Dereliction

jack: 17th Aug 2006 - 13:44 GMT

the tombstone of lost labor, of working men and women earning a living and building families, the end of an era. but i like the red buoy.

EvilGentleman: 17th Aug 2006 - 13:52 GMT

For a derelict building with numerous broken windows, there sure are tidy surroundings. I dunno whether it could be considered an eyesore or a trasure, but it sure fits on citynoise. Urban decay sure seems to be a popular theme, even in my own postings.

Chris Erb: 17th Aug 2006 - 14:33 GMT

Doesn't this exact same building exist in Montreal?

Cameo: 17th Aug 2006 - 14:34 GMT

the untidy area is fenced off... Huge hunks of concrete are falling off it from time to time now.

Tamara: 17th Aug 2006 - 19:29 GMT

Surely this a treasure... it's the only one left in the city. I love passing by and taking in the architecture. It would an awesome space to convert into something else, similar to the Distillery District, with it's art galleries and artist studios. Although I suppose that would be an expenisive investment that would cost more than redevelopment of condo's. The location is prime, so I highly doubt that this will still be standing in 10 years.

EvilGentleman: 17th Aug 2006 - 20:31 GMT

I believe Chris is referring to the many similar abandoned industrial sites of the same design (and possibly the same purpose) that are scattered along the banks of the Lachine Canal here in Montreal and throughout the port area, but I believe ours are usually coated in graf.

jeeff: 21st Aug 2006 - 19:59 GMT

the toronto waterfront revitalization corp recently ran a design competition to fix up the central waterfront along queens quay. the winning proposal by west8 included a suggestion for the redevelopment of the silos pictured above (even though, strictly speaking, the silos are outside the scope of the design competition). from the west8 proposal, www.towaterfront.ca/dbdocs/446a4425175d8.pdf (p.3, bottom-right):

"Portland District
The iconic Canada Malting Silos are retrofitted as a water filtration plant where the ecological processes are made publicly visible."

jeeff: 21st Aug 2006 - 20:01 GMT

but i should emphasize that the city so far only plans to proceed with the core aspects of the plan, in line with the original competition brief. so don't expect to see something like this developed anytime soon.

TwoSteaks: 23rd Aug 2006 - 15:02 GMT

Are you kidding? Burn it down, baby! Industrial eyesores reminiscent of the days when you could walk on Lake Ontario, the Don have to go. Almost like trying to save the Lakeview Coal Generating Station. Why bother? I agree the condo crawl has to stop, but only because it cuts us off from the water, as does this monstrosity. More parks!

Mark Visser: 3rd Sep 2006 - 13:45 GMT

If it retrofitted as a water tower I will sure add it to my website 'Canadian Water Towers and Standpipes' www.eureka4you.com/watertowers/index.htm

Stuart: 26th Sep 2006 - 22:06 GMT

As a new arrival to Toronto, I don't have the emotional attachment to this building as others might have. I'm sure most visitors have the same view as I do : "what the hell is this monstrosity still doing standing?" With such beautiful lakefront potential, this is a real embarassment. Saying it is a tribute to times gone by is a bit like saying we should still send children up chimneys. Just because we used to do it, doesn't make it right...

Jon: 14th Oct 2006 - 20:11 GMT

wow this looks like just like some structures outside my work that are about to get knocked down. If I remember I will take pictures.
should be interesting

Franny Wentzel: 23rd Jan 2010 - 22:47 GMT

It's a horrorshow work of the Brutalist architecture oh my brothers...