Northern Light
Superstar
Photos taken Sept 5th, 2022:
- Thread starter M5A
- Start date
limer
Active Member
This building is so polarizing lol I'm starting to like it - not because it's architecture is good by any means, but 'cause it's so contentious
punkkoala21082
New Member
Agreed! Will need to add that to my playbook. When "hot enough for ya eh?" fails, there's always "so how 'bout that Time and Space?"
beautifulwar
New Member
people like yorkville for a reason, and it isn't cause of the cheap food....
just recently, harbourfront has don alfonso, but the area needs more. more unique restaurants bring more character. how boring everything would be with a bunch of shoppers drug marts and other chain restaurants
DSC
Superstar
Are you suggesting that a Michelin listed restaurant will be locating in T&S? Seems quite unlikely to me, I foresee dentist offices, dry cleaners, nail bars and maybe even a pot store. If one wants to open a high class restaurant or store, you don't locate in somewhere like T&S.
Undead
Senior Member
I think a high end retailer deciding not to locate here has little to do with the building's design. It's that local inhabitants lack the income needed to sustain high end retail.
Northern Light
Superstar
There's a bit of conflation going on there.
The St. Lawrence neighbourhood can sustain some upper-middle restos; though probably not much in the way of Michelin Star; but just west of Jarvis has been a hot restaurant row for years, and it's not unreasonable to think that may stretch some in the years ahead, Distillery District is not far to the west and it draws retailers and customers with $.
What @DSC is saying, I think, is that if such an establishment were to set up nearby, it's not likely to be in the T&S space. I'm inclined to agree. Brand image matters.
You're selling something, particularly with a resto.
It would be nice if they land something that can add some vibrancy, but the design isn't well suited to that.
But there are other proposals and sites nearby that may be...........
evandyk
Senior Member
Ardo is right around the corner from T&S. And down the street you have places like Reyna, Gusto 501, Spaccio, Motorino, and of course all the places in the Distillery. King East doesn't match King West in terms of great restaurants, but it's not like there are none either.
But T&S will bring the people, and the restaurants will open in the nicer storefronts on King St. eventually.
But T&S will bring the people, and the restaurants will open in the nicer storefronts on King St. eventually.
WeirdFishes
Active Member
I don't think bad architecture attracts quality retail.
evandyk
Senior Member
That's probably true, but 3000 people living there will.
TheSix
Active Member
I doubt it, have you visited City Place? Only time will tell (excuse the pun).
3Dementia
Senior Member
evandyk
Senior Member
It took 20 years, but City Place is actually growing up!
I think St. Lawrence is a bit different in that it's not a totally new development area. But yeah, all of these things take time.
TheSix
Active Member
I totally agree, but the area still lacks quality retail. Yes, it’s getting better, but it took a long time.
While I do understand your point re: St. Lawrence, T&S is situated in the outskirts, in an area I’d not consider destination driven since it's well past the market. IMO it’s like saying Jarvis and Charles is Yorkville.
So, this combined with the fact that the building itself is absolutely horrible, quality retail will likely not be jumping at the opportunity to open up shop in this bottom barrel disaster of a development.
In time, of course this will change , but it’s gonna take a lot of time (maybe not 20 years, but def not anytime soon). More so knowing the current economic situation we’re facing.
everydayhim
Active Member
I’m certain there are some exceptions, but I do think more unique and quality restaurant ventures in Toronto tend to favour older, character rich buildings that are retrofitted. Hence why most of the new exciting restaurants like Bar Reyna and Spaccio in the east end are actually in Corktown and not St.Lawrence. Gusto 501 (purpose-built resto) is of course an exception, but still not in a new condo. New condo retail spaces usually lack the character and acoustic requirements unique restauranteurs are looking for. King East between Church and Sherbourne would attract some of the better restauranteurs in some of those old blocks but the history of repeatedly closed restaurants most likely deters them. Ardo seems to be the one of the only ones there hanging on