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I agree with much of what you are saying, but honestly Toronto needs more streets like Queen, rather than messing with a pretty successful retail strip that is in place already. It may need some level of adjustment or improvements, but the continuous row of business that stay in operation is something that should be praised rather than torn down.
I didn't imply they should be torn down. Despite their ugliness, it is a lot better than larger corporate buildings that remain cold and closed to the outside 24/7. During the past years, I started to appreciate smaller retail that actually does far more to street vibrancy than a few big towers that offers close to nothing.
The problem with Queen is the buildings are not being taken good care of, and there are too many cars flowing through that makes is hard to offer a pleasant shopping experience.
Is Queen W successful? Definitely. But is it great and inspiring? Hardly. I can tell 10 retail strips that are far superior to it just off the top of my head right now.
People keep forgetting Toronto is a major metropolis. To have a downtown Niagara-on-the-lake sort of retail strip in Toronto's downtown is simply far from enough. We should really steer away from that cozy small town mentality. Queen W is not bad, but hardly good enough to serve as one of Toronto's most important commercial street.
I didn't imply they should be torn down. Despite their ugliness, it is a lot better than larger corporate buildings that remain cold and closed to the outside 24/7. During the past years, I started to appreciate smaller retail that actually does far more to street vibrancy than a few big towers that offers close to nothing.
The problem with Queen is the buildings are not being taken good care of, and there are too many cars flowing through that makes is hard to offer a pleasant shopping experience.
Is Queen W successful? Definitely. But is it great and inspiring? Hardly. I can tell 10 retail strips that are far superior to it just off the top of my head right now.
People keep forgetting Toronto is a major metropolis. To have a downtown Niagara-on-the-lake sort of retail strip in Toronto's downtown is simply far from enough. We should really steer away from that cozy small town mentality. Queen W is not bad, but hardly good enough to serve as one of Toronto's most important commercial street.
All valid points. I think there is a fine balance that needs to be achieved: preserving vibrancy and all the small local businesses that give it character, and maintaining a certain modern aesthetic (clean streets, well-maintained buildings). I've been to a few U.S. cities that have undergone such renovations - the resulting aesthetics are great, but it has also invariably caused extreme gentrification that totally has destroyed that neighborhood's original character. The worst thing that can happen to Queen W is a complete sterilization/gentrification like what's happening in Brooklyn, SF, Boston, and other U.S. cities.
I do agree with Botti that Queen West could do a lot more to maintain and upkeep some of its more historic buildings. I took a streetcar last Sunday along Queen West, and realized that there are actually tons of very nice 3-4 storey historic architecture, but many of them are in disrepair. At the same time, the street itself is truly very vibrant with lots of pedestrian activity around the clock. Almost reminds me a bit of East Village in NYC.
However, I'm just not sure how to go about repairing all of these buildings. I mean, the city can't just force thousands of building owners to do expensive renovations all at once, as they are all private property. Maybe a compromise can be reached, where the city can contribute a certain amount of money to a public fund that can owners can apply for in order to help them pay for building renovations in historic areas of the city?
At the same time, I've also noticed a lot of renovation and building activity along Queen W, such as many new low-rise apartments going up, and some buildings have already renovated their store fronts so it's not all bad.
Anyone who says that Toronto is "a watered down version of a mid-sized American city" is not someone that should ever be taken seriously as a contributor to this forum. Never ever ever.
Toronto has big events happening all summer long, too. Just as much as Chicago. You'd have to be a complete shut-in with no access to newspapers, internet or local TV to live here for 3 years and not notice such a thing.
As for Queen Street, it's the best street of its "type" in all of Canamercia.
You're impressed with someone throwing green dye into a river? Lol, enough said, your opinion of Toronto is a joke too! Watered down version of a mid sized american city? You really believe this? Ridiculous!
Look at his post history - it tells the whole.... personal.... story lol... It really does provide a more in depth historical perspective and context as to why he posts the way he does regarding Toronto.. Atlanta is another victim...
To be fair, Queen St west is just a so so retail street. I was never impressed by anything about it from day 1, and never will, and I was never sure why locals make a big deal out of it all the time.
Buffalo may not have it, but most cities of Toronto's size have something similar to Queen W. And I am not talking about American cities, which would be among the bottom 20% world wide in terms of urban vibrancy.
All things considered, one thing I deeply dislike about Toronto (besides horrible weather and bad public transport) is the lack of retail and too many pure residential streets, even in downtown.
And can I say Queen W is a mess? Mixed traffic with bad pedestrian experience, horrible congestion all the time, dilapidated buildings, with big gaps here and there. It needs major improvement before becoming something one can be proud of. It just doesn't look like a premier commercial street of the country's largest city.
I think if you're just looking at aesthetics of a street well yes - I think when people are speaking of the QSW experience it is what goes on in all the different types of venues (music, art, unique retail etc) and the types of people not just on the street but who are in the many nabe's in and around QSW.. Its not as much just how the street 'looks' on the outside or if there are too many cars or even if the buildings should be beautified... Also, I noticed you referred to it as essentially just a retail strip when it is far more. Its not to say that other cities don't have these things - of course they do what is up for debate and absolutely depends on who you ask is to what degree do other places have all the elements that is QSW.. That is something that is personal. Its like anything, some will go - MEH but others will absolutely adore it and say there isn't much anything like it and believe it or not - there are those who fall in the latter category when it comes to QSW and its those most familiar with it and interested in its overall vibe. One thing is for certain, QSW has many more layers to it than what you see on a streetcar ride down its spine or a casual daytime walk....
Anyone who says that Toronto is "a watered down version of a mid-sized American city" is not someone that should ever be taken seriously as a contributor to this forum. Never ever ever.
Toronto has big events happening all summer long, too. Just as much as Chicago. You'd have to be a complete shut-in with no access to newspapers, internet or local TV to live here for 3 years and not notice such a thing.
As for Queen Street, it's the best street of its "type" in all of Canamercia.
Agreed and essentially when you post anything to try to provide some meat to the claim that there are more to things - the automatic reaction is that you are some delusional homer. I could say, well Old Toronto is a vintage clothing mecca and there is no response - just crickets and than continued dismisiveness.
You are delusional and your hatred for toronto is obvious! No, not every American city has a street that rivals Queen St., especially not Buffalo, lol. Your posts give away your jealousy of Toronto!
I love when the homers get all riled up! LOL! They get so angry they don't even read the posts correctly!
I never said that Buffalo had an exact same street as Queen. Nor did I say that every American city had the exact same street as Queen.
But certainly the Elmwood Strip is similar, as are streets in basically all major cities. Name one major city that doesn't have such a street. Detroit is the only major city I can think of that lacks a major youth-oriented street.
I am in Toronto all the time for business, and it is not even the most interesting street in Toronto. Yonge is much more interesting. What is so unique or interesting about Queen? Am I supposed to be impressed by an Urban Outfitters or some funky eyeglass boutique?
As for Queen Street, it's the best street of its "type" in all of Canamercia.
Awesomely homertastic. Queen Street is a vibrant but semi-dilapidated street that is only notable in Toronto because it doesn't have tons of street-deadening highrise concrete towers like you see on basically every other major Toronto corridor. It's amazing unremarkable in a global context.
I think NYC alone has probably 25-30 retail corridors that destroy Queen Street. That's probably a conservative estimate. Manhattan alone probably has two dozen. Brooklyn alone probably has two dozen. Maybe a dozen each in the Bronx and Queens. Even a few in Jersey are far superior. Bergenline Ave. anyone? 10 miles of sold urban retail.
Even Toronto has a few superior retail corridors. Yonge, Bloor, Avenue Rd. are all much nicer. Even Bloor West Village is probably nicer.
I love when the homers get all riled up! LOL! They get so angry they don't even read the posts correctly!
I think this pretty much just sums it up - You just love to rile people up and call them homers - it seriously gets you excited in a way that is almost unhealthy... You push hard just to get that 'reaction' and launch the homer card.. I'm sure you do this in other threads when you get bored of say Toronto - cities on the the Nola hit list..
Quote:
Originally Posted by NOLA101
I am in Toronto all the time for business, and it is not even the most interesting street in Toronto. Yonge is much more interesting. What is so unique or interesting about Queen? Am I supposed to be impressed by an Urban Outfitters or some funky eyeglass boutique?
Why sum up QSW as one store you seem to keep bringing up for some odd reason (Urban Outfitters god knows why as if that defines the entire street).. Do you like Urban outfitters or something because when you go to QSW you always just go there.. I'm pretty sure your obsession with the boutique eyeglass store means there is something that gravitates you to it - have a pair on from it?
Have you been to Stone's Place, the Drake or the Gladstone? What about Kensington?
Awesomely homertastic. Queen Street is a vibrant but semi-dilapidated street that is only notable in Toronto because it doesn't have tons of street-deadening highrise concrete towers like you see on basically every other major Toronto corridor. It's amazing unremarkable in a global context.
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Actually pretty much every major street west of the DT core in Old Toronto is largely barren of highrise towers.. College, Bloor, Queen, Dundas, King etc are mostly low and mid rise commercial/residential Victorian/Edwardian architecture..
With all that said - please do more than just go to Urban outfitters the next time you go to QSW.. Since you're in town frequently - i'll take you to the Gladstone! In order to enjoy the street and its surrounding nabe's you really need to start digging.
Superior retail shopping is relative to the individual shopper...
Last edited by fusion2; 04-30-2015 at 10:01 PM..
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