[Northern Light]

York University is initiating a new Campus Master Plan process for its Keele Campus.

It's entitled Living Well Together.

The Star, has a 'sponsored' article on it today:

Reimagined Keele Campus embodies York University’s purpose and priorities

In recent years, the world has experienced increasingly complex challenges from climate change and a pandemic, to racism, xenophobia and inequality, says Rhonda Lenton, president and vice-chancellor of York University.

www.thestar.com

The actual plans can be found here: https://www.yorku.ca/president/wp-c...ision-and-Strategy-document-FINAL-VERSION.pdf

The plans, such as they are, are still very high concept, but are predicated around 4 new 'neighbourhoods' on campus, and a revitalized Commons around the York U subway station.

Little bit of carryover to one more post....as I've hit the image limit.

 

[Northern Light]

That's it for now......

***

My comments:

Fine as far as it goes, lacks specificity.

Vision for the Commons doesn't really inspire..............

For a school with a robust art program............ummmm......those renders......

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

View attachment 371396

View attachment 371397



That's it for now......

***

My comments:

Fine as far as it goes, lacks specificity.

Vision for the Commons doesn't really inspire..............

For a school with a robust art program............ummmm......those renders......

The commons have an enclosure problem - the eastern end is awkward and there isn't much you can do to about the roadways given existing buildings. Also greenery on the campus is kind of cheap - and the commons is the least intimate of it all.

AoD

 

[Undead]

Haha, the grocery store rears its head again. When I was a student, that ask came up consistently every few years. We got excited when the Shoppers was announced, but then we found out it was a Shoppers.

From my experience attending, I would like to see the following:

- Cars and pedestrian flows separated
- Commons pedestrianized and beautified along with weather protection
- That bloody grocery store, finally
- A thorough refresh, inside and out, on the various college buildings
- Ross Building exterior designated as heritage, but interior gutted and overhauled
- More seating everywhere, especially in and around the library
- The outer parking lots redeveloped for housing in whatever mix appropriate (student, rental, affordable, etc)

 

[interchange42]

The common has never been particularly attractive, but there's enough to suggest here that a rescue is coming of some sort. The shortening of York Blvd's intrusion into the space is one easily identified gain... but more important that that is the gridfication of the peripheral areas, the continuous pedestrian zones, and the development of the blocks. It's a good direction to be heading in up here.

42

 

[Northern Light]

The common has never been particularly attractive, but there's enough to suggest here that a rescue is coming of some sort. The shortening of York Blvd's intrusion into the space is one easily identified gain... but more important that that is the gridfication of the peripheral areas, the continuous pedestrian zones, and the development of the blocks. It's a good direction to be heading in up here.

42

I firmly believe they have to nix the 'mall' and bring that life out on the sidewalk and street.

That would be a critical component to me.

There are clearly myriad architectural as well as transportation-related infrastructure changes that are needed.

Beyond that, the Commons itself (the landscape zone) is a dead fish........

It just doesn't work.

In some ways that's the easiest of the components to fix; but in others, you really need to understand how the adjacent areas will function in order to layout the Commons landscape zone properly.