Favorite Building In London

[Simpseatles]

I thought I might add my 2 cents to this thread:

One London Place has to be my favourite building in the Forest City for sure! It's an impressive symbol for London, and has such a beautiful design. Every angle I see it, it appears different with it's triangular shape. It even manages to seem very tall every time I'm around it. Definately it's the nicest building in SW Ontario, and perhaps all of Ontario outside the GTA (Hamilton, Windsor, and KW got nothing on it). Thank god we have it to take away from all the less than desirable looking buildings in our Downtown.

Anyways, some of my other favourites would have to be the Dominion Public Building since it's our oldest "skyscraper", and the former courthouse. Also the new market is quite nice with its public square. The TD towers are alright and they scream big city to me (they look really imposing when you drive down Hamilton). The Royal Bank Tower, the Talbot Centre and the massive London Life building bring their own charm to the city as well.

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by Simpseatles

Anyways, some of my other favourites would have to be the Dominion Public Building

Art Deco FTW! They work very well mixed with modern designs like One London Place and Talbot Centre. The contrast is worth noting. Whenever you walk down Dundas and Clarance and see the old TD building there, you'll see OLP behind it. Looks excellent.

I'm not a big fan of brutalist buildings which is why I loathe the "new" courthouse. Probably the best of the worst of this design.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by haljackey

My vote for the ugliest building:


Anyone heard of a paintbrush?

Looks like the belle of the ball next to the Courthouse monstrosity.


Hell, they are both fugly. London has this amazing fetish with concrete brutalism.

[Simpseatles]

^ Good thing the people that stay in the Hilton don't have to look at the building they're in!

I don't actually mind the courthouse. Maybe it's because when I was younger I was awestruck by any large building downtown and I didn't really start feeling the hate untill I went on this website.

Buildings I can't stand include any of those commie-block apartments around Cherryhill, Proudfoot, and Oxford/Wonderland. That place gives me the creeps!

Also there's a couple ugly apartment buildings on Dundas between William and Adelaide, and a really sad looking one at the plaza between City Hall, and Centennial Hall. Sorry for not having the specific names.

[MolsonExport]

The brutalism is mushrooming at unWonderland and Oxfart.

[bolognium]

It'd be a complete lie if I said anything but One London Place as my first pick. London's skyline would be completely different Without OLP. The glass of OLP and the Talbot Centre towers is definitely the main saving grace of London's skyline.

It's difficult to pick my favourite but to name a couple: Dominion Public, London Life, Wright Lithography, Queens walk-ups by the old library and most of downtown Dundas.

Dang, now I want to walk downtown.

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by bolognium

Dang, now I want to walk downtown.

Watch out for the hobos and coke addicts while you're there! They're lurking on every corner these days, asking for money or just making you feel uncomfortable.

I was in downtown Toronto not long ago and it was really sad to see how few of them there were compared to London. Not sure if Toronto Police are moving them elsewhere or something but the contrast between the two cities was considerable.

[Blitz]

I have an unpleasant view of the Hilton from my apartment in City Place. I can't believe a 'luxury' hotel just lets it go like that, the building needs a serious power wash. The Weldon Library at UWO is also in need of one (last I checked anyway).

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by Blitz

I have an unpleasant view of the Hilton from my apartment in City Place. I can't believe a 'luxury' hotel just lets it go like that, the building needs a serious power wash. The Weldon Library at UWO is also in need of one (last I checked anyway).

Eww... CityPlace has a pretty decent view on the other side. I took these shots from a balcony on the west tower.







That church has some pretty cool nightlighting too. It gets my vote for my favorite church in London.


Most of the concrete "commie" blocks in London could use a paintjob. The Hilton and Weldon are the best examples, but City Centre and the Social Science Centre are also excellent candidates.

[bolognium]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Watch out for the hobos and coke addicts while you're there! They're lurking on every corner these days, asking for money or just making you feel uncomfortable.

I don't really mind the bums. In fact, one of them actually gave me a good laugh the other day.

I was locking up my bike by the library entrance on Dundas when a guy approached me and asked if I could give him some change for weed. When I said no he says to me "Well then how about some weed for a change?"

And great views from City Place. I'd always imagined the views from the west tower would be pretty spectacular.

[Blitz]

Yeah, I live in the east tower but I'm on the top floor so it's a decent view. I'll work on posting some pics soon.

[Simpseatles]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Watch out for the hobos and coke addicts while you're there! They're lurking on every corner these days, asking for money or just making you feel uncomfortable.

I was in downtown Toronto not long ago and it was really sad to see how few of them there were compared to London. Not sure if Toronto Police are moving them elsewhere or something but the contrast between the two cities was considerable.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't walk downtown all that much, because of where I live, and where I do most of my activities and stuff (although I do go to school downtown, where I get fantastic views of the people hanging around the meth clinic in most of my classes!)

However when I have ventured into London's scary downtown I haven't found it all that bad. In fact my view on Toronto would have to be the opposite. In the short walk I took arund downtown TO a couple of weeks ago I must have seen close to 20 homeless people. That surprised me because I hadn't been there in about 4 years, but I was in NYC recently where I encountered maybe 2 or 3 in my entire 5 day trip!

Here I've been force fed this idea that Toronto is the heavenly, clean, urban metropolis that the entire world should be jealous of. But with all these rich people moving into fancy condos, they still have a serious homelessness problem to adress it seems.

At least in London there aren't any super high expectations to be lived up to. We may have a homelessness problem, but because we are a smaller city, and aren't as obsessed with becoming "world class", maybe we could actually help these people instead of sweeping them aside for deluxe condos!

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by Simpseatles

Here I've been force fed this idea that Toronto is the heavenly, clean, urban metropolis that the entire world should be jealous of. But with all these rich people moving into fancy condos, they still have a serious homelessness problem to adress it seems.

Having lived there for a good part of my life I can confidently say that it's anything but heavenly. The place has been getting progressively worse over the past decade or two due to some very poor planning decisions (amalgamation, abandoning all plans for the Scarberia Expressway, anti-subway sentiment and light rail folly, greenbelt ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CITY, etc). Poor transport planning and constraints on development lead to expensive housing (can't build out anymore and everyone will pay top dollar to live in the core, close to work) that may work to push people onto the street when rents become unaffordable.

You notice a very big difference between London and Toronto in this regard; housing and rents in London are way more affordable (especially if you live further away from the University). Despite the fact that this city gets some much-deserved hate from its residents, I personally prefer it

[Simpseatles]

Does anyone know the name of the taller, 20's era building at the northeast corner of Dundas and Clarance? I quite like it!

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Simpseatles

Does anyone know the name of the taller, 20's era building at the northeast corner of Dundas and Clarance? I quite like it!

Historically that was the Huron & Erie Trust Company building, the original headquarters of what became Canada Trust.

[Simpseatles]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

Historically that was the Huron & Erie Trust Company building, the original headquarters of what became Canada Trust.

Thanks! The reason I was struck by it, is that it must have been the second tallest (to the Dominion Public Building) in the city prior to the 50's. Also, it's a building of moderate height (8 stories?), that's actually anchored on Dundas Street, where mostly 19th century storefronts dominate.

I found a picture of it.


http://www.associatepublisher.com/e/l/lo/london,_ontario.htm

[Kokkei Mizu]

Originally Posted by Simpseatles

I found a picture of it.

You can also use Google Maps' Street View service to look at buildings... Very useful. 99.9% of the streets and roads in London and St. Thomas have Street View.

[Simpseatles]

Originally Posted by Kokkei Mizu

You can also use Google Maps' Street View service to look at buildings... Very useful. 99.9% of the streets and roads in London and St. Thomas have Street View.

True, I just don't know how to post streetview pictures.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Simpseatles

True, I just don't know how to post streetview pictures.

Your best bet is to take a screenshot using the Print Screen key on a PC, and then uploading the image to Photobucket or a similar site. I'm not sure how to take a screenshot on a Mac.

[Kokkei Mizu]

Or you share a link of the Street View (by clicking "Link" in the top right-hand corner of the Street View or map). The link will retain the exact position in Street View, so we can see the building you're referring to, and then look around the area, etc.