The Globe's article is full of assurances
From Adam Vaughn:
"I've never seen a perfect building, but a number of things have been accomplished since the file first came across the desk of the city planner that I think make it a very good building,"and the developer (RioCan):
"We've worked closely with many different professionals including a heritage architect, and we think the aesthetics will be just remarkable,"It should also be mentioned that the Home Depot won't be at ground level. It will be on the 2nd and 3rd floors of a 7 story building at Queen and Bathhurst. That said, an American big box retailer simply does not belong on Queen West. Add a few more of them and you might as well take Toronto's core and drop it in any generic suburb.
City council will still have one more opportunity to redeem themselves. "The process is still subject to final approvals, including a 20-day appeal period and final site-plan approval." But I'm afraid despite the improvents made to city government since the departure of Mel Lastman that the Council still operates at the whim of developers and counts victory as winning a few concessions.
I urge anyone who cares about Toronto and culture in this city to succeed where Council has failed and avoid this, and all other Home Depot stores until it removes itself from Queen West.
2 comments:
Justin: having only visited that part of town once due to a search for Bakka-Phoenix Books, I wish I could say with certainty what I think of this particular newcomer to that particular neighbourhood. Having only rediscovered the place last year since it left Yonge Street some years earlier, I'd be loathe to see "market forces" push it elsewhere yet again.
Looks like a big ole' fire has taken care of that now. Funny how flammable buildings get with 'historic' designations' once property values soar...
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