Future Canadian Skylines

[Coldrsx]

Indeed, although from the photo 13 of them will see the reaper from these developments. Mid-rise economics are tough downtown.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

I know I won't make any friends by saying this, but looking at that image I feel like Edmonton should concentrate on mid-rises for the next decade or so to get rid of all those surface parking lots everywhere.

The same could be said about most cities in the West (looking at you, Saskatoon). I don't know how it is elsewhere, but surface lots are the bane of downtowns in the Prairies.

I've always thought Edmonton's skyline looks great. Should be really nice once it expands some more.

[1overcosc]

^ It's a Prairie problem for the most part. Ottawa & Vancouver have some of the least parking-lotted downtowns in all of Canada, Montreal & Toronto are also pretty filled in.

[Coldrsx]

^only recently...

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

^only recently...

Exactly. I wouldn't really say Montreal's are any more filled in than Calgary's, except for the ocean of parking along our tracks maybe. All are slated for development in both cities though, I believe. Up until the late 2000s, Toronto was probably the most parking lot'd city in the country for a while. Obviously I can't verify that though. Just pictures.

[1overcosc]

^ Toronto used to be way worse, but in recent years the lots are mostly gone with their insane building boom.

Ottawa is also an improvement over time, but it's a bit farther in the past. We had a ton of surface parking lots downtown in the 1960s, but over the 70s-80s-early 90s they were eliminated. Only a small handful of lots still exist. Development in downtown Ottawa is unbelievably compact with lot line to lot line buildings everywhere, practically every block is a complete canyon. Its interesting how Ottawa's skyline is a complete joke, but when you actually walk through DT you feel like you're in a humongous city thanks to the canyons.

[Beedok]

I think Hamilton might be the worst city east of Lake Superior for parking lots.

[ssiguy]

I tend to agree with the

[ssiguy]

I tend to agree with the idea that Edmonton should concentrate on mid rises to fill up all those parking lots faster.

All the parking lots makes for a rather dreary urban environment and tend to segregate the city by making it less walkable. Until the downtown fills in Edmonton will still feel like more a bunch of buildings than a true urban environment.

I know that sounds cruel but it's just how I see it. It's the only major Canadian city I can think of that has Edmonton's odd downtown urban design.

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

^ Toronto used to be way worse, but in recent years the lots are mostly gone with their insane building boom.

Ottawa is also an improvement over time, but it's a bit farther in the past. We had a ton of surface parking lots downtown in the 1960s, but over the 70s-80s-early 90s they were eliminated. Only a small handful of lots still exist. Development in downtown Ottawa is unbelievably compact with lot line to lot line buildings everywhere, practically every block is a complete canyon. Its interesting how Ottawa's skyline is a complete joke, but when you actually walk through DT you feel like you're in a humongous city thanks to the canyons.

I can only count one in the core and an other one in the market.

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Up until the late 2000s, Toronto was probably the most parking lot'd city in the country for a while. Obviously I can't verify that though. Just pictures.

Even at its 1970s worst, Toronto was far from being the worst parking offender. The older industrial areas to the east and west of the CBD were pretty barren, but those were mostly filled in by the 80s and 90s.





Looks not too dissimilar from - dare I say, Edmonton or Hamilton today.

[Daveography]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I tend to agree with the idea that Edmonton should concentrate on mid rises to fill up all those parking lots faster.

All the parking lots makes for a rather dreary urban environment and tend to segregate the city by making it less walkable. Until the downtown fills in Edmonton will still feel like more a bunch of buildings than a true urban environment.

I know that sounds cruel but it's just how I see it. It's the only major Canadian city I can think of that has Edmonton's odd downtown urban design.

The market dictates what gets built (including height, notwithstanding the recently removed airport overlay) more than anything else, and the economics are always tricky. Mid-rise isn't necessarily profitable, high-rise is risky, and landowners of these parking lots aren't always willing to jump at the opportunity to develop or sell, often content to sit on the land and rake in parking profits.

Saying that the city should focus on one type of building over another vastly oversimplifies the situation. No offence intended but it actually displays a complete lack of understanding of what drives construction altogether.

[WhipperSnapper]

I disagree with Toronto being among the worst offenders 15 years ago. There was a higher concentration of surface lots in the former industrial areas however, north of Queen to Bloor, lots were few and far between. When I think of towers that have been built north of Queen, most required demolition to proceed.

The actual railway lands were left as weed lots with Cityplace as a temp 9 hole golf course and driving range. CBC, Simcoe Place, Metro Hall and the Convention Centre had widdled the massive 1970s lot left when the railway intermodel terminal was demo'd west of downtown to almost nothing by 2000.

[SkahHigh]

Hey, at least none of our cities look like this (Houston)!


http://beyonddc.com/log/wp-content/u...ownhouston.jpg

[Chadillaccc]

Sorry guys, I really thought I had seen a lot of pics with Toronto as a surface lot haven, I guess I was mistaken. Regardless, yes, at least none of our cities have ever looked like Houston did. Thankfully even Houston doesn't look like that anymore.

[Razor]

^ Ya that Houston pic is gawd awful!..This what happens when you allow a city to grow to 5.0 million without curbing (pardon the pun) citizens' car fixations downtown.

Originally Posted by bikegypsy

I can only count one in the core and an other one in the market.

Ya thinking about it..It's true..Like people stated over and over on here...If anything, Ottawa does a decent job on DT density and street canyons. Just don't look waay up, because it isn't there.

[caltrane74]

Toronto had a huge parking lot west of University south of King all the way to the railway and then the lake. If you watch the original Police Academy Movie, you will notice a great deal of that movie was actually filmed there.

[TallBob]

My God, that shot of Houston is horrible!!! They could build three stadiums on that land!

[niwell]

The infamous Houston shot makes an appearance in the Canada forum! Effectively banned elsewhere on SSP.

[MolsonExport]

That world infamous Houston shot is quite dated; mid 70s, I reckon. I've got Toronto pictures taken from the CN Tower in 1975 (when it first opened, my Dad took me up...he worked for CN so we were among the first), and around the base and to the east, there was an ocean of parking lots. No redevelopment of the waterfront yet. And the old sooty railway roundhouses (I've always liked those).