO]

^ True, but there's nothing wrong with suggestion improvements. I don't think anyone here is just complaining for the sake of complaining.

Just so we're clear: You want to add expense and complexity just because the fire code offends your sensibilities?

Actually, he's kind of right. The simplest way I can think of is having doors that are kept open by magnets. When the fire alarm goes off, the magnets are turned off and the doors close. They use these at hospitals.

 

[junctionist]

Exactly. There are probably simple ways of complying with the fire code. Shopping malls have no doors from end to end beyond the initial exterior doors. That's how PATH should be as well.

 

[adHominem]

Exactly. There are probably simple ways of complying with the fire code. Shopping malls have no doors from end to end beyond the initial exterior doors. That's how PATH should be as well.

Ideally, yes, but I can't see it ever happening, not because of any technical or cost-of-implementation reason, but because each chunk of the PATH is owned by a different entity, each of whom want you to stay in their part and spend your money there. Cadillac Fairview have a financial disincentive to make it easy for their tenants' potential customers to wander into the Allied REIT-owned concourse next door, and vice-versa.

 

[junctionist]

It's in their interest to have as many people down there as possible walking through the corridors. The easier it is to do so, the more people will use PATH regardless of the weather.

 

[Wrenkin]

I would have thought there were also other reasons to keep the doors closed, like the fact that the buildings are heated separately. You could get quite a breeze in some places.

 

[hawc]

Can I just say, I absolutely love the new PATH connection. It has changed my life. It makes getting to and from Union station a pleasant fun experience. I get such a kick out of walking under the very underside of the Gardiner and over Harbour street.

 

[rocker]

Can I just say, I absolutely love the new PATH connection. It has changed my life. It makes getting to and from Union station a pleasant fun experience. I get such a kick out of walking under the very underside of the Gardiner and over Harbour street.

I have a similar experience. I live at 33 Bay with my wife and baby. In the winter, it's always been an unpleasant experience going from our place under the Gardiner, waiting at that long red light, crossing, then walking over to Maple Leaf Square to go to Longos. This isn't a long journey, but with child it's an annoyance.

Since the bridges opened, we just run across the street to the AON Building, which takes 30 seconds (maybe a short red), and we're in comfortable surroundings all the way to Longos. It's actually a nice, pleasant jaunt with the stroller.

 

[Razz]

Viewed from the east, October 27, 2014:

 

[Miscreant]

Oh man, that just screams urban. Awesome.

 

[Tuscani01]

I would have thought there were also other reasons to keep the doors closed, like the fact that the buildings are heated separately. You could get quite a breeze in some places.

The fact that each building has it's own life safety systems is another reason why the doors exist. A mall is open throughout because it is a single property owner, which controls everything. In the case of PATH, each section has different ownership, and property lines are crossed. This means proper fire separation is required.

Because it is not built like a hospital or mall, the magnet thing for doors would not work. The buildings would need to share life safety systems and function as a single building with a single property owner in order for that to work. The current arrangement means an incident in one building would require adjoining buildings to use the exact same systems to respond to the incident. There is no way of doing that without giving up control, and no property owner is going to want to give up control over their own building.

The existing set-up allows adjoining buildings enough time to respond and prepare for anything that may be happening by providing that separation that prevents an incident from one building spreading into another.

 

[Northern Magus]

Oh man, that just screams urban.

With much more to come.

 

[AHK]

The fact that each building has it's own life safety systems is another reason why the doors exist. A mall is open throughout because it is a single property owner, which controls everything. In the case of PATH, each section has different ownership, and property lines are crossed. This means proper fire separation is required.

Because it is not built like a hospital or mall, the magnet thing for doors would not work. The buildings would need to share life safety systems and function as a single building with a single property owner in order for that to work. The current arrangement means an incident in one building would require adjoining buildings to use the exact same systems to respond to the incident. There is no way of doing that without giving up control, and no property owner is going to want to give up control over their own building.

The existing set-up allows adjoining buildings enough time to respond and prepare for anything that may be happening by providing that separation that prevents an incident from one building spreading into another.

I believe there are examples in the buildings around King and Bay where the concourse (PATH) level doors between the buildings are open during the day. One of the main reasons for the doors to not be open is balancing of the mechanical systems - the air pressure and flow between the buildings - such that the passageways do not turn into wind tunnels. Having the doors closed on at least at one side of the PATH connection between two buildings can help manage the air flow when the mechanical systems of the adjoining buildings are not evenly balanced against each other.

There are also locations where there are roll-down fire shutters between different zones - only come down when a fire alarm condition is triggered. The use of the roll-down shutters (which from my lay impression may not be as prevalent as it used to be) would also allow the regular doors to remain open, while providing isolation between two different sets of fire and life safety systems.

 

[wmedia]

The renovated interior of the existing complex. Looks nicer in person:

 

[interchange42]

That already looks very nice. Good shot!

42

 

[Sir Novelty Fashion]

Oh man, that just screams urban. Awesome.

It screams "towers!", but built-up isn't necessarily the same as urban. At least not the kind of urban we like. Southcore has a long way to go still.