khris
Senior Member
Well, some cranes poured some concrete, and voila! 
- Thread starter khris
- Start date
Oh Khris, you know as well as anyone that Ian really means "how is it that someone approved such a big, ugly, above ground concrete bunker of a parking garage?" as it's a rhetorical question a lot of us have asked ourselves too. Maybe when all is said and done we'll find that the cladding chosen will be the most stunning ever applied in the GTA to such a carbuncle as this...
but since that's unlikely, I present this generic bureaucrat voodoo doll for your consideration:
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Solaris
Senior Member
From what I could tell, WideSuites will be a decent looking structure from the south and west street frontages where the UGLY garage structure is tucked behind condo suites in this decent looking tower ...
unfortunately, the UGLY parking garage 'box' will be stand very prominently when viewed from the north and east
Well, at least on the east side is only seldom-used Hurontario Street...
and that office tower where I assume no-one ever looks through its west windows. Well, not anymore.
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and that office tower where I assume no-one ever looks through its west windows. Well, not anymore.
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khris
Senior Member
Oh, I know what he meant. I have asked the question myself a few times in this thread haha. I partially blame it on the layout of the site. It should have been divided into two separate sites, so that a parking garage would never have been allowed in the first place.
doady
Senior Member
Such a large parking garage is not needed along Hurontario Street. The city screwed up big time here.
The tower probably also should not have been allowed in the first place. There probably should have been a height limit for this property.
The tower probably also should not have been allowed in the first place. There probably should have been a height limit for this property.
vegeta_skyline
Senior Member
A height limit? Are you joking? Correct me if i'm wrong, but last time I checked there was two buildings over 500ft tall being built just one block north of this site.
What should never have been allowed is above ground parking but only that.
Marko
Active Member
Yeah, there's currently no height restrictions in the MCC area, so slapping one on this building while allowing 56s one block away would be pretty silly.
I don't even think the above ground parking is the worst issue, as there are ways to dress this up - it's the multi-level concrete walls that are the problem.
Facing Hurontario itself won't be so bad, as there will be ground floor retail and the upper floors clad in such a way that it emulates finished floors - it's the exposed sides facing that smaller office building and the Novotel that are the eyesores... but we also don't know if perhaps there is a greater plan in play down the road that makes this a no-issue over the long run. Parts of Solstice didn't look so good until the remaining buildings were added, so perhaps there is already plans in place to integrate these walls with structures that will be built alongside these exposed walls.
I don't even think the above ground parking is the worst issue, as there are ways to dress this up - it's the multi-level concrete walls that are the problem.
Facing Hurontario itself won't be so bad, as there will be ground floor retail and the upper floors clad in such a way that it emulates finished floors - it's the exposed sides facing that smaller office building and the Novotel that are the eyesores... but we also don't know if perhaps there is a greater plan in play down the road that makes this a no-issue over the long run. Parts of Solstice didn't look so good until the remaining buildings were added, so perhaps there is already plans in place to integrate these walls with structures that will be built alongside these exposed walls.
khris
Senior Member
I'm sure eventually that office building will be gone.
doady
Senior Member
How is it silly? Considering the parking pressures in MCC, height restrictions would not be at all silly. I think MCC would be much more pedestrian friendly now if all those office buildings along Robert Speck were 3-4 storeys max. There would not have been so much space taken up for above ground parking and at the same time the streets would be more complete. High-rise buildings are pointless if they need a lot of space above ground for parking. Above ground parking should be banned in MCC, unless it is hidden like for Citygate.
Observer Walt
Senior Member
^ Above-ground parking for new developments is no longer permitted in MCC.
Office development of three or four floors along Robert Speck Parkway is unrealistic. This is some of the most valuable land in the GTA, outside the core of Toronto and a very few other locations. It would be quite uneconomic to build offices at three or four floors, just for the sake of minimizing parking (which is to say, really, minimizing density). This is a neighbourhood where the entire name of the game is to create density.
Office development of three or four floors along Robert Speck Parkway is unrealistic. This is some of the most valuable land in the GTA, outside the core of Toronto and a very few other locations. It would be quite uneconomic to build offices at three or four floors, just for the sake of minimizing parking (which is to say, really, minimizing density). This is a neighbourhood where the entire name of the game is to create density.
doady
Senior Member
Well, high rise office buildings in MCC are not economical either, which is why there has only been one office building built in MCC in the past 15 years.
I did not call for a reduction in office space though. A reduction in height doesn't necessarily mean a reduction in space...
drum118
Superstar
Nov 18 Visit
A new view and 2 different projects
A new view and 2 different projects
Tuscani01
Senior Member
If you don't reduce the space, that means you will still have the same amount of workers, meaning the need for the same amount of parking. Your proposal makes no sense.
I think parking should be within the footprint of a building, whether that means underground, or above ground. Require ground floor commercial space, and that the parking levels be hidden behind cladding, and everything would be fine.
drum118
Superstar
Nov 22
