Tuscani:

Interesting you mentioned DRL - with this and the First Gulf Unilever site project, it makes you wonder if they are taking bets on the alignment already.

AoD
 
Tuscani:

Interesting you mentioned DRL - with this and the First Gulf Unilever site project, it makes you wonder if they are taking bets on the alignment already.

AoD

I don't doubt that at all. It's nice to see it happen though. It's essentially the reverse of the Sheppard Subway. That was build it and they will come... this is we will come in the hopes that you will build it.

I wonder if any developers in the city have considered building a roughed-in subway station into their developments in order to convince the city to build a station at a later date? I can imagine that building a station box, and offering it to the city free of charge would help secure the line running through the site. It would be a win for the developer, and help them sell/lease at a premium, and it would be a win for the city, as they would be simply need to outfit the station when the time comes.
 
Interesting you mentioned DRL - with this and the First Gulf Unilever site project, it makes you wonder if they are taking bets on the alignment already.

Wouldn't the office tower component of this be the first time we've had a major commercial development so far from a subway in a while? This would be a good 20 minutes from Union.

Certainly seems like they'd be banking on some improvements to transit access.
 
Wouldn't the office tower component of this be the first time we've had a major commercial development so far from a subway in a while? This would be a good 20 minutes from Union.

Certainly seems like they'd be banking on some improvements to transit access.

The writing is on the wall - instead of NYCC, Y+E and even Y+B as desired nodes, we are going to get an East Core and a West Core instead. The decentralization plan of the 70s/80s turned out to be a spectacular failure.

AoD
 
The writing is on the wall - instead of NYCC, Y+E and even Y+B as desired nodes, we are going to get an East Core and a West Core instead. The decentralization plan of the 70s/80s turned out to be a spectacular failure.

AoD

Makes sense to a degree. Assuming you've got a fully built out RER network, the central rail corridor trunk could serve Westcore (Spadina station), Southcore/CBD(Union), Old Toronto (Sherbourne/Parliament), Eastcore (Unilver area).

If you could increase the relevant employment density in these non-CBD areas, you could reduce some of the peak hour pressures on Union Station a bit.
 
Spadina and Front is around a 10 minute walk from Union, its far, but not really far. The two northern Eaton Centre towers are further away than this. (though they have subway access)
 
The DRP wants to put cars in this thing. It is a "superblock" because there are no vehicular roads just pedestrian walkways. God help us.
 
I think the project could be improved by allowing vehicles to access the north / south connections (woonerf-style) while keeping them off of the east-west spine.
 
The writing is on the wall - instead of NYCC, Y+E and even Y+B as desired nodes, we are going to get an East Core and a West Core instead. The decentralization plan of the 70s/80s turned out to be a spectacular failure.

AoD

Do you mean office/commercial development only? If not, all of NYCC, Y + E and especially, Y + B, are spectacular successes, judging by the construction. And they are definitely "desired", judging by the prices. If, on the other hand, you mean office and commercial development only, it is true that the CBD is creeping outward, especially to the south. But what is happening to the east?
 
Do you mean office/commercial development only? If not, all of NYCC, Y + E and especially, Y + B, are spectacular successes, judging by the construction. And they are definitely "desired", judging by the prices. If, on the other hand, you mean office and commercial development only, it is true that the CBD is creeping outward, especially to the south. But what is happening to the east?

Yes, I meant the office/commercial development aspect only. The eastward "creep" isn't nearly as strong partly due to the relative lack of large development sites and other contextual issues, but the trend is there (small to medium scale developments - e.g. SAS, Globe and Mail, Coke, etc).

AoD
 
The DRP wants to put cars in this thing. It is a "superblock" because there are no vehicular roads just pedestrian walkways. God help us.

I don't understand why. There is no vehicle access through the block presently, so there really isn't a compelling reason put forward for allowing cars through the sub blocks.

I guess Claude Cormier's landscaping can be kissed goodbye. As for woonerfs, far too many drivers see vehicle access passages as roads, and pedestrians as nothing more than obstacles. Add to that, everyone loves parking in laneways, even when there are 'no parking' signs.
 
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