Ok. Have to throw in my two uneducated cents here, but, just because the CN Tower is our landmark, and the means by which so many define our skyline, how long can we continue to use it as a reason not to breech the 300+ metre mark? We've come so far in so many respects, yet remain in the dark (pardon the pun) when it comes to building anything near the CN tower, let alone a tall tower. As far as tall towers go, our skyline has looked exactly the same since the 70's, with FCP, the CN Tower, Scotia Plaza (I know, that's from the 90's) and the various banking towers remaining the hallmarks of our dated look.
Isn't it time that we, when given the chance, replace our old landmarks with newer ones. Call it a lonely impulse of delight, but I beg the skyscraper gods, please, building us a few new super talls. As for for shadowing or loosing views, that's all part of grow, is it not? How many blocked views and shadows have been created in the last 10 years in the uptown, downtown and south cores? So why is it we're seemingly so terrified to break such an old taboo? Honestly, we're always bragging that we have the most construction happening in North America, why not have something really worth bragging about? Love them or hate them, can you imagine the visual impact on our skyline if Gerhy's proposal, Oxfords, and 1-7 Yonge's was built as originally designed?
I know just how many factors are at at play here, but maybe that the problem. City council takes them, rips them apart, and offers a modified counter proposal, the owners do the same, until we're left with a design but a mere shadow of what it was designed to be. I'm not saying build with no limits, most bylaws are there for a good reason, but just once, I'd love to see something over 300 meters built, with no so much as a whimper from city council. Just a wild fantasy? Probably, but if we're ever to break the hight phobia paranoia, we've got to start somewhere, just sayin....... (Let the comments, commence! Lol! That's fine, variety, and different view points, are the spice of life, and things are about to get very spicy indeed)