Condo Critic: Streetcar line may become St. Clair's saving grace
May 28, 2010
Christopher Hume
STAR COLUMNIST
It’s true many Torontonians are up in arms over the new streetcar line on St. Clair Ave. W., but in fact it represents a significant addition to the city. Of course, it should have been built in less then five years and could have been better designed. But for those who rely of public transit, it makes the trip that much less of a hassle. Though one might argue about whether so many left-turn lanes are necessary and why the track needs to divide the north and south sides of St. Clair; from a rider’s point of view, it a relief to be free of the usual Toronto gridlock.
No doubt the new line will increase development pressure on a street that had already undergone major changes. Those are most obvious west of Yonge, but new stuff is also going up at Bathurst. Unfortunately, most of it isn’t up to much. For whatever reason, developers and their architects clearly believe that the same old, some old will do on St. Clair. On the other hand, the two- to three-storey buildings that line much of the street will probably be forced out eventually by taller 21st-century arrivals.
By then, locals will be thrilled that the dedicated streetcar line was constructed. Also by then, memories of cost overruns and neighbourhood anger will since have been forgotten. All they’ll know is that they have the best streetcar route in the city.
CONDO CRITIC
THE AVENUE, 155 ST. CLAIR AVE. W.: How disappointing that the lovely old bank on the southwest corner of St. Clair Ave. W. and Avenue Rd. was torn down to make way for a mid-rise condo tower as dull as this one.
Everything about this new project is utterly predictable. That means location, materials and above all, design. Though brick makes a lot of sense in Toronto and the use of real stone is commendable, this is the kind of ersatz architecture whose only intention is to look rich. Other than that, it has little to offer, except, of course, its location, which couldn’t be better.
It says much about the state of condo design in Toronto that developers are still putting up this sort of vaguely historicist structure without a thought to the times and the architecture of our age. The marketing department, at least, should be happy; obviously it got its way.
To be fair, the arcade on St. Clair is a nice addition; it creates a relationship with the street that the condo might not have otherwise. And the two-storey podium helps anchor the building to its site. But the terraced top and the exterior facades lack imagination. Even before it’s fully finished, we have all been here before.
GRADE: C+
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