2009 ColDay Series:

 

Part 1: East Coast + Detroit

Part 2: Cincinnati

Part 3: Toronto

Part 4: Cincinnati & Washington DC

Part 5: Louisville

Part 6: Grand Rapids & Lansing

Part 7: Lima & Windsor

Part 8: Dayton & Cincinnati

Part 9: Baltidelphia

Part 10: Chicago

Part 11: Pittsburgh

Part 12: 2ronto

Part 13: The Chicago Bengals

Part 14: Dallas & Austin

Part 15: Atlanta

 

 

Toronto

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Mike and Sherman

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye, from Washington DC

 

I like Toronto's futuristic and cosmopolitan vibe.

Two things

[*]Sherman is like Richard from LOST.  Are you ever going to age??

[*]Goodbye from DC?  WTF?  :wtf:

 

Nice pictures

 

Looks kind of sterile.

Toronto is like a decent looking but boring girlfriend. After infatuation, you realize it's not that great but just learn to like it for its limitations.

gonna be there for Gay Pride from June 24-28.  I'm super excited.  Thanks for these. 

Looks kind of sterile.

 

Really? I get that impression of about 95% of US cities.  I'll admit there's a lot of glass and concrete, but there's a lot of grit and really old architecture mixed within.  Where's the Old City shots Chris?

I always feel that Toronto is really nice, but sort of has an identity crisis. 

 

And is weed legal in T-Dot??

Looks kind of sterile.

 

Really? I get that impression of about 95% of US cities. I'll admit there's a lot of glass and concrete, but there's a lot of grit and really old architecture mixed within. Where's the Old City shots Chris?

 

ALL those photos are taken within the old city of Toronto.

I was talking about the area around Lawrence Market

There's nothing over there except warehouses, dirt roads, Kalamazoo-esque trees, and docks.  Oh, and a Timothy's and some weird, old bookstore.

Are you thinking of the area near that Distillery?  No.  Walk up and down Jarvis not Kalamazoo-esque. 

 

What bookstore?  Across from Berczy park?  There one really good one with tons of architecture books, and there's another shady used one down the street.  Hip and trendy!

Toronto is one of the greatest cities I have ever visited. Hands. Down.

 

To me, it has the perfect ingredients of what makes a "real" city.

 

Sherman, how'd you like it?

Me? Age? Nope :)

 

It's a fine city but some of the architecture is lacking, of course. A lot of pedestrian and transit activity, and happy (probably high) people all around. I love it.

 

...

 

Shopsy's!!

^ exactly. sure the towers and skyline from a distance are....i hate to agree with sterile exactly, lets just say conservative canadian, but everything else about toronto is pretty great.

 

nice pics cdm -- did you happen to get a better shot of that super-skinny residential building?

Me? Age? Nope :)

 

Damn Asians!  :whip:  My best friend hasn't aged either!  ugh.

 

Toronto is a nice city from the skyline but street level it just looks crowded and disjointed and some area's over planned/saturated.

if only ohio cities had that crowded saturation problem (again)!

if only ohio cities had that crowded saturation problem (again)!

 

I know ... lol.

I can't imagine ever having been to Toronto and then saying it's boring, but I guess it depends on what you find interesting.

I remember when Toronto was bidding for the Olympics and then-mayor Mel Lastman (who later pretty much single-handedly sank their bid by making some idiotic joke about Africans) said that Toronto should win because it was the "most beautiful" city bidding. Which was just laughable, because Toronto really isn't a very beautiful city at all, either in terms of natural setting or built environment.

 

That said, it is one of my favorite cities anywhere. Lots going on, lots of great little neighborhoods, and despite the rap they get from the rest of Canada, the people are generally really friendly (I lived in Kingston, Ontario for five years, and it was always so refreshing to come into Toronto and meet people who were actually friendly). I was just back there a few weeks ago and remembered again how much I enjoy being in Toronto.

 

Are you thinking of the area near that Distillery? No. Walk up and down Jarvis not Kalamazoo-esque.

 

What bookstore? Across from Berczy park? There one really good one with tons of architecture books, and there's another shady used one down the street. Hip and trendy!

 

I'm talking about Jarvis.  You know, Hooker Harvey.  Again, nothing to take photos of.

I love the Ethiopian vibe down Ossington and Bloor way. Overall, though, I'll gladly accept Montreal.

 

Seriously: Toronto does rule.

 

Montreal rules better.

Agreed.

Things you never see in the states, exhibit Q: A Thriving Downtown Mall:

 

I love Eaton Centre. America has a hard time even sustaining 'pedestrian malls', let alone ones like this. The fact that Eaton Centre, an indoor downtown mall, has such high foot traffic and a low vacancy rate (I don't think I saw 1 empty storefront) is pretty incredible.

^ Not only that, but the retail has great options!

If a city has a vibrant street life and good alternatives to driving everywhere, those trump cutting-edge architecture for me. That said, I don't think Toronto is any slouch for buildings, either.

 

I'm talking about Jarvis.  You know, Hooker Harvey.  Again, nothing to take photos of.

 

Sure.......nothing to take photos of

 

 

 

 

 

This is like my mental avatar of Toronto. When I think of Toronto I think of these awesome storefronts.

 

This is like my mental avatar of Toronto. When I think of Toronto I think of these awesome storefronts.

 

awesome?  :| I guess to each his/her own.

 

I'm talking about Jarvis.  You know, Hooker Harvey.  Again, nothing to take photos of.

 

Sure.......nothing to take photos of

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's like two blocks.  I can get that in Coshocton.  Go up two more blocks and you'll see Kalamazoo-trees, horrendous Jane-Finch-esque apartment blocks, and...well...Hooker Harvey's.

That's like two blocks.  I can get that in Coshocton.  Go up two more blocks and you'll see Kalamazoo-trees, horrendous Jane-Finch-esque apartment blocks, and...well...Hooker Harvey's.

 

Yes, maybe two-three blocks on Jarvis, but it was intended more as an intersection within old Toronto.  Plenty of old buildings on King and Front Streets.  And very few cities can beat the effective integration of newer apartment buildings into the old city fabric....that is excluding the horrendous facadectomies which Toronto is perhaps the most guilty of.

That's because that's one of the few old large structures Toronto's got.  I mean, if my city was mostly full of ranch houses and Brutalist Moscov structures, I'd preserve what I've got too (like their sacred Flatiron building...or the Timothy's on Queens West). 

I can't imagine ever having been to Toronto and then saying it's boring, but I guess it depends on what you find interesting.

 

I agree that it's boring aesthetically and architecturally. I love the street energy, but I really need places that push the envelope and mess with architectural and aesthetic conventions every now and then.

 

I don't feel like there's any real original thought in its architecture or design. None of it really makes a statement or causes a stir. It's just .. nice. But nice bores the shit out of me if it isn't making a statement.

 

Toronto is like a decent looking but boring girlfriend. After infatuation, you realize it's not that great but just learn to like it for its limitations.

 

This is the most hilarious and spot-on comparison I've read in a while.

The reason why Toronto has a lot of concrete and glass architecture is because its boom came late.  They built what we built.  Modernism was in.  They are actually VERY fortunate they did not lose much more.  I'd say their closest blunder was considering the demolition of city hall.  The amount of historic architecture they posses is rather competitive to US cities.  There are so many blocks of bay and gable style homes that haven't seen a single demolition. 

 

I feel Toronto doesn't get the credit it deserves for its older building stock, maybe just because it's not that visible to most visitors. 

This is like my mental avatar of Toronto. When I think of Toronto I think of these awesome storefronts.

 

awesome?   :| I guess to each his/her own.

 

It's fun. The scale is smaller than what you would usually see somewhere like Manhattan but at the same time it's sensory overload from all of the advertising.

This is like my mental avatar of Toronto. When I think of Toronto I think of these awesome storefronts.

 

awesome?  :| I guess to each his/her own.

 

It's fun. The scale is smaller than what you would usually see somewhere like Manhattan but at the same time it's sensory overload from all of the advertising.

 

I don't want to see all that.  Just show me the goods INSIDE the store.

This is like my mental avatar of Toronto. When I think of Toronto I think of these awesome storefronts.

 

awesome?   :| I guess to each his/her own.

 

It's fun. The scale is smaller than what you would usually see somewhere like Manhattan but at the same time it's sensory overload from all of the advertising.

 

I don't want to see all that. Just show me the goods INSIDE the store.

 

They do! Look at how permeable the facades are. The inside is brought out to the street.

I know exactly where this is--pretty much across the street from the train station, no? I can practically taste the Krispy Krunch and Reese Peanut butter cup.

 

But really, I spent a TON of time in Toronto in the 90s and early-mid 00s--I practically commuted there daily from Detroit for work in 1999-2001 and 2005-2006. Still, after all the perspective and discussions here on UO, I can now fully appreciate its charms. I'd love to get back there soon. On my way to Montreal.

This is like my mental avatar of Toronto. When I think of Toronto I think of these awesome storefronts.

 

awesome?  :| I guess to each his/her own.

 

It's fun. The scale is smaller than what you would usually see somewhere like Manhattan but at the same time it's sensory overload from all of the advertising.

 

I don't want to see all that.  Just show me the goods INSIDE the store.

 

They do! Look at how permeable the facades are. The inside is brought out to the street.

 

Toronto does little for me.

Things you never see in the states, exhibit Q: A Thriving Downtown Mall:

 

 

Never say never... the mall at Union Square in San Francisco is absolutely thriving.  Count me in on the list of people who like Toronto... though it's rare that I run across a city I don't like.  Oh, and MTS, there's not many cities out there that do it for you... so Toronto doesn't need to feel too bad!

Things you never see in the states, exhibit Q: A Thriving Downtown Mall:

 

 

Never say never... the mall at Union Square in San Francisco is absolutely thriving.  Count me in on the list of people who like Toronto... though it's rare that I run across a city I don't like.  Oh, and MTS, there's not many cities out there that do it for you... so Toronto doesn't need to feel too bad!

It's not that I don't like T-town.  I do.  I don't think it's shopping/retail offerings are all that.

 

I mean, no self respecting gay man like me wouldn't be caught at a mall with a Sears!  Never!

^^I wasn't aware SF was actually part of the United States.

The reason why Toronto has a lot of concrete and glass architecture is because its boom came late. They built what we built. Modernism was in. They are actually VERY fortunate they did not lose much more. I'd say their closest blunder was considering the demolition of city hall. The amount of historic architecture they posses is rather competitive to US cities. There are so many blocks of bay and gable style homes that haven't seen a single demolition.

 

I feel Toronto doesn't get the credit it deserves for its older building stock, maybe just because it's not that visible to most visitors.

 

That, and their older building stock isn't as impressive (re: ornate) as older American cities, let alone European ones.

Things you never see in the states, exhibit Q: A Thriving Downtown Mall:

 

 

Never say never... the mall at Union Square in San Francisco is absolutely thriving.  Count me in on the list of people who like Toronto... though it's rare that I run across a city I don't like.  Oh, and MTS, there's not many cities out there that do it for you... so Toronto doesn't need to feel too bad!

 

The SF mall isn't on Union Square it's on Market.  If my memory serves me correctly, there are some vacant store fronts near the 7-11 on market and I think powell.

I love Toronto. It has a great big-city vibe, terrific neighborhoods, nice waterfront (+ off-shore islands), is ethnically diverse, has good transit, has clean streets and relatively low crime.

 

And this is one of the most impressive pictures I've seen of this dominating building....

 

The reason why Toronto has a lot of concrete and glass architecture is because its boom came late.  They built what we built.  Modernism was in.  They are actually VERY fortunate they did not lose much more.  I'd say their closest blunder was considering the demolition of city hall.  The amount of historic architecture they posses is rather competitive to US cities.  There are so many blocks of bay and gable style homes that haven't seen a single demolition. 

 

I feel Toronto doesn't get the credit it deserves for its older building stock, maybe just because it's not that visible to most visitors. 

 

That, and their older building stock isn't as impressive (re: ornate) as older American cities, let alone European ones.

 

Like these effortlessly dull buildings. The row houses in Over-the-Rhine blow these right out of the water.

 

 

To me, Toronto is just very bitter-sweet.

Well, it's no Windsor.

At this point Windsor is no Windsor.

I don't give a damn what you crazies say ... Toronto is the ONLY city I'd consider moving to from Cincy ... and that says a lot.