Yonge and Bloor: What Will You Miss the Most?
It's hard to believe but it has been 5 months since Bazis International first formally introduced their plans for an eighty-storey condo/hotel Mega Tower on the South East corner of Yonge and Bloor. And whether you love it or hate it (and judging by the comments in my previous posts on this building, there are plenty of people on both sides), the reality is Yonge and Bloor is about to undergo a major transformation and will never be the same again.
This week word got out that the approximately 20 businesses who currently lease retail space in the South East corner of Yonge and Bloor down to Hayden Street have been given their eviction notices. Everyone has got to be out of there very soon as demolition is slated to begin in December.
While Bazis' intentions for the corner may be good, and surely we can call agree that the intersection ain't the prettiest, their choice of words in describing it has left some with a bad taste in their mouths. Bazis' director of Sales and Marketing described the corner as 'junky' and that they intend to make it 'fabulous'.
In light of the impending demolition of a major corner of our City, I'm calling on you, blogTO, to begin the mourning process by telling us what store/restaurant/shop you will miss the most once the wrecking ball comes crashing in. For me, without a doubt it is going to be Biryani House-in my opinion, the best and possibly cheapest Indian food in the city. Good-bye butter chicken, I will miss thee.
Comments (41)
i think this is tragic and disgusting. the last thing we need in this city is another condo/hotel mega tower.
roy's square is far from junky. i can't believe there hasn't been a more visible protest about this (he says whilst sitting on his arse). instead of starting the mourning process, can't we do something a bit more constructive? or is it that hopeless?
Oh please... Is there really any doubt that that corner is junky? I for one am going to miss the ever-tacky CITY OPTICAL and every other small business with their ugly signs in that ugly building. (right...)
Besides, the new 1 Bloor building will have three floors of retail space that surely won't be anywhere near the eyesore that's currently at that intersection now. Out with the old, in with the new, I say. It looks like it's going to be a beautiful building.
As a city, we can either pursue projects like this that contain mixed/housing living and build vertically, or clear cut forests, vegetation, and farmland in the suburbs and sprawl as far as the eye can see -- your choice.
I'll miss the feeling of unease I feel every time I'm waiting for the Bloor/Danforth vomit comet on the southeast corner at 3 a.m.
progress....Easy to comment on when it's not your' neighborhood. Don't worry though, maybe your' neighborhood will be next. Maybe some condo builder is drooling gover your' little neck of the woods right now. Is your place feelin' a little "junky" lately?
Make it fabulous...You know...FAB-U-lous.
Somebody with more money than 10 of you certainly is.
I think it's a stretch to call this corner 'junky', but it's definitely not the prettiest... It will be a shame to loose the old Naval building, and Roy square is pretty unique to Toronto. We don't have enough (or any??) alleyways that provide opportunities for patios and pedestrians. As for the businesses, it's a shame they're getting kicked out but it's nothing new.
Well, this is my neighbourhood. I live here. And I can't wait for this thing to be built.
Roy Square is junky. Just walk through it. It's a slab of concrete that hardly anyone uses and most people pass through furtively.
Just look at that picture at the top of this post. Look at it. You're going to tell me that corner doesn't look like shit?
I will miss the convenience store next to the Harvey's. It was very convenient for me. I will also miss the dollar store around the corner, surely the cheapest cigarettes downtown. I will miss Toby's for a close and easy place to get some beers and half-price wings every day (hmmm.... so isn't that "the price" then?).
There goes the neighbourhood.
Darlene and Dan, good point. I've been to Roy Square a couple times and was pleasantly surprised to find it the first time. Shame to lose that.
how many of the current 20 businesses will be able to move into the 3 floors of retail space? close to zero. it will be full og the same ubiquitous stores that have invaded the rest of the city. it'll be a culture-less space full of shops selling over-expensive rubbish to spoilt rich people..
whose benefit is it for anyway?
emo, are you telling me that the exiting harveys, city optical, and convenience stores are chockablock full of "culture"? hardly.. the corner as it stands is an aesthetic eyesore. as someone suggested above, toronto needs to go up in order to avoid yet more sprawl. i can't wait for the demo to begin.
If any place in the city can handle more density and should be vertically oriented, it is this corner. I'm looking forward to seeing the final product.
Bascially, this is someone coming in to mow your' lawn and paint your' house, fix the place up...right before they take it all away from you and give it to someone with more money than you. Pretty soon, you won't be able to afford to live in your' own neighborhood. I would be more wary of who you you let in to "fix the place up", they're not fixing it up for you.
- I'm sure there was a Native American somewhere who said, "Wait, let's wait and see, maybe these white-people will make this place fabulous"
I'll miss Toby's, it used to be my little 'hangout' of choice after work. There's also a very interesting 'cookie shop' just a tad east of Harveys that makes wonderful cookie bouquets. Mmm, delicious stuff.
You should give them a try before they're gone!
I would actually miss Harvey's. It's one of the few left downtown, and it does make a decent burger for a chain, and they serve onion rings.
David J., that's Monsieur Felix and Mr. Norton! They make great cookies, especially if they pop it in the microwave for a few seconds for you. There's a location in the Eaton Centre too.
I'm really going to miss M. Felix & Mr. Norton -- or is it the other way around?
I can count on almost two hands the number of ladies I've wooed with their tasty -- though pricey -- delights!
I don't think I'll miss much on that corner. Roy Square was a nice detour to take when emerging from the subway. And there was an awesome watch repair store there too.
I already miss Ben Kerr at that intersection. Sure, he's been on the northeast corner all these years, but his presence is already missed by many Torontonians.
People make it sound like City Optical and Harveys aren't large chains. I know there is folks out there that is opposed to every decision 'the man' is involved in making, but its really kinda asinine to suggest that we wouldn't be better off. They're not evicting people. As for the smaller business, these are -still- businesses. This is a fact of life for business owners. If you don't like the possibility of having to relocate, then don't start a goddamn business.
They know the risks people.
The corner will be transformed from one set of multi million dollar chain stores to another set of multimillion dollar chain stores. I'm sure there will also be a few locally owned businesses willing to grab up one of the spots as well. The retail space will more than triple in size. There will be even MORE opportunity for local business owners.
We'll be supporting sustainable living by encouraging residence in the city. Hell, we could end up with LESS advertising at the corner as well.
I really can't see the logic of those who are against this new building.
I will miss Biryani, my Caribbean jerk chicken and my ultra-frugal meals from Mediterranean Lunch Break. For all of us workers in the Xerox Tower, Roy Square is a great go-to spot for lunch and I don't relish the thought and sounds of construction outside my window for the year+ it will take them to construct this behemoth. And forget about the traffic! It already slows to a crawl in the area...I like progress and I understand it's a great local, but I can still complain :)
I will miss absolutely nothing. Tear it down, it's ugly.
Next is those disgusting buildings in the picture's background.
Let's make Toronto beautiful.
I haven't been in Toronto for a few years now, but when I lived there, I ate at that Harvey's a lot. And wasn't there a great kitchen gadgets shop around the corner?
can't wait downtown to get more dense, more condo units available, hopefully will drive down the price and lower the property tax...those who bought and over paid their condos should be very worried now
The YWCA-run shop, that sells fairly traded items made my craftspeople in the developing world.
I second the sentiment about Ben Kerr(and his presence on the northeast corner of Yonge & Bloor, that is). Haven't been to the intersection that often in the last little while? Is there any sort of official memorial for Ben Kerr there?
This corner is disgusting. Roy Square is disgusting. Roy's Square is a friggin alley way with tacky cheap shops. This corner - the centre of our city - has been an utter and complete embarrassment for Toronto.
I cannot wait for it to be torn down. I am counting the days. There is absolutely nothing I will miss. I can't wait for those luxury, high end shops to move in. Bring it on!
I most certainly will not miss Biryani House. That place was a hole in the wall. Really gross for an intersection with as much potential and importance as Yonge & Bloor.
I hope this developments starts and exodus of all of those crappy, tacky shops from the area.
Yonge Street should be internationally renowned for its beauty, fantastic restaurants, excellent shopping, and great culture. Not for tackiness, and ugliness -- which is what it has been known for until now.
Time for a change Toronto!
It is areas like this that make city life really unappealing. I just want to throw up every time I pass by this hideous intersection.
I'm really looking forward to a complete transformation of the area -- a visually stunning, landmark building, and great shops and restaurants. And more upscale professionals and families in the area.
What will I miss? Nothing! I cannot WAIT for those crappy stores and even crappier restaurants to be gone!!
And I can't wait for stores like Dufflets, Sabon, The Healthy Butcher, and the Running Room to move in, as well as yoga studios, clothing boutiques, award-winning restaurants, health food shops, juice bars, wine shops etc.
Good riddance to that bargain basement crap. I agree it's an utter embarrassment for Toronto. Finally by transforming this corner we are making a positive change for our city -- one that we will be proud of and that tourists will flock to.
LAba, Vicky, ZA and Anta: Do you work for Bazis or something? You really have a hate-on for Yonge and Bloor don't you! lol
I absolutely have a hate-on for that intersection!!! In a city that's already pretty unattractive, this is one of the ugliest intersections. I knew I was going to get attacked for my comment. Why is beauty such a dirty word in Toronto? Why is mediocrity, blandness and ugliness celebrated like it's some sort of a badge of honour? No, I don't work for Bazis, but anything that is going to make this city more attractive, as well as stop our horrific urban sprawl is something that I'm going to embrace!!!
Putting up a building of 450 condos at an intersection in downtown Toronto means not having a friggin subdivision of 450 cookie cutter homes on valuable, preciously scarce farmland north of the city.
That is an ugly corner of town, to be sure. Urban development is normal and healthy, especially when it creates more efficent use of space. I agree with ZA - if this reduces sprawl on the edges of our city then I'm all for it.
That said, I will miss Harvey's. And don't tell me there are Harvey's everywhere because I'm lazy and I want a Harvey's I can walk to from a downtown subway stop. I'll also miss the Mona Lisa wearing blue contact lenses poster, for reasons still unknown to me. I just kind of liked it.
ThadMcIlroy 
on October 17, 2007 8:24 PM
The Harvey's on Bloor between Avenue Road and Bedford was removed for a new condo development. Now this one. Harvey's may not be a culinary and heart-friendly champion, but I've been eating there (after the cholesterol clears) for nearly 40 years.
But what I'll miss most is being able to approach the corner of Yonge & Bloor without winds (already at gale force in the winter because of the two towers on the north side of Bloor) blowing me straight back to Charles Street!
And just wait till Stollery's sells out to another of Kyle Rae's friends. Then we'll really know what Hurricane Katrina felt like.
The north side of that intersection that has the Harvey's and City Optical is so ugly and dilapidated but i always liked the west side of the building and i will miss Toby's very much.
It was a great location for a pub. I hear they're moving to college but it will not have the same vibe and atmosphere.
Luckily for us all Biryani House just happens to be moving to Hayden street. Where Sono sushi use to reside. It is right in between both foccacia restaurant and the take out. Butter chicken for years to come!
I wont miss any of it which cant be moved elsewhere. Looking forward to further development here. I didn't realize it was named Roy's square. I have no clue what "emo" is talking about.
BIRYANI HOUSE WILL NOT BE MOVING TO THE SOHO SUSHI, THAT WAS TAKEN BY ANOTHER PERSON AND IS STEALING THE BIRYANI HOUSES NAME, THAT PLACE IS SMALL, AND A SMALLER HOLE IN THE WALL, 2 PPL CANT FIT IN IT DONT GO TO THT UGLY PLACE
In response to what Anta said:
"What will I miss? Nothing! I cannot WAIT for those crappy stores and even crappier restaurants to be gone!!
And I can't wait for stores like Dufflets, Sabon, The Healthy Butcher, and the Running Room to move in, as well as yoga studios, clothing boutiques, award-winning restaurants, health food shops, juice bars, wine shops etc.
Good riddance to that bargain basement crap."
YOU YUPPIE SCUM...people who can't afford to shop at "Running Room" and "Dufflets" will miss the bargain basement "CRAP" and the cheap eats that this corner has offered for decades.
F-you and your pretentious outlook on life.
Once the condo goes up, this corner (or city for that matter) will have nothing to offer anyone who isn't a rich, spolied brat.
What about real housing for real people?????
That last comment is pretty amusing. Yonge & Bloor should not be a location for stip clubs, fast food joints and gross discount shops. Sure these places should exist in the city, but not at Toronto's most important intersection.
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