50 King Street - 43s, 53s - York Developments (Approved) - Page 4

MrSlippery519 · #61 Posted **Jun 21, 2023, 3:54 PM**

This looks amazing, I cannot imagine opposition from the city side especially given York has been a good partner and is actively building downtown.
I am sure there will be a few NIMBY from the Tricar building about blocking their view which should be tossed out immediately.

Think the plan would be to start this as soon as 131 wraps up, that building must be close to topping out.

bolognium · #62 Posted **Jun 22, 2023, 2:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlesSaticoy

https://www.zeddarchitecture.com/19-045

I think they accidentally posted an old design on this project on their website (see video)

It was definitely a bit stupid of them to post the old three-tower design on their website. A heritage group on Facebook posted about this development, and is using the old design with the third tower over the courthouse as a means of drumming up opposition against this proposal.

Despite the fact that York clearly stated they intend to preserve all heritage buildings on the site, the majority of the comments are very negative and expressing concern because of the early design with the third tower.

I often feel at odds with both pro-development people, and pro-heritage people. I absolutely love the current large scale two-tower design. Adding extreme density to this sleepy corner of downtown, while also preserving the courthouse and jail is really all I could ever ask for. However, I'm genuinely worried heritage advocates are going to come out of the woodwork opposing this project. Likely combining forces with the guaranteed NIMBYs from the Renaissance that feel entitled to their views.

jammer139 · #63 Posted **Jun 22, 2023, 1:41 PM**

Another interesting aspect of this will be what Middlesex County government administration offices look like in the future. At which point do they finally decide to look at building a new County administration office centre and where? Or do they continue to lease the current building from York.

They got $30M from York for the property which hopefully they have set aside. Has the county made any progress yet on planning for what their future County administration will look like? How much longer will York decide to rent the current space to them before they make decisions on the historical buildings future?

Djeffery · #64 Posted **Jun 22, 2023, 4:33 PM**

I would think the county would be interested in moving their admin offices to the actual county. Where, who knows. I'm sure that would be a matter of strong opinionated discussion amongst the various towns. At least London is somewhat neutral turf but now that they are tenants instead of owners, I wonder if the desire to remain downtown is there. I have to imagine that having meetings in downtown is a pain for the various mayors/reeves/wardens as well.

I could see York wanting to move their own corporate offices there. I think they are in that building across from Labatts at Richmond and Bathurst so they aren't huge. Of course, maybe the courthouse commands a prestige rent too, so maybe it serves York better to stay where they are in a harder to lease space and get higher rent at the courthouse.

jammer139 · #65 Posted **Aug 5, 2023, 1:05 AM**

Special working group reviewing the proposal for the Middlesex court house block.

https://pub-london.escribemeetings.c...umentId=101468

CharlesSaticoy · #66 Posted **Aug 5, 2023, 10:16 PM**

What a joke these people are…

jammer139 · #67 Posted **Aug 11, 2023, 2:53 AM**

The zoning application webpage has been updated with new reports and documents including the information mtg display slides.

https://london.ca/sites/default/file...-08/boards.pdf

https://london.ca/business-developme...ing-street-399

CanadianTalk · #68 Posted **Sep 13, 2023, 3:49 PM**

The public meeting for these proposed buildings will be on October 3rd at Council's Planning and Environment committee meeting.

https://london.ca/sites/default/file...%20Meeting.pdf

jammer139 · #69 Posted **Sep 14, 2023, 4:34 PM**

The display board slides have some more detailed drawings showing the floor layout.

https://london.ca/sites/default/file...-08/boards.pdf

It's interesting that they are counting the mechanical penthouse as a floor. The 53 floor tower will only have 52 residential floors by counting this way.

Most high rise projects describe themselves by the actual residential floor count and don't include mechanical penthouses in their descriptions.

Innsertnamehere · #70 Posted **Sep 14, 2023, 4:41 PM**

We get heights from that doc as well - 173.5m and 141m.

CanadianTalk · #71 Posted **Sep 27, 2023, 4:07 PM**

City planning staff is recommending that Council approve the zoning changes and London Plan amendments that would allow for this transformative redevelopment.

Goes to Council's Planning and Environment committee on October 3rd.

https://london.ca/sites/default/file...20%28SW%29.pdf

GreatTallNorth2 · #72 Posted **Sep 27, 2023, 6:43 PM**

The height for the taller tower is now 186 metres or 610 feet. This would make it 1 metre taller than Station Park’s tallest tower in Kitchener.

jammer139 · #73 Posted **Sep 27, 2023, 7:58 PM**

Reading the comments section of the report is far funnier then attending the Just for Laughs festival and as a bonus its free.

The NIMBY's are in full throated squawking mode.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanadianTalk

City planning staff is recommending that Council approve the zoning changes and London Plan amendments that would allow for this transformative redevelopment.

Goes to Council's Planning and Environment committee on October 3rd.

https://london.ca/sites/default/file...20%28SW%29.pdf

jammer139 · #74 Posted **Sep 28, 2023, 1:29 PM**

CTV article on proposal.

https://london.ctvnews.ca/will-neigh...arth-1.6580875

Innsertnamehere · #75 Posted **Sep 28, 2023, 1:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jammer139

CTV article on proposal.

https://london.ctvnews.ca/will-neigh...arth-1.6580875

"i'm not a NIMBY but i'm worried the pile drivers might be loud".

LOL

MrSlippery519 · #76 Posted **Sep 28, 2023, 3:55 PM**

Cannot imagine this gets much push back, I wonder if York would want to get started as soon as the building up the street on King is finished.

Some of the comments are hilarious "My view will be gone", "construction is loud" no crap

seems like most of the complaints are from people living at Renaissance

MolsonExport · #77 Posted **Sep 28, 2023, 4:30 PM**

If there was any place for a tall signature skyscraper in London, this is it.

Fuck the nimbys.

Would this building be high enough to see from the 401? London looks dreadful from the 401, and does not offer much of a skyline vantage point except maybe at Wellington and Commissioners.

Snark · #78 Posted **Sep 28, 2023, 7:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Would this building be high enough to see from the 401? London looks dreadful from the 401, and does not offer much of a skyline vantage point except maybe at Wellington and Commissioners.

If one were viewing the forks of the Thames from a vantage point of Pond Mills Rd/401, there is a 50 metre drop in elevation from the highest point in between those two points (the ridge south of Commissioners Rd) to the forks of the Thames, add 15 metres for trees on top of that high point, and another 7 or 8 metres would be lost due to curvature of the Earth, so a viewer on the 401 loses over 70 metres from the start. So, if one were to assume that the upper 100 metres of this proposal were theoretically visible, one should be able to see the building from the viewpoint of the 401 at Pond Mills Rd. Here is the unfortunate detail: at a distance of 8km, the angular size of 100 metres is 0.7 degrees - slightly larger than the full moon (the moon seems large in a black sky, but it really isn't very large), so any nearby obstruction along the 401 (trees, buildings) would almost certainly block seeing the tower downtown. I guess in conclusion, I'd say that if one were to look at the right time and location along the 401, one might see the upper half briefly.

Another good viewpoint would be Wharncliffe and Commissioners.

jammer139 · #79 Posted **Sep 28, 2023, 9:22 PM**

There are actually a few spots along the 401 between Putnam and Highway 74 that you can see One London Place today especially in the winter thru gaps in the trees. Centro will be even easier to see once it is topped out and especially if Old Oaks decides to put some LED lighting on the penthouse.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snark

If one were viewing the forks of the Thames from a vantage point of Pond Mills Rd/401, there is a 50 metre drop in elevation from the highest point in between those two points (the ridge south of Commissioners Rd) to the forks of the Thames, add 15 metres for trees on top of that high point, and another 7 or 8 metres would be lost due to curvature of the Earth, so a viewer on the 401 loses over 70 metres from the start. So, if one were to assume that the upper 100 metres of this proposal were theoretically visible, one should be able to see the building from the viewpoint of the 401 at Pond Mills Rd. Here is the unfortunate detail: at a distance of 8km, the angular size of 100 metres is 0.7 degrees - slightly larger than the full moon (the moon seems large in a black sky, but it really isn't very large), so any nearby obstruction along the 401 (trees, buildings) would almost certainly block seeing the tower downtown. I guess in conclusion, I'd say that if one were to look at the right time and location along the 401, one might see the upper half briefly.

Another good viewpoint would be Wharncliffe and Commissioners.

Djeffery · #80 Posted **Sep 28, 2023, 9:44 PM**

Yep, I was going to say at night (back when I drove at night lol), I used to be able to see the lighted Canada Trust sign on City Centre from between Dorchester and 74. It would be nice to see a skyline from the highway, other than Jalna Towers, but I think all we are going to get is whatever they end up doing at Bradley and Wellington. Sad that all London looks like on the 401 is a couple factories and a couple junky or closed hotels. Heck, even Ingersoll has a better 401 presence than London does lol.