Quote:
Originally Posted by windypeg
Certainly the skywalk has value for the tenants/users of these buildings, but I don't think that's what's really being debated here. I think we'd mostly agree the skywalk would be useful to students but I think the debate is should that be permitted in a heritage district? The streetscape is not insignificant, a historical district or character neighbourhood is an asset greater than the sum of its parts and provides tangible economic benefits to the properties within it. I mean if a developer wanted to build a single-storey Burger King with a drive-thru and surface parking on Albert st, and felt a drive-thru would enhance the value of what they're building, does that just outweigh the impact on all the surrounding properties? Surely there is a balance between the needs of the developer and impact on the rest of the block.
That having been said, I can live with this skywalk seeing as it's on the very edge of the Exchange and will be surrounded by mostly modern buildings once Marketlands takes shape
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This is a good point too. It's not like they're desecrating historic brick buildings around Old Market Square. It'll be two modern buildings - aesthetically, it'll look fine.