Kazakhstani Developer to Transform Yonge and Bloor: Very Niiice!

I think that 80 storeys is way too tall - it wouldn't relate to anything in the area! But, a new high density development on that corner would be great - especially something that is open at the street level and allows for views through the structure. Who knows, maybe the Bay across the street will be inspried to improve their concrete facade!

the bigger the better!

That's the spirit Sookie!

No resistance yet. Come on people, I know you're out there. Give us your thoughts or this thing's going up yesterday!

Don't even think about touching the Brass Rail!!!!

I know lathamb meant to not mess with The Brass Rail, but the literal take on it is equally apt: For your health, don't even think about touching The Brass Rail!

I completely agree with the bigger the better. I just want it to be designed well (no more boring architecture!!!).

I also want attention paid to how this building interacts with the street... there are ways to achieve this.

I also Mark is bang on in his note about expanding capacity on the subway below. Screw Kyle Rae's pet projects. Let's look at the practical needs of infrastructure first (especially considering the impact all of those additional people are going to have on it).

In principle, I am happy to see this corner redeveloped.

Furthermore,a highrise makes more sense here than anywhere....though 60 floors was probably enough.

But its the subway capacity issue that has me concerned.

Yonge/Bloor is jammed right now

And it needs a new lower level platform and expanded mezzanines.

But the lower level of the station, and the mezzanine are built WITHIN the foundation wall of the Hudson's Bay Centre.

Expansion of this station, will conservatively cost over 200 million dollars.

How much can or will this developer contribute?

Where will the City find its share of the cost (the majority)?

That's not to knock this idea...but how are we going to accomodate it?

Who cares how tall the building is. It matters that it have a unique design, be built of excellent materials and make concessions to pedestrian traffic at the street level.
Unfortunately, the renderings of 1 Bloor East do not lead one to believe that any of these criteria will be entertained. YET again downtown T.O. is presented with suburban mediocrity and it will likely roll over and grant planning approval. When will Toronto city council start respecting their city and LEARN TO DEMAND BETTER?

Finally the resistance shows up! Great comments all. A few points:

Jeff-perhaps the best comment so far-where's a person gotta go in this town to get a good burger? Must be a vegan conspiracy.

Sanford Riley-the renderings have not been released yet. I'm guessing you are looking at the previous renderings from the old developer. I've been told they will be released at the press conference in April and will be completely different.

Protogenes-I hear what you're saying about taking away public space, but certainly it could be built to include better and more usable public space on the street level than currently exists, n'est pas? [The previous developer had plans for a movie theatre in the space among other things]

Finally, I think the added strain this will put on the subway station that many have alluded to is a point that needs to be addressed.

I totally agree with the comment about the lack of public space. i think that the existing corner does need redevelopment, but perhaps it would be more appropriate to include some areas that can better accomodate pedestrians. I like the idea of a way that is more nature friendly rather than some more unappealing concrete. How close is the nearest park anyway?

It has been an utter embarrassment and a reflection of Toronto's mediocre outlook that the main intersection of the largest city in Canada looks like a complete dump!! So finally we have a plan to develop it. I think an 80 storey tower is fine. What I'm concerned about is that it is being developed by a relatively unknown developer (Look at their website: http://www.bazisinternational.com/flash/main.html)
Their claim to fame is the Crystal Blu project in Toronto. Their only other projects are in Kazakhstan. They do not have a track record in Europe or North America. The architect (Roy Varacalli,) who they are proposing to design this is a nobody. Google his name and you will see. Also the proposed rendering of the building is in my opinion pretty ugly. Yes it's high and yes we would get rid of the gross buildings that are currently there, but we need to aim higher. We need to ensure that this building is going to be spectacular and that it is designed by a reliable developer and a world class architect. Please Toronto, stop accepting mediocrity and start demanding excellence!! This is our city - these Kazakhstani developers do not live here. We need to ensure that we demand excellence and that we will not accept anything else!!! Let's make sure that this intersection becomes a truly spectacular, breathtaking place. One that we are very proud of! Please voice your opinions to city council and any public forums on the topic.

The design in my opinion is a second rate, boring design and not fit our city's most important intersection. Also, the billboards are very tacky. This might work at Yonge & Dundas since we're aiming for that to be a mini Times Square, but it is guady and tacky at Yonge & Bloor which is more like Madison Avenue in its sensibility and ambition. I don't think New Yorkers would allow this kind of tackiness on Madison Ave and I don't think we should allow it at a very elegant, upscale and sophisticated part of our city.

I think that we Torontonians need to have more self esteem and a belief that we deserve the best. We should let our politicians know that we won't settle for second or third rate things any more. This is the attitude New Yorkers or Parisians or Londoners have. And they have amazing cities. We should believe in our ability to create a truly world class city, fight for it and not put up with the boring, bland and average.

Once again, to be clear, Liz, Don L, and Victor: the renderings have NOT been released yet from Bazis. See my earlier comments.

Who is this architect? The Bazis press release says he's a Toronto architect, but he's not listed anywhere on http://www.emporis.com (put Toronto into the search engine for a list of Toronto developers, architects, engineers etc).

I really can't stand the thought of another wasted opportunity - of having another failure of a building - especially at such an important location in the city.

I, along with others, have begun composing letters that we intend to send to Toronto City Councilor Kyle Rae, Bazis International, Burka Varacalli-Architects. In addition to articulating our genuine disappointment and frustration over the recently unveiled restructured design, the motivation behind our letters is to encourage the �powers that be� to reconsider this design of 1 Bloor St. E. Even if we don't get the exact design of the previous rendering, one similar in nature would be a better addition than the current one. Many of us are very excited about this project and supported it full-heartedly when shown the original rendering of this project. We have since lost a great deal of interest in this and while we still encourage a tower of this scale and significance to be erected in this location, we understand the importance and blatant need for it to resemble the original rendering. It is imperative that it is one that is progressive and innovated. A tower of excitement, refinement, sphere-shaped and one that achieves the towers -partial- purpose. Namely, to exude and generate excitement as well as rejuvenate and renew this area of town. Moreover, to have it add glitz and high style to the �classy� region of Toronto � Bloor & Yonge/Yorkville. We do not want, yet another bland, generic, generally cement, balconied filled, sharp edged, rectangular in nature tower.

Well said, Liz. I, along with others, have begun composing letters that we intend to send to the mayor, Toronto City Councilor Kyle Rae, Bazis International, Burka Varacalli-Architects. In addition to articulating our genuine disappointment and frustration over the recently unveiled restructured design, the motivation behind our letters is to encourage the �powers that be� to reconsider this design of 1 Bloor St. E. Even if we don't get the exact design of the previous rendering, one similar in nature would be a better addition than the current one. Many of us are very excited about this project and supported it full-heartedly when shown the original rendering of this project. We have since lost a great deal of interest in this and while we still encourage a tower of this scale and significance to be erected in this location, we understand the importance and blatant need for it to resemble the original rendering. It is imperative that it is one that is progressive and innovated. A tower of excitement, refinement, sphere-shaped and one that achieves the towers -partial- purpose. Namely, to exude and generate excitement as well as rejuvenate and renew this area of town. Moreover, to have it add glitz and high style to the �classy� region of Toronto � Bloor & Yonge/Yorkville. We do not want, yet another bland, generic, generally cement, balconied filled, sharp edged, rectangular in nature tower.

I'm writing to ask those who would be interested in joining us and composing their own letter of counsel to do so. We'll provide you with the (e-mail) addresses needed to forward your message to. With enough letters, we may very well get their attention and at the very least have them reconsider the design for the best. Your support would be greatly appreciated. If you're interested in joining us, please do! You can send me a short message at amoderntoronto@yahoo.ca

Wait- there is a list for world's greatest intersections?

In any case, I'm all for a jumbo tower at Yonge & Bloor- let's just hope it gets a better name than 'Crystal Blu' which sounds like someone who is WORKING at The Brass Rail- not threatening to destroy it.

FINALLY, SOME THING GOOD IS HAPPENING!

I am shocked that the developer is from a 3rd world country and has very little reputation or history of building significant buildings in North America. I would have expected more from the builder and architects... for such an important area of Toronto.

Seems as if Mayor David Miller and his city council simply OK's whatever that lands on their desks, as long as it fills the empty city coffers with money. They have little requirements or restrictions on anything and have very little backbone. Makes you want Mayor Mel Lastman back. Miller seems to have run the city into the ground, and we are falling short of budget on absolutely everything, even though the economy is bursting at it's seams. A poorly run city hall, and a poorly run city that taxes it's citizens, and is in the developer's pockets. What a shame.

However, by the time you reach Dundas and then Queen, two of the roughest intersections in Toronto, Sherbourne could be mistaken for Skid Row. Through it all, one can never forget that this was once a street on which much care and money were once lavished. Gothic, Second Empire and neo-Classical heaps vie with one another for our attention. Though many have been painted, chopped up and remodelled, they somehow manage to retain a measure of dignity.Not surprisingly, the forces of condofication discovered the area long ago and are hard at work remaking it. Perhaps the most dramatic example of what's happening is the fate of the exquisite Empire residence on the west side of Sherbourne, a block south of Bloor; it is now being readied so it can be moved east closer to the street to make room for a condo tower.

I think this is fantastic news for Toronto. Finally people are starting to dream big for our city and especially our for the downtown core. Yonge and Bloor is one of the busiest intersections in the country. It should be a showpiece, but instead, it's an eye sore.