Post #4386552

2026-08-05 00:09 UTC

@evdelen@mstdn.ca The problem is that Toronto has design guidelines for new condos, that require a tall first floor of 4.5m min. This is probably to put in a loading dock for large transport trucks. 4 old small storefronts disappear and 1 large canvorous space is left in the new building. The character of the neighbourhood is lost, you end up with what happened at Yonge and Eglinton. #Toronto #Topoli #Onpoli #architecture

Replies (1)

@evdelen@mstdn.ca 2026-08-05 00:21

@arthurgron@mstdn.ca For sure! The 4.5m height minimum is often made taller to allow for front loading garbage trucks. The need to place building services - emergency stairwells, elevators, garbage chutes - makes for shallower storefronts which, by North American standards, are un-rentable. I'd argue that what we need is more smaller spaces for kiosk type shops, as opposed to established practice which is to make wider shops, which in practice end up doing what you say: turning 4 storefronts into 1. This is because developers - who often hang onto retail space at favourable terms for themselves - want to rent to chains and franchises for a long duration, whereas smaller spaces are better for entrepreneurship, innovation, but are intrinsically riskier. But downtown aside, I'm referring to the Lawrence & Markham, Bayview & Finch, Kipling & Rathburn, where the only shopping spaces are car-oriented plaza's and mixed use is strictly forbidden!

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