[CityPainter]

Like everyone else, I thought the space worked really well, actually much better than expected. The footprint is similar to the previous building that was there but the very high open ceilings and large windows gives it a much nicer feel. Even on a cloudy day it felt bright.

My wife chatted to a vendor she knows and he was very happy as well, having sold out everything early and said it was twice as busy as a normal Saturday. Some of that is probably curiosity about the building, but hopefully the bump is permanent. It's a much more prominent location than the tent building to the south. We really need a coffee shop on the southwest corner, and the Market Lane revitalization so the vibe can spill out when the weather improves.

100% agree that the city needs to do something about the pedestrian traffic that will naturally cross north/south between the markets. It's ridiculous to expect thousands of people to all shuffle to the corner and push a button and wait to cross in one narrow painted crosswalk. The cop was there furiously blowing his whistle, but whether that helped much, I don't know. In an ideal world we would block vehicle traffic on Front between Jarvis and Church on Saturdays, but the knock-on gridlock might makes things more dangerous for pedestrians in the surrounding neighbourhood.

 

[xmyth_]

Like everyone else, I thought the space worked really well, actually much better than expected. The footprint is similar to the previous building that was there but the very high open ceilings and large windows gives it a much nicer feel. Even on a cloudy day it felt bright.

My wife chatted to a vendor she knows and he was very happy as well, having sold out everything early and said it was twice as busy as a normal Saturday. Some of that is probably curiosity about the building, but hopefully the bump is permanent. It's a much more prominent location than the tent building to the south. We really need a coffee shop on the southwest corner, and the Market Lane revitalization so the vibe can spill out when the weather improves.

100% agree that the city needs to do something about the pedestrian traffic that will naturally cross north/south between the markets. It's ridiculous to expect thousands of people to all shuffle to the corner and push a button and wait to cross in one narrow painted crosswalk. The cop was there furiously blowing his whistle, but whether that helped much, I don't know. In an ideal world we would block vehicle traffic on Front between Jarvis and Church on Saturdays, but the knock-on gridlock might makes things more dangerous for pedestrians in the surrounding neighbourhood.

Is that where the coffee shop is supposed to be going? Trying to think of where they’d go now that I’ve seen the tables laid out. (Wondering too about how the tables will be arranged when the weather is good and those garage doors are open)

Would they shut off Front/Wellington from Jarvis to church on Saturdays? Anyone know how that would mess up surrounding traffic?

 

[nightstreak]

100% agree that the city needs to do something about the pedestrian traffic that will naturally cross north/south between the markets. It's ridiculous to expect thousands of people to all shuffle to the corner and push a button and wait to cross in one narrow painted crosswalk. The cop was there furiously blowing his whistle, but whether that helped much, I don't know. In an ideal world we would block vehicle traffic on Front between Jarvis and Church on Saturdays, but the knock-on gridlock might makes things more dangerous for pedestrians in the surrounding neighbourhood.

Giving that bit of Front St. E the same cobblestone treatment as Market St. to slow traffic down naturally would be a good permanent change. A traffic light before Market St in sync with the one on Lower Jarvis that could be activated on market days would create a safe passage.

 

[Johnny Au]

The tent where the temporary market was would be excellent for an East Asian-style night market.

Toronto lacks a large-scale East Asian-style night market.

 

[rdaner]

This will also make a great location for a specialty Xmas Market. Found out last week that Vienna has 7! Danish or Hungarian?

 

[nightstreak]

Folks here are calling it the Saturday Market. I wasn't able to go today, is it open on Sundays too or is it really just Saturdays? Seems like kind of a waste for one day per week.

 

[rdaner]

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[DSCToronto]

Giving that bit of Front St. E the same cobblestone treatment as Market St. to slow traffic down naturally would be a good permanent change. A traffic light before Market St in sync with the one on Lower Jarvis that could be activated on market days would create a safe passage.

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I am told that the BIA has plans to improve the section of Front between the two Market buildings (your orange shading area), apparently to be built when the City is working on Market Lane Park.

 

[CityPainter]

Folks here are calling it the Saturday Market. I wasn't able to go today, is it open on Sundays too or is it really just Saturdays? Seems like kind of a waste for one day per week.

Saturdays are the Farmer's Market, open 5am to 3pm. Farmers and other vendors from all around the GTA and beyond drive in and set up their stalls to sell their produce or specialty items. This is distinct from the products sold at the South Market building 6 days per week, which are often sourced from the Ontario Food Terminal much like other grocery stores. The setup has been like this for decades. It would be nice to do the Farmer's Market more often but then the farmer's wouldn't have time to, you know, farm.

Presumably, the Variety Market (formerly Antique Market) that is held on Sundays will also move to this new building (but I have no confirmation of this, does anyone?).

Ideally the building would be leased or used for other events during the other days of the week, but that rarely happened when the old building was there. The part-time usage is, I believe, one reason why the city decided to put the traffic courts on the upper floors of the new building. This at least ensures that the building is used 7 days per week. If a coffee shop opens on the ground floor as discussed, presumably that will also be open 7 days per week.

 

[DSCToronto]

Folks here are calling it the Saturday Market. I wasn't able to go today, is it open on Sundays too or is it really just Saturdays? Seems like kind of a waste for one day per week.

It is a one-day a week Market (like many farmers' markets) and has been for many decades - since 1803! The antique' market is going to be there on Sundays (though I am not 100% sure they are there tomorrow) and the City tries to lease the space on weekdays too.

 

[rdaner]

^From what I understand there is a lot of interest in using this space for all sorts of events (films, art exhibits, holiday markets etc.)

 

[nightstreak]

Saturdays are the Farmer's Market, open 5am to 3pm. Farmers and other vendors from all around the GTA and beyond drive in and set up their stalls to sell their produce or specialty items. This is distinct from the products sold at the South Market building 6 days per week, which are often sourced from the Ontario Food Terminal much like other grocery stores. The setup has been like this for decades. It would be nice to do the Farmer's Market more often but then the farmer's wouldn't have time to, you know, farm.

Presumably, the Variety Market (formerly Antique Market) that is held on Sundays will also move to this new building (but I have no confirmation of this, does anyone?).

Ideally the building would be leased or used for other events during the other days of the week, but that rarely happened when the old building was there. The part-time usage is, I believe, one reason why the city decided to put the traffic courts on the upper floors of the new building. This at least ensures that the building is used 7 days per week. If a coffee shop opens on the ground floor as discussed, presumably that will also be open 7 days per week.

That's reasonable. I hope they find other ways to activate the space, maybe food stalls during week days. There's quite a bit of office worker lunch traffic in St. Lawrence Market south.

Funny how much this Amsterdam building even looks like St. Lawrence Market North.

For quick setup, maybe food trucks that can get in through the garage doors, assuming the building ventilation and structural engineering anticipated that.

Or license space on Market Lane for food trucks to park facing the garage doors, with seating and tables inside, at least Spring to Fall.

I am told that the BIA has plans to improve the section of Front between the two Market buildings (your orange shading area), apparently to be built when the City is working on Market Lane Park.

That's really good to hear. Browsing social media today, my jaywalking observation and the need for a traffic light making this entire section a wide crosswalk is far from unique.

 

[goodcitywhenfinished]

Glad it’s finally open, but it’s mind blowing to think it took them like a whole decade to build such a simple, basic and mundane building.

Toronto is now home to the least remarkable building in the RSHP portfolio. Yay!

Seriously, this building could count as filler for B+H or DSAI.

 

[Sandpit]

The tent where the temporary market was would be excellent for an East Asian-style night market.

Toronto lacks a large-scale East Asian-style night market.

I can smell the stinky tofu already.

 

[pesto]

Sorry for poo-pooing on this a little bit here with this comment, because I do think it's a very nice building in a great area of the city but, please, please put bollards all around these buildings before something really bad happens with a fast moving vehicle that would seriously hurt or kill lots of people, intentionally or not.

With this neighbourhood being such a high profile tourist attraction for the city how can there not be any physical vehicle blockers in place already?

Maybe there's a plan to add them later? If not then there should be. Even the adjacent parkette has lots of space for a driver to easily plough through it.

Obviously this could be said for many other places in the city that regularly attract large crowds. Why wait for something terrible to happen?