[Christopher Brown]

Toronto Star, Nov.15, 2009. "Backed by Sewell and other disciples of urban guru Jane Jacobs, the "tiny perfect mayor," as Crombie came to be known, imposed a 45-foot height limit on downtown development for two years."

It was because of Sewell and the NDP mob who gained control of council in 1973. But Crombie was responsible by my recollection for the expansion of what is now TCHC, a behemoth of disrepair and dysfunction failing miserably in it's core mandate. Safe affordable housing for the city's vulnerable. Some might call it the fastest growing slum landlord in North America. But I digress.

 

[ProjectEnd]

Toronto Star, Nov.15, 2009. "Backed by Sewell and other disciples of urban guru Jane Jacobs, the "tiny perfect mayor," as Crombie came to be known, imposed a 45-foot height limit on downtown development for two years."

It was because of Sewell and the NDP mob who gained control of council in 1973. But Crombie was responsible by my recollection for the expansion of what is now TCHC, a behemoth of disrepair and dysfunction failing miserably in it's core mandate. Safe affordable housing for the city's vulnerable. Some might call it the fastest growing slum landlord in North America. But I digress.

Yes. Yes you do.

Can we move on?

 

[maestro]

The legal demolition of Stollery was critically important because there was a clear and present danger someone would insist its be included the project. I have no problem with larger than life personalities in Toronto, we need more of them.

I didn't expect a comment on the slow demolition (really no need to rush... didn't have zoning approval for the new tower or parking lot) to turn into this

I don't care for larger than life personalities. We (the taxpayers, the investors, the saving account holders) almost always end up paying for them whether they deliver or not. See Lamb. He's actually building. He's also building well above his means using shady financing models to do it.

The demolition was not legal as he didn't have the permits to occupy the public boulevard. I wonder if you would be as upfront with his defense of architectural purity if someone got injured by his blatant disregard for the process.

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

I didn't expect a comment on the slow demolition (really no need to rush... didn't have zoning approval for the new tower or parking lot) to turn into this

I don't care for larger than life personalities. We (the taxpayers, the investors, the saving account holders) almost always end up paying for them whether they deliver or not. See Lamb. He's actually building. He's also building well above his means using shady financing models to do it.

The demolition was not legal as he didn't have the permits to occupy the public boulevard. I wonder if you would be as upfront with his defense if someone got injured by his blatant disregard for the process.

Why didn't the city sue?

 

[maestro]

Why didn't the city sue?

I don't know. Maybe they didn't feel it was worth their time. No one was reported as injured so looks like no one sued the city. Maybe they did fine him. That's not the point anyways, It shows his character which people are giving the benefit of the doubt to just because he had Foster draw up designs for a supertall and Stollerys wasn't worth much.

 

[maestro]

Cityhome was actually well managed with the buildings in decent shape (mind you they were younger than they are now) It wasn't until the province downloaded their slummy MTHA onto the city that things got worse. TCHC has, in many ways, been up the creek without a paddle. I really don't think anyone could have done better with the resources they have had.

 

[interchange42]

Agreed re: TCHC/MTHA downloading. It's not Crombie's fault for not foreseeing every issue that the TCHC now has. Clearly TCHC needs fixes now to make affordable housing in this city more sustainable, but I don't think most TCHC residents wish they'd never been housed.

42

 

[buildup]

I don't care for larger than life personalities. We (the taxpayers, the investors, the saving account holders) almost always end up paying for them whether they deliver or not. See Lamb. He's actually building. He's also building well above his means using shady financing models to do it.
QUOTE]

I don't see the connection to larger than life personalities, really, I see my bank account and investments being destroyed as often as not by faceless tax & spend bureaucrats, whiners, relatives, and lazy people. Toronto can live with some larger than life personalities, people who dream big. The rest of us can just peck away at them behind our keyboards.

 

[Benito]

Workers on site.

 

[someMidTowner]

The One is discussed in a recent UT story: Race For The Sky: The Quest For Toronto's First Supertall Tower

 

[Benito]

Today, again only one bin.

 

[Benito]

Work being done on the hoarding today.

 

[Benito]

First piece of small construction equipment on site. Presumably to help clear the site?

 

[Downtown Toronto]

Looks like they hired GFL (green for life).

 

[raptor]

Have to make sure they don't "accidentally" knock down Hue's kitchen building.