Is Toronto Life Square becoming... 10 Dundas East?
Toronto Life Square may no longer be "Toronto Life Square." As evidenced by the new interior signage, right next to the AMC Theatre, it's now being branded as 10 Dundas East.
Video screens display a white background that flashes all of the square's affiliate's logos before the new "10 Dundas East" logo appears in large, purple, serif letters.
The square, loved by some and loathed by others, opened in 2007, not long after St. Joseph Media announced that they'd acquired naming rights and planned to brand the complex Toronto Life Square.
But within about two years, the project's developers, PenEquity, went into receivership. According to the Globe and Mail, "creditors foreclosed on the property in April after its debts reached nearly $280-million. More than $120-million is owed to the Royal Bank, more than $130-million to the Missouri-based Entertainment Properties Trust, $9.3-million to the City of Toronto, and $16-million to two pension funds."
PenEquity doesn't appear to be down and out, though. In fact they're using the front page of their web site to announce that they're taking the Toronto Star to court over what they're calling a "recent factually incorrect article." Sounds like a sticky mess to me.
According to a citation-lacking tidbit on the wiki page, Toronto Life wants out. And the new 10 Dundas East signs suggest that they might be getting their way. That said, the Toronto Life Square web site is still alive.
When will the exterior see a giant Toronto Life sign erected? Perhaps never. And when will those broken escalators be fixed? Perhaps after the complex's retailers pool the money, or a buyer with ample financial backing steps up to take it over.
Long-standing, unanswered questions are likely to be resolved in the fullness of time.
Photos of new 10 Dundas East signage by Jennifer Tse, and photo of the square by seekdes.
Comments (34)
hehe some graphic artist sure earned a paycheque on that one!
I can just see them in the brainstorming session.
"Well, we can't call it Toronto Life Square anymore so..."
"Toronto Life Squared?" no although that would have worked better in the first place
"Mel Lastman Square South?" no...
"Security Containment Zone 3517-B?" no, that's on the Emergency Zombie Attack Preparedness Plan, where did you get that?
"Miller's Folly?" - shaddup troll
"How about 10 Dundas East" - PERFECT! ...until we get another sponsor.
That logo/typography is appalling... I think I could literally do a better job blindfolded. No, seriously.
Wow, I didn't think it was possible for that building to get any more hideous, but with the addition of that new logo, they pulled it off. Barf.
Also, if they're stuck for a name, what's wrong with "Metropolis", which was what it was supposed to be originally before they got the bright idea to sell naming rights. It may be a little lame, but not as lame as "10 Dundas East".
I was @ "10 Dundas East" yesterday, and as a design student, my first thought was "is this a joke?" and then "wow, someone got paid for this!"
I've always just called it Yonge-Dundas Square. I never knew it was supposed to be called something else.
No, 'Yonge-Dundas Square' is the outdoor space across the street, on the south side of Dundas and the east side of Yonge.
A fine example of bad graphic design! They must have got the same guy who does the "Bad Boy" commercials.
Peter: what? I thought that that was what we were talking about. Isn't Yonge-Dundas Square the space that was renamed Toronto Life Square and now 10 Dundas East? How can you call a building a square? Oh sure, bring up Square One in Mississauga but since when has Mississauga ever made sense?
Hideous logo.
Horrible public space.
Shite all around.
Level it and make it a pasture for urban goats.
Just wait until y'all see the abominations they're going to build on the waterfront by the sugar plant.
Toronto is run by fucking idiots.
Always called it 'The AMC' for obvious reasons. But now I think I should call it the OCP headquarters (Robocop).
umm... yonge-dundas square aka dundas square is that not so square-ish peice of land that has water fountains. "Toronto life square" was never yonge-dundas square. It was previously known as the Metropolis.
I understand and echo people's criticisms, but such is life. We live in a society where to a significant number of people part of the good life involves easy access to chain movie theaters, cheap electronics, and crappy food courts.
In some ways I actually appreciate the honesty of the architectural aesthetic - a dehumanized box in which to buy dehumanized crap. At least it's not an Authentic Boutique Organic Vintage Loft(tm).
hahaha, uggo logo...maybe it's just a placeholder while they work on something less awful?
the new logo should be in IMPACT so it fits with the comintern-chic look of the building
Its clear from the architecture that the owners have no pride in what they produce, and are only concerned with money. I'm not surprised that they paid a designer so little that he could only spend 5 minutes creating this logo.
Re: Logo
Two things:
1. Either it was design by committee or
2. Their Nephew, who's in "Art/Design" school did it. [for free]
Either way. it is unacceptable. Why is there no pride in peoples design?
How about calling it The Kyle Rae Centre, so we'll remember what city councillor to hold responsible for this... thing... come election time.
Presumably the crappy logo is just a hastily prepared placeholder that'll be replaced in due course.
Something else for the TTC to fix on their maps of the area around Dundas Station. Maybe they will also tell people that there's an AMC theatre, not to mention the Canon, while they're at it.
Why don't they just stick with the moniker that everyone knows it as already? Yonge/Dundas Square... or AMC Yonge Dundas.
Hell, even if they do keep the 10 Dundas East name, we'll still be calling it those names anyway (much like SkyDome).
I agree with Bardo. This is a retail / fast food area. what did you expect to go up there? People just love to complain and not do anything to actually make things better.
Many of the people complaining are probably the consumers of the Starbucks, fast food, and movies available in this space. After consuming these services many of the complainers will probably go back to West Queen West and pretend to be Bohemian again whilst purchasing wheat grass for an organic hyper healthy smoothie to drink while practicing yoga to atone for the sin of being "mainstream."
If you don't want retail, fast food and movie cinemas in the core of the city then don't consume these services. If you ask me the food court in this place is MUCH better than any of the other ones located in this area, especially compared to the dirty ones at the Eaton's center where getting a seat is a challenge. For those of us who do go shopping at the Eaton's Centre on an occasional basis it's really convenient that there is a clean, air conditioned food court with a good variety close by.
Also if you weren't happy about the design of the building (because admittedly the outside of it is pretty drab) then why didn't you start a complaints group online or something. It seems like you could have garnered a lot of support against the building and if enough people spoke up to the appropriate groups then you might have actually made a difference.
So many people in Toronto love to complain about how the city is being planned by morons but what they don't realize is that if there is enough public opposition for a project and the proper sources are aware of it the project most likely won't go ahead!
Oh and I'm sure I'll get responses to this advice from the complainers claiming that they're powerless to change anything before they so much as lift a finger.
The Lotto 649 and AMC logos in the building's new logo reminds those old "Million Dollar Wall" websites that sold ads on the homepage.
But ya, very embarrassing for Toronto. Not just for the building, FOR TORONTO!
As mentioned before "Dundas Square" or the actual name "Yonge-Dundas Square" refers to the public space on the South East Corner. The BUILDING on the North East corner was referred to as "Metropolis" (during the design phase) then "Toronto Life Square", and as the article suggests is now being called "10 Dundas East"
The previous animations playing on the Toronto Life Square screens were so nice. They must have changed supplier, because these new animations SUCK. Whomever you are, making these dreadful Flash animations, Boooooooooooo!
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