[tnarduzzi]

This pic is facing South coming from the TTC. To the left used to be Go Ticket Wickets and Michel's Baguette. The centre use to be where the Tim's and to the Right was where Cinnabon was.I'll post some inside shortly.

I notice that the city "fencing corridor" down the middle has been removed. If so: Do you know how City of Toronto staff are currently accessing the loading docks?

 

[tnarduzzi]

tnarduzzi!
You are the only poster on UrbanToronto with a better-than 1:1 like-to-post ratio.
And definitely, do not forget your hardhat!

https://twitter.com/tnarduzzi/status/657248877549113344

 

[tnarduzzi]

This pic is facing South coming from the TTC. To the left used to be Go Ticket Wickets and Michel's Baguette. The centre use to be where the Tim's and to the Right was where Cinnabon was. I'll post some inside shortly.

Is there a way to post this in a higher resolution? Photobucket is not being kind to me.

 

[union2pearson]

Is there a way to post this in a higher resolution? Photobucket is not being kind to me.

Sorry. I took it with my phone.

 

[MetroMan]

Anybody know when the retail is opening in the York Concourse. You'd think that they would have had retail ready to open with the Bay Concourse closing.

I'm talking about replacements for the old stores like McDonalds and some of the newer "coming soon" stores like Booster Juice.

 

[union2pearson]

International Newstand and Booster Juice is "supposed" to be open by the end of the year. McCafe is said to be open early next April. Starbucks on the NorthWest corner of the York Concourse is also set to open by year's end, but Railroad Coffee is temporarily set up there for specialty Coffee which opened on Friday. The first RailRoad coffee stand already there in front of the Go Ticket Sellers will continue to serve coffee and treats only.

 

[tnarduzzi]

Sorry. I took it with my phone.
View attachment 57617

No "sorry". Big thumbs up. Awesome!

 

[Bojaxs]

Anybody know when the retail is opening in the York Concourse. You'd think that they would have had retail ready to open with the Bay Concourse closing.

I'm talking about replacements for the old stores like McDonalds and some of the newer "coming soon" stores like Booster Juice.

I wonder if some of the retail is not setting up in the York Concourse, because they're holding out for the Bay concourse?

I get the feeling that retail space in the Bay concourse will be more desirable than the York concourse.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

I wonder if some of the retail is not setting up in the York Concourse, because they're holding out for the Bay concourse?

I get the feeling that retail space in the Bay concourse will be more desirable than the York concourse.

I get the same feeling. Will the two ends be accessible without going up to the ground floor? This image:

Seems to indicate that the two ends will be linked, and so it should be irrelevant if the shop is on the Bay side or the York side since it will be easy to get to one side from the other. Maybe tenents don't realize (or don't care about) this, or they were not/are not expecting many people at the York end.

 

[BMO]

Seems to indicate that the two ends will be linked, and so it should be irrelevant if the shop is on the Bay side or the York side since it will be easy to get to one side from the other. Maybe tenents don't realize (or don't care about) this, or they were not/are not expecting many people at the York end.

It depends on whether the closure will permanently change peoples' pattern through the station or if they will revert right back to using the Bay concourse. Right now the Bay concourse is more desirable because that's where the majority of people have been walking through for years. But with York Concourse being the major walkway until Bay is done, it could boost how desirable York Concourse is. I think ultimately, though, Bay concourse would be a better location if you're going to choose between them. You get foot traffic from the ACC almost guaranteed as well as subway station traffic.

 

[tnarduzzi]

I think the plan is to group take away "food services" under York concourse. Bigger spaces will be available for larger stores/restaurants such as Casey's etc more towards the Bay side. The flow of the station is being completely reconstructed and I think the idea is to keep the cross traffic to a minimum (ie. food court tables not in the main flow to/from the ACC).

If you ask me all the retail is going to be relatively equal in terms of demand unless you are on the York or Front promenades. You do not want to be on the York or Front promenades. Once construction is complete most of the retail will be on the new mall level (sub-concourse). The York and Front promenades are going to be a level above this and feel a little more cramped as they are going to be one level above the new retail (concourse level, grade change from the new sub-concourse main pedestrian flows) and in are the existing spaces under the Great Hall. The tradeoff being that you might catch increased foot traffic from people waiting for trains... Maybe... but again probably not as the York and Front promenades will not be connected at grade to the Bay concourse, only at grade to the York concourse.

 

[mdrejhon]

Useful reposting:

That's a huge Urban Eatery sized food court, right there, then.

 

[tnarduzzi]

That's a huge Urban Eatery sized food court, right there, then.

@mdrejhon: My apologies, I'm not following. I think the "food court" bit of things is going to be underneath the York Concourse.

 

[tnarduzzi]

Will the two ends be accessible without going up to the ground floor?

@Woodbridge_Heights: It is a little confusing to follow on the architectural plans (as they have combined levels onto one plan) however it is worth noting that the entire new retail space will be level grade and accessible from Bay to York.

(Once construction is complete you will be able to enter the retail via stairs from the Bay teamway, to walk straight ahead through a "mall" corridor without grade changes or doors to exit up a set of stairs into the York teamway. There will be many other options as well this is only an example.)

The only bits of new retail not on this new open-plan sub-concourse are the retail outlets that will be opening in the York and Front "promenades".

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

@tnarduzzi I know, it is so difficult to try to visualize all the changes happening. If I have my head wrapped around this correctly, the stairs coming out of the TTC station will be removed to bring union station to the same level as the ttc concourse. This will become the retail concourse. Yes?

Then the GO concourse will go into the space created by the lowered floor. That's how I've visualized it. It's still difficult though as I can't see how the York concourse will continue west at the same grade to meet up with the Bay concourse, and fit in the lower level, and that lower level be at the same grade as the union station concourse.