Northern Light said:
The comparison is inexact, but lets work with it...........the floor plate size proposed at 931 is 650m2.

The floor plate your volunteers have proposed above is 800m2.

I'm going to suggest that casting a large shadow on Market St. and the St. Lawrence Market patios, in the late morning, through early afternoon is not ideal; and that with an 800m2 floor plate you're not getting there.
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I'm going to suggest that "casting a large shadow" via a larger floorplate is a valid choice that the City should be considering if our Mayoral & Council's civic-priority is creating 65,000 new rent-controlled apartments by 2030...

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Toronto vows to build 65,000 rent-controlled homes in bid to combat housing crisis

Toronto City Council has endorsed an ambitious new affordable housing plan that will set out to build 65,000 rent-controlled homes by 2030— but still lacks billions of dollars in funding.
toronto.ctvnews.ca toronto.ctvnews.ca
 
I think we should put a five year moratorium on all use of the word "shadow" when talking about building housing. Casting shadows is probably less "not ideal" than two bedroom apartments costing a million dollars.
 
evandyk said:
I think we should put a five year moratorium on all use of the word "shadow" when talking about building housing.
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I think you should have no say in anything to do with planning, because it would create an entirely unlivable city I would hate.
 
I'm not totally convinced that this particular location will be the best use of the city's dollars and land to build housing, but a shadow shouldn't be part of the consideration.
 
HousingNowTO said:
For the record, our HNTO volunteers massed this 125 ESPLANDE site 3-storey Library w/ 27-storeys of housing above in April 2022.

It was early work based on the HOUSING NOW funding models at that time. It would likely need to be a little taller now.

There is 100% a smart (and one-time) opportunity to put hundreds of new units of rental housing above the Library site, but it will only happen if the Mayor's office is willing to exert some pressure on the Library Board, City Planning, CreateTO - and the local Councillor / Deputy-Mayor.
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My opinion- the argument would be stronger if you developed some rough floorplans and tower floorplates showing how a housing and library programme can co-exist on this site.

Massing is just massing (not a real building), and it doesn't show how the interiors will be arranged (i.e. will residential requirements compromise the library layouts), which is one of the sticking points at least for me IMO.

Also, does this scheme also propose the pedestrianization of Wilton Street south of the Esplanade?

Northern Light said:
I think you should have no say in anything to do with planning, because it would create an entirely unlivable city I would hate.
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My same opinion when certain individuals propose full-sail high-rise redevelopment of the Annex and other Old Toronto neighbourhoods under the guise of YIMBYism (because they "have so many services and connectivity already!").
 
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Hey @interchange42, since there have been discussion around this slot in the St Lawrence Market North thread and we know that something will happen to this area - can we pin this one on the map, that way people in the know can stay up-to-date?

Thanks!
 
jje1000 said:
My same opinion when certain individuals propose full-sail high-rise redevelopment of the Annex and other Old Toronto neighbourhoods under the guise of YIMBYism (because they "have so many services and connectivity already!").
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But they do. What other place in Ontario has better “services and connectivity” than the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood? Or the Annex?
 
AlexBozikovic said:
But they do. What other place in Ontario has better “services and connectivity” than the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood? Or the Annex?
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I'd agree, except when we are talking about water and such. Annex is pretty bad when it comes to the messier part of infrastructure, for one, I know their actual main drainage is pretty problematic (know a few of the store owners around Annex, and that's what they told me). Certain part of the city also always have worries about water availability to my understanding.

But then, these are all hearsay... so take it with a grain of salt I guess.
 
Tyrang said:
Hey @interchange42, since there have been discussion around this slot in the St Lawrence Market North thread and we know that something will happen to this area - can we pin this one on the map, that way people in the know can stay up-to-date?

Thanks!
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We will when we can. UrbanToronto's ownership wants actual planning documents from which to create a Database File, and by attaching that to the thread, that's what creates a pin on the map.

If you would like to advocate for a special type of pin to be created before we have a full set of plans for a Database File, there is this thread where you can leave a post with your thoughts: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/changes-to-ut.40886/

42
 
Toronto1834 said:

Agenda Item History 2025.GG23.25

Agenda Item History 2025.GG23.25
secure.toronto.ca
GG23.25 - Acquisition of Future Toronto Public Library Site - St. Lawrence Branch
Change in direction. They are now recommending acquiring an existing building, the exact location of which is confidential.
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Yeah, we were discussing that over here:

St Lawrence Market

There have been 'murmurings' of MAYBE bringing the Yonge St bike lanes up Scott to Front or Colborne from The Esplanade but nothing definite and if Scott is actually closed for bit below Front this will clearly not work. AFIK, the Wellington plans do not bring bike stuff east of...
urbantoronto.ca urbantoronto.ca

I think you'll find some quality speculation as to the location.
 
It is definitely the WE building but man, kind of bummed. Very far from St Lawrence, and I liked the idea of a row of civic buildings around the market.

I still think this shuttered building at Mill / Trinity would make a fab library if the province were to consider selling it to the city, but I doubt there is the budget / vision to make something like this happen

Screenshot 2025-07-07 at 4.50.54 PM.png
 
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DavidCapizzano said:
It is definitely the WE building but man, kind of bummed. Very far from St Lawrence, and I liked the idea of a row of civic buildings around the market.
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Of course, that site, which bumped a proposed park, was then coopted with a push for housing.

That push did not deliver housing, but killed the library.

The housing proposal remains unfunded, and to my understanding will not be pursued in the near to medium term.

Maybe we can go back to making it a park! LOL Of course.........Parks will launch another 5-year engagement process which will stall anything happening at all.
 
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