City
New Port Lands vision moves one step closer to fantasy
Rob and Doug Ford unveiled their much-hyped new vision for the Toronto Port Lands to the City's executive committee yesterday, who put its support behind transferring oversight of the area from Waterfront Toronto to the Toronto Port Lands Co. (TPLC). Under the direction of architect Eric Kuhne, the TPLC envisions an almost Las Vegas-like reworking of the formerly industrial area, highlighted by a monorail, the Hearn Ice Palace (complete with an observation deck where the smokestack is now located), a giant Ferris wheel and super-mall, a roundabout on Cherry Street and what's been described as an emerald necklace of green-space encircling the area.
All this in the next 10 years or so, according to the mayor. That, I suppose, is jaw-dropping — but more in the sense that it's astonishing that the authors of this plan vision think that it's remotely possible to just bang this out in a jiffy. Or maybe they don't, and all the rhetoric is part of a carefully designed strategy to get Waterfront Toronto out and deal with the real consequences later.
Would the area as laid out in the renderings presented yesterday be a good addition to the city? Sure. Despite its theme park-like elements, a project of this nature would certainly make the Port Lands a destination. But so too, of course, would Waterfront Toronto's plans for the area. In particular, it would be a colossal disappointment to see plans to re-naturalize the foot of the Don River — as part of a flood protection plan for the area, no less — go to waste.
There are so many factors that will determine how quickly any revitalization of the Port Lands will proceed, not the least of which include the real estate market and the possibility that the TPLC version vision of redevelopment may ultimately require a new environmental assessment for flood protection. Prior to the formation of Waterfront Toronto in 2001 (then known as the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation), the Port Lands were plagued by jurisdictional disputes that stalled the transformation of the area. Now we're wading back into the same territory, and the results may very well be disastrous.
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Here's a link to yesterday's video presentation, from which the screengrabs above and below derive (with the exception of image that depicts Waterfront Toronto's plans to re-naturalize the Don, which is the third image).
More renderings:
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good job fords.
Between securing investors and financing, going through all the legal and political exercises, finalizing the urban planning and architectural details, OH! and securing EA approval, the project wont even *BREAK GROUND* in 10 years.
And of course, this 'vision' hinges on the Brothers Ford's promise that the tab will be picked up by the private sector, and i think we all know how well that's worked out with the Sheppard subway extension...
One more point, but is anyone else a little concerned that our municipal leaders are willing to give up such a valuable piece of property to a group of Australian property developers? Is Toronto open for business, or is this a going out of business fire sale?
There's something about this project that smells kinda fishy, and reminds me of the MFP leasing deal from years back...
I wonder if Ford has any idea of the reality of doing that scale of construction? Or if, as the article suggests, this is the classic bait and switch move -- sell people on a Ferrari and give them a Yugo later. It won't really matter if the vision doesn't come true -- Ford will get the city $$$$ on the sale of the land (in the same way Ontario sold the 407 to a private consortium for upfront cash) but long term the Portlands will remain a mess.
The Twin Mayors just want to speed it up - beyond any reasonable rate that the private market would support - and have it in place fast. Why? Who knows, really... and I'm still unsure how or why their plan is faster than Waterfront Toronto's... Market forces will decide what gets sold and built, and it verges on insane to think that you can develop, sell, build, and populate such a massive area in such a short amount of time.
Waterfront Toronto has taken the right approach - build something of high quality, using a reasonable timeline that the marketplace will support. They know that it's a mistake to build fast instead of well, and that even if they WANT to build fast, the market will slow everything down anyway... Considering we have to populate the West Don Lands Athlete's Village post-2015, I'm not sure where they think the market demand is to populate the Port Lands 5 years after that.
FERRIS WHEELS WHEEEEEEEEEEE
I'm also happy to see plans include an observation tower...because the one we have isn't really much to look at.
Phase 2: Do everything else.
In a place like London, the giant Eye ferris wheel works because it's very hard to get an expansive view of the city anywhere else – Primrose Hill is nice but it doesn't really compare.
Why would anyone visit a ferris wheel in Toronto, when they can get a much better view of the city from the CN Tower a few minutes away?
What the hell do we need a giant mall on the waterfront for? Of all the uses that waterfront property could be put to, what is the point of building a giant, air-conditioned metal and glass box that is completely disconnected from the natural surroundings? I guess people will have a nice view of the lake from their table in the food court?
As for "why a monorail instead of TTC?"... because the Fords are convinced a private developer will build and run the thing, and expanding the TTC costs money they flatly refuse to spend on anything but consultants and Ford's subway. How much taxpayer-funded backing will be necessary to sweeten the pot remains unspoken.
I'd like to see an independent analysis of the jobs this project would deliver. The short-term construction jobs would help that industry until the playground is done... after that? Low-paying service and retail jobs from end to end, nothing that can support a mortgage in this city (and even rent's getting to be a squeeze). The Fords want to avoid expanding transit, as it would force them to admit that the whole population of the city -- that's you, me, and the rest of the taxpayers the Fords like to fetishize -- may need to spread out some costs in order to ultimately support the local economy. Once they break that ideological barrier, a lot of policies they derided suddenly become much harder to oppose.
This will be a playground for the well-off (a boat-in hotel??? really??? who told them there is enough of a water-based tourism market in relatively cold-ass Toronto to support this?), built upon and operated by less wealthy people hoping that all those low-paying, no-benefit jobs are only temporary until that contract comes through, or that workplace starts hiring again, anything to be able to start saving for retirement and a home... hoping...
How's Woodbine Live doing these days. Kinda quiet, no?
Interesting that they're using a picture of a Bombardier monorail. In totally unconnected news, the Province of Ontario just gave Bombardier some cash for... a monorail testing facility in Kingston! It's SRT all over again!
Shouldn't it be Architects or 'Evolved Human Beings' be the one carrying this vision?
Do you think our next Mayor will bring back Transit City? Holy ish I hope so!!!!
Speaking of cash payments. Why no casino?
Forget the mall, make it a more european / boulevards / vendor markets etc.
And dear Toronto, lease the land...don't sell it. Or it will be 407 all over again = foreigner investors making billions the rest of our lives cause we couldn't agree / get our head out of our asses
Hopefully he will be able to chime in at some point.
Bottom line - this is a GREAT move for the city.
I bet this idea is going to die on the drawing board so that nothing at all happens in the Portlands and then when something does get done, it'll be even more awful and the Fords and various construction/development cronies will be the only ones to benefit. I hope I'm wrong, though.
It's a horrible move for anyone that is actually trying to live here.
It's a horrible move for anyone that is actually trying to live here.
It's a horrible move for anyone that is actually trying to live here.
How on earth have the Fords been able to do this much planning and development behind closed doors and without public consultation, or even consultation with the councillor of the area? Hello corruption at City Hall....
Waterfront toronto had a firm grasp on the public realm. Fords plan has no public realm, and therefore no control. It's ficking Dubai - super mall and all.
Even Queens Quay right south of the Skydome seems deserted in the winter, and that's just outside the core. Foot traffic in the winter in practically non-existent, as the winds from the lake make the area seem ten degrees cooler than on Front Street. This area will be just as bad.
And wheres the plan for soil remediation? Guess that will go out the window with the environmental assessment. Sure Hearn reuse as an attraction is a great idea... and sure sell off the land to reap the profits and settle your budget - you'll look super smart in the short term. Though the reality is you'll be selling off Toronto's future centerpiece to only sit in the hands of private developers and once the sale is complete your plan may never come to fruition... but that won't be your problem, you'll be long out of office by then.
Please tell me where the demand for so much housing is going to come from in 10 years - taking into consideration that the Pan Am Athlete's Village (3,000+ market units) will be built out by 2015, not to mention many other condos. Where on earth is the demand for so much housing? It's certainly not here. Considering how much housing will go on the site, building it over 30 years is exactly what's necessary - otherwise it's going to turn out like the Ghost Cities in China. You need to let market demands drive the timeline, you can't just build it and expect everyone to buy it because it's there.
Does architect Eric Kuhne work for free?
How much was he paid for this?
Now that's what I call gravy.
Odaiba's cool, relative to the urban ugliness that is Tokyo. But in Toronto, it would be an abomination.
Fantastic attention to detail, Mr. Ford.
I live at Queen and Carlaw and on a hot day a few weeks ago, my brother-in-law commented on the smell during a visit, thinking that someone nearby was tarring their roof or sealing their driveway. I was too embarrassed to tell him what the source of it really was. No one is going to want to take a stroll and ride a ferris wheel in that stench.
Someone can always have a vision, but if council even considers this or votes for moving forward when there are real problems to solve, then the whole council will need to thrown out. As for raised people movers, do we not already have one called the Scarbourough LRT? Ford wants that gone, yet wants a playland monorail to nowhere built? Beyond infantile
but who cares
Right idea, wrong place.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEZjzsnPhnw
Toronto is BLAND. we have nothing that stands out, no zing. This plan is amazing. It would bring toronto to the place where you all supposedly want it to be. And yet you hate it and despise it simply because it came from Ford, and Ford is not left wing and therefore inherently evil. You and your biased one sided way of thinking are what's keeping this city in the stone age, not Ford.
Ford's plan was concocted in a back room - away from the voices and concerns of any ecologist or citizen or peer review.
Ford's plan replaces a wonderful design that NATURALIZED and REVITALIZED the stagnant waters of the don. Ford's plan places gigantic buildings where the sensitive floodland marshes are.
DO your research getwhithit - we have.
How about you compare what other cities have vs what Toronto needs and then tell us which one was better?
How about you look at the actual design and process and time taken and see which one is better?
Also how about you go ahead and make your choice on which one will have more cultural and architectural significance?
That's what I thought.
And actually, it's funny you say that, because Ford has been getting shit from both left and right. But it seems more like his reign of power is more focused on reversing and blocking out any 'left-wing' sort of idea that comes his way.
So thank you, so much, for adding fuel to that ideology. And thank you for being so ignorant to what actually makes a city a great place.
Overall, it's a bad idea, and it is throwing a really good set of ideas out the window via backroom deals and lack of community input. That's why everyone hates it. If Ford had done anything even remotely close to what the original process did (international design competition, lots of public input + presentations, transparent process) everything might be going a bit smoother for him.
http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/lower_don_lands/lower_don_lands_design_competition
don't kid yourself - the previous plan was to develop the naturalized mouth of the Don and in the process create value for the area. Ford's plan is to sell it all like a fire sale and encourage developers to plop mega-structures onto it, with much lighter rules on what kind of development can happen. if you think Ford's plan won't result in a much worse landscape of condos, you're not paying enough attention. the whole world took notice with our waterfront competition - THAT scheme is the "waterfront that could have been" if the Fords have their way.
Dumb, cash grab.