D
dan e 1980
Guest
All aboard for giant reno
Historic Union Station leased to private group for an extreme makeover
Feb. 3, 2006. 02:31 AM
PAUL MOLONEY AND CATHERINE PORTER
CITY HALL BUREAU
Union Station, the transportation hub used daily by 100,000 commuters, is about to undergo the ultimate reno job — and when it emerges from the plaster dust five years from now, travellers may not want to leave the place.
Council voted 33-7 yesterday to lease the historic building to a private consortium that will invest up to $150 million in renovations, including $26 million in repairs that have been put off since the city acquired the building from the railways in 2000.
The plans, which have taken six years to complete, call for:
#
A mix of high-end and fast-food restaurants.
#
130,000 square feet of retail space with brand name and independent retailers.
#
Entertainment venues, possibly a comedy club.
#
Either a boutique hotel or offices in the station's west wing along York St.
#
Room to fit in a future rail link from the station to Pearson airport.
And while all that's being done, streams of commuters will continue to use the heritage building as their gateway in and out of Toronto.
"It will be a very challenging job," said Ron Taylor, project manager for Union Pearson Group. "Fortunately, right now there's only about a quarter of the station that's actually in use, so we've got lots of room to re-route people in a sensible, well-thought-out way."
Assuming closing conditions are met by May 31, the city will sign a lease giving Union Pearson Group control of the Front St. landmark for up to 100 years, paying annual rent to the city of $500,000 adjusted for inflation.
"We believe that like Union Station in Washington, D.C., this will become a very significant tourist attraction," Taylor said. "We'll have reasons for people to be there day and evening for 365 days of the year."
Once the lease is signed, Union Pearson will spend a year completing design development, construction drawings, tendering the work, obtaining building permits and putting up hoarding and signs to guide the commuters who pass through the building.
"Part of it is public relations," Taylor said, "so people understand and are not surprised by the construction. We know they're people who tend to be in a rush to get somewhere quickly."
The first priority once construction starts is to restore the station's street-level Great Hall.
"That's an area where we feel we can move quickly and have something finished so people can see the promise, and begin to see the outcome."
Workers will then begin to open up the west concourse to allow GO Transit to improve access for commuters, and then move on to the east concourse.
Union Pearson will also open up three north-south pedestrian routes through the station, one on each side and one in the middle that will link to the square beside the Air Canada Centre galleria just south of the station.
Plans include providing space to fit in a future rail link from the station to Pearson airport, including providing passenger lounges and access to taxis.
`I think we're on track
to restoring it to its
former glory.'
Janice Etter, chair, Union Station Revitalization Public Advisory Group
The airport link is a project by SNC Lavalin, the engineering and construction giant that is also one of the six members of Union Pearson Group.
Along with PCL, the consortium includes real estate companies O & Y Properties Corp. and Jones Lang LaSalle; the realty arm of the OMERS pension fund; and Kilmer Van Nostrand Co., controlled by Larry Tanenbaum, who's also a part owner of the neighbouring Air Canada Centre.
The six companies are equal shareholders in the consortium, which operates with a chair and vice-chair and Taylor acting as chief executive officer.
Gary McNeil, managing director of GO Transit, says the revitalization plans dovetail with GO Transit's plans for a $400 million reconstruction of their facilities — including track and signal upgrades, renovated platforms, new lights and an open atrium — at Union Station over the next 10 years.
"It works very good together," he said.
Union Pearson's plans to open up the west end of the building will give GO Transit customers new space while the east end is under construction, he said.
"GO and VIA customers and many visitors to the city of Toronto will start to see a jewel that's going to be polished," said McNeil.
The TTC's Rick Ducharme said the reconstruction won't affect subway passengers.
It's expected to be smooth sailing to the formal signing of the lease May 31. Closing conditions that must be met include finalizing leases with GO and VIA, financing confirmation, and approvals of the concept design, development schedule and budget, and a heritage agreement.
The city is being sued by the losing bidder, Landau & Heyman and LP Heritage + Union Station Consortium, but the legal action won't affect the project, Taylor said.
The group's lawyer, Alan D'Silva, said the legal action is separate.
"Our lawsuit has really very little to do with the other bid but with the way our client was treated by the process," he said.
City council's vote was welcomed by Janice Etter, chair of the Union Station Revitalization Public Advisory Group, made up of citizens appointed by city hall to provide oversight and advice on the project.
"I think Union Station will end up being a fabulous transportation hub," said Etter said. "It's going to be a wonderful place. I think we're on track to restoring it to its former glory.
"And I think it was unrealistic to think that the city could do it on its own," she added. "I think this is entirely appropriate that there be private investment in this so that the burden isn't left to taxpayers. We feel this deal serves the public interest."
Mayor David Miller said a revamped Union Station is important to the city's future.
"We'll continue to work with the federal government on the environmental assessments for the connection between Union Station and Pearson Airport," Miller said.
"The agreement has to be finalized first. What happened today is council approved our side of that document so over the next few weeks hopefully the final details will be ironed out and the agreement signed. People should start to see changes next year.
"The Grand Hall at Union Station is stunning, but inexpensive retrofits and the lack of maintenance have made it not what it could be."
Some councillors expressed relief the debate is winding down.
"I was a young man when this stuff started," quipped Deputy Mayor Mike Feldman, who's in his 70s.
------------------------------------------------------------------
miller, can't wait to vote you out. i haven't seen you at one community meeting regarding the ARL. you say you're for public transportation yet you support such a stupid project as the ARL. i'm glad i didn't vote for you first time around.
you care nothing for my community and i'm begining to wonder if you even care about toronto.
i hope you're happy selling out to your corporate buddies. >:
Historic Union Station leased to private group for an extreme makeover
Feb. 3, 2006. 02:31 AM
PAUL MOLONEY AND CATHERINE PORTER
CITY HALL BUREAU
Union Station, the transportation hub used daily by 100,000 commuters, is about to undergo the ultimate reno job — and when it emerges from the plaster dust five years from now, travellers may not want to leave the place.
Council voted 33-7 yesterday to lease the historic building to a private consortium that will invest up to $150 million in renovations, including $26 million in repairs that have been put off since the city acquired the building from the railways in 2000.
The plans, which have taken six years to complete, call for:
#
A mix of high-end and fast-food restaurants.
#
130,000 square feet of retail space with brand name and independent retailers.
#
Entertainment venues, possibly a comedy club.
#
Either a boutique hotel or offices in the station's west wing along York St.
#
Room to fit in a future rail link from the station to Pearson airport.
And while all that's being done, streams of commuters will continue to use the heritage building as their gateway in and out of Toronto.
"It will be a very challenging job," said Ron Taylor, project manager for Union Pearson Group. "Fortunately, right now there's only about a quarter of the station that's actually in use, so we've got lots of room to re-route people in a sensible, well-thought-out way."
Assuming closing conditions are met by May 31, the city will sign a lease giving Union Pearson Group control of the Front St. landmark for up to 100 years, paying annual rent to the city of $500,000 adjusted for inflation.
"We believe that like Union Station in Washington, D.C., this will become a very significant tourist attraction," Taylor said. "We'll have reasons for people to be there day and evening for 365 days of the year."
Once the lease is signed, Union Pearson will spend a year completing design development, construction drawings, tendering the work, obtaining building permits and putting up hoarding and signs to guide the commuters who pass through the building.
"Part of it is public relations," Taylor said, "so people understand and are not surprised by the construction. We know they're people who tend to be in a rush to get somewhere quickly."
The first priority once construction starts is to restore the station's street-level Great Hall.
"That's an area where we feel we can move quickly and have something finished so people can see the promise, and begin to see the outcome."
Workers will then begin to open up the west concourse to allow GO Transit to improve access for commuters, and then move on to the east concourse.
Union Pearson will also open up three north-south pedestrian routes through the station, one on each side and one in the middle that will link to the square beside the Air Canada Centre galleria just south of the station.
Plans include providing space to fit in a future rail link from the station to Pearson airport, including providing passenger lounges and access to taxis.
`I think we're on track
to restoring it to its
former glory.'
Janice Etter, chair, Union Station Revitalization Public Advisory Group
The airport link is a project by SNC Lavalin, the engineering and construction giant that is also one of the six members of Union Pearson Group.
Along with PCL, the consortium includes real estate companies O & Y Properties Corp. and Jones Lang LaSalle; the realty arm of the OMERS pension fund; and Kilmer Van Nostrand Co., controlled by Larry Tanenbaum, who's also a part owner of the neighbouring Air Canada Centre.
The six companies are equal shareholders in the consortium, which operates with a chair and vice-chair and Taylor acting as chief executive officer.
Gary McNeil, managing director of GO Transit, says the revitalization plans dovetail with GO Transit's plans for a $400 million reconstruction of their facilities — including track and signal upgrades, renovated platforms, new lights and an open atrium — at Union Station over the next 10 years.
"It works very good together," he said.
Union Pearson's plans to open up the west end of the building will give GO Transit customers new space while the east end is under construction, he said.
"GO and VIA customers and many visitors to the city of Toronto will start to see a jewel that's going to be polished," said McNeil.
The TTC's Rick Ducharme said the reconstruction won't affect subway passengers.
It's expected to be smooth sailing to the formal signing of the lease May 31. Closing conditions that must be met include finalizing leases with GO and VIA, financing confirmation, and approvals of the concept design, development schedule and budget, and a heritage agreement.
The city is being sued by the losing bidder, Landau & Heyman and LP Heritage + Union Station Consortium, but the legal action won't affect the project, Taylor said.
The group's lawyer, Alan D'Silva, said the legal action is separate.
"Our lawsuit has really very little to do with the other bid but with the way our client was treated by the process," he said.
City council's vote was welcomed by Janice Etter, chair of the Union Station Revitalization Public Advisory Group, made up of citizens appointed by city hall to provide oversight and advice on the project.
"I think Union Station will end up being a fabulous transportation hub," said Etter said. "It's going to be a wonderful place. I think we're on track to restoring it to its former glory.
"And I think it was unrealistic to think that the city could do it on its own," she added. "I think this is entirely appropriate that there be private investment in this so that the burden isn't left to taxpayers. We feel this deal serves the public interest."
Mayor David Miller said a revamped Union Station is important to the city's future.
"We'll continue to work with the federal government on the environmental assessments for the connection between Union Station and Pearson Airport," Miller said.
"The agreement has to be finalized first. What happened today is council approved our side of that document so over the next few weeks hopefully the final details will be ironed out and the agreement signed. People should start to see changes next year.
"The Grand Hall at Union Station is stunning, but inexpensive retrofits and the lack of maintenance have made it not what it could be."
Some councillors expressed relief the debate is winding down.
"I was a young man when this stuff started," quipped Deputy Mayor Mike Feldman, who's in his 70s.
------------------------------------------------------------------
miller, can't wait to vote you out. i haven't seen you at one community meeting regarding the ARL. you say you're for public transportation yet you support such a stupid project as the ARL. i'm glad i didn't vote for you first time around.
you care nothing for my community and i'm begining to wonder if you even care about toronto.
i hope you're happy selling out to your corporate buddies. >:
