I remember reading a while back about Union Station being renovated, does anybody know anymore information about this or have any renderings of what it will look like? Thanks in advance

I would like to see it too. I read an article way back in the beginning of september or something for renovations to be done (or started?) in 2010. I'm just guessing, but it would be nice since Union is so ugly right now. I wish we had a Grand Central Station. Does union include the GO concourse cuz it's really ugly right now. Too much brown and orange from those rice ads, lol.

Yes Union Station does include the Go concourse, I use it everday, and yes the station does have to much beige, brown and orange, they need to brighten it up a bit, and I heard there adding something like 40000 sq feet of retail. I also go to U of T fanboy.

Jesus, I think Union Station looks okay to me. It's been a while since I was last there, but it didn't look anywhere nearly as shabby as GCT did before they restored it.

The subway platforms definitely need to be expanded. The Grand Hall's still beautiful, but it could always be better. It looks like there's a flea market in there sometimes.

We should start one of those..."you know when you are in Toronto when.....people here think Union Station is ugly"


Yea...Union Station is just horrific....I wish we could have one of those "nice" train stations like all those other cities have....you know...the ones that have more impressive train stations than Union Station....and actually get the massive transit hub travellers...or who even have their old train station still operating.


LOL!!!

Sometimes I ask myself about the sanity of peoploe in this city.






KGB

^ Well, Union Station outside is amazing. Great way to be greeted into the city, and facing the Royal York on the other side. BUT, the color scheme inside is a bit outdated is it not?

If you are refering to the GO track thing in the basement...then yea. I really am not that concerned with the colour as I am the fact it is completely inadequate in terms of doing it's job....it was fine I guess when they started GO Transit way back when.

But isn't this stuff all being completely redesigned and rebuilt.

What's the point about whining about it now if it's already going to be done?

Oh yea...it's the whining that's important. LOL!

No wait....while they are demolishing the GAP and Hakim heritage buildings at Dundas Square (at the behest of some fabulouse young Torontonians), maybe they could just get them to demolish Union Station at the same time....seeing as it's so far gone and all????????????







KGB

Clearly, Union Station should have been demolished years ago and something a little grander built, but it's too late for that now.

Except for the grand hall and the exterior....the inside is junk. There are supposed to be renos going on inside and I would like to see some renders if some are available...

when I first saw the station from outside, I was impressed, but the inside doesn't live up does it? It's kinda...bland. The main hall is nice, but the GO concourse sucks. Same with the TTC.

I hate how all the tracks on the outside take up all the space, it leaves a huge gap between the financial district and the waterfront which could be used for some major development to expand the skyline to the east, and they only use like three tracks, all the other ones are covered in weeds.

"Clearly, Union Station should have been demolished years ago and something a little grander built, but it's too late for that now."


One can only hope that is your lame attempt at humour???????????

And it was going to be demolished...just like a lot of great buildings...I suppose you lament over them not tearing down old city hall too?

If you ever saw the "grand" Buckminster Fuller design that was envisioned for the Union Station site, you would die laughing.


The basement GO track area is just a 70's addition....that isn't Union Station....I hear somebody saying save the "exterior and interior"??? So in other words, you want to save the whole building???? Cause that's what you are talking about....using old basement utility areas and renovating them...and expanding the subway platforms is all wonderful...but it has beasically ZERO to do with the historic parts of the structure at all. Although the interior will be getting a good dusting as well.

Listening to kids wax on about how ugly these buildings are makes me sick...and here I thought hip hop was the only reason I have an inate dislike for the too young. LOL!!






KGB

^ Dude, I'm pulling your leg. You need to have a beer or a few. I'll even pay for it if you want. Why so serious all the time? It's really not worth getting worked up about.

"Clearly, Union Station should have been demolished years ago and something a little grander built, but it's too late for that now."


One can only hope that is your lame attempt at humour???????????

And it was going to be demolished...just like a lot of great buildings...I suppose you lament over them not tearing down old city hall too?

If you ever saw the "grand" Buckminster Fuller design that was envisioned for the Union Station site, you would die laughing.


The basement GO track area is just a 70's addition....that isn't Union Station....I hear somebody saying save the "exterior and interior"??? So in other words, you want to save the whole building???? Cause that's what you are talking about....using old basement utility areas and renovating them...and expanding the subway platforms is all wonderful...but it has beasically ZERO to do with the historic parts of the structure at all. Although the interior will be getting a good dusting as well.

Listening to kids wax on about how ugly these buildings are makes me sick...and here I thought hip hop was the only reason I have an inate dislike for the too young. LOL!!






KGB

How do you know he's a kid? Ageism is a terrible thing. One can only hope that's your lame attempt at humour...

and they only use like three tracks, all the other ones are covered in weeds.

I'm guessing you have never been to Union Station before....

Having seen Toronto's Union Station (albiet about five years ago) it looked okay to me. I don't know what there is to the place other than the great hall and the exterior--sounds pretty typical of train stations to me.

I think that there are only five bigger Burnham-style stations in NA that are still receiving trains: Grand Central Station, and Union Stations in Pittsburgh, Chicago, LA and DC. Cincinnatti, Kansas City, Albany, Waterford, St. Louis and Seattle have all converted their stations into museums, hotels and cultural centers. Duluth, Boston, Richmond, Montreal, Philadelphia and Providence have smaller stations; Detroit and Buffalo have vacant stations (although Detroit's is amazing).

Union Station's relationship to Old City Hall is one of Toronto's "knock-em-over" urban vistas.

Actually I found the info myself, they have a thing at Union station telling about the future, there going to spend $500 million to fix it up, and the tracks are now going to be outside.

I don't see the advantage of moving the tracks outside where rain and snow can get you. At least renovate the washroom in the Via concourse, I mean gross. Jeez.

Union Station's relationship to Old City Hall is one of Toronto's "knock-em-over" urban vistas.
Damn straight! I love that angle myself.

I have actually had the privelage of having some close contact with this project. Union-Pearson Group's Website (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com) has a (too) detailed presentation - some slides are more advertising the involved companies/contractors than actual substance, but do scroll through the whole presentation.

GO Transit will have its capacity doubled or more. It will occupy the entire length of the station on its current basement floor. It will be divided into two halves, east and west (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide59.jpg), and inbetween the two, directly under the VIA concourse, will be a commercial strip (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide78.jpg). There will also be a perpendicular strip between the GO Concourses and the North Moat (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide77.jpg), thereby cashing in on the main circulation corridors' crossroads (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide76.jpg). There will be revamps of the West Wing of the station on ground level adjoining the great hall - currently has direct access to track one. Both the great hall and the west wing are grossly underused and this is a known fact that is being addressed.

I beleive GO Transit is their main concern, and rightfully so (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide57.jpg). But attention is on a few other angles (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide56.jpg) as well.

While not given much focus in Union-Pearson Group's project presentation (it is there, look closely (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide61.jpg ), TTC Union has a different floor plan from what currently exists, and I've seen a more detailed presentation on this (http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/waterfront/images/unionstation_large.jpg)), the TTC is set to go with plans for increasing their capacity at Union Station as well, by adding a brand new platform on the south side (http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/waterfront/union_station.htm) for Yonge-Line Finch-bound trains, dedicating the existing platform for inbound Yonge-Line/outbound University-Spadina-Line trains. The upper level will also be turned inside out. There will be no more central pass-through space (i.e. one fare-paid zone instead of 2), among other changes.

The current setup leaves only 40% of the original platform space. 60% is taken up by stairs and such.

A Rail Link to Pearson Airport (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide63.jpg) is included in the Station Renovations. Inside scoop, these trains will probably be operating from a new platform at track 16. The potential for HSR (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide64.jpg) is also taken into consideration.


I will post the highlights, since people want renders. Click on every line, as it is a different link. Title/header = map of area within station, the before and after are self-explanatory.


Great Hall (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide69.jpg):
Before (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide70.jpg),
After (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide71.jpg).

West Wing (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide72.jpg):
Before (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide73.jpg),
After (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide74.jpg).

The most dramatic changes are to be seen around the perimeter.

West Moat (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide80.jpg):
Before (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide81.jpg),
After (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide82.jpg).

North-West Moat (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide83.jpg):
Before (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide84.jpg),
After (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide85.jpg).


North Moat revamp (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide86.jpg) (big time, niiiiiice)


And another huge and dramatic improvement,
East Teamway (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide87.jpg):
Before (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide88.jpg),
After (http://www.unionpearsongroup.com/ppt/images/Slide89.jpg).



Some of you may have noticed recent renovations within VIA concourse already. This includes passenger amenities and new platform accesses.



As for track level, I'm not sure what is going on anymore. GO has been considering the possibility of widening platforms, which means re-routing tracks. They were going to do a study I had heard, on the feasability of such. As for the roof, I am unsure. As for building above the structure, no good, foundations are way insufficient.


I hate how all the tracks on the outside take up all the space, it leaves a huge gap between the financial district and the waterfront which could be used for some major development to expand the skyline to the east, and they only use like three tracks, all the other ones are covered in weeds.
GO uses tracks 1 through 7 during rush hours. ALL tracks are FULL during rush hour, I promise you - during the afternoon rush there is a long line up of GO Trains on the west side waiting to get in once track space clears for them. 7 tracks is just over half of all the 13 tracks available. VIA Rail and Ontario Northland have dibs on the rest. VIA usually has a couple of trains in Union at any given time. Tracks 14 through 16 are by-pass tracks, usually for freight trains.

is the moat the area between TTC and GO? It's always open and pidgeons are EVERYWHERE, annoying and ugly. Don't take away my sweet factory though!

"You need to have a beer or a few. I'll even pay for it if you want. "


Make it a half-decent bottle of red, and we gots a deal.







"is the moat the area between TTC and GO? It's always open and pidgeons are EVERYWHERE, annoying and ugly. "



I'm pretty sure the plan calls to use those moats...glass them in and probably put retail/cafes in it. Although, the moat was designed to be there very much on purpose and adds to the monumental look of the 752-foot Front St facade by making the building seem to grow out of the ground....adding anything above ground level might spoil the look of the facade.

Union Station doesn't need as many tracks as some stations, as it's a "through" station...not an "end-of-the-line station...trains go in one end and out the other.

It may still be a fully working train station, but when fully renovated, it will still have about 200,000 sqft of retail/commercial space.

The redevelopment of the GO platforms and terminal should also include an underground pathway to the new GO bus terminal across the street.

And let's not forget the big appeal for the private sector redevelopment...it sure aint the reno...it's the devlopment rights that are attached to the property.







KGB

Great links TRZ. I agree that the changes planned for the exterior perimeter are dramatic. I look forward to them.

What is the name of the statue in front of the station? Is it part of the station complex or does it predate it?

Along these lines, somethings got to be done with the skywalk. Cause the crowds to skydome arn't what they used to be unless a big ticket concert comes through, I think they might as well scrap it.

What is the name of the statue in front of the station? Is it part of the station complex or does it predate it?

The dude with the birds? I don't know what it is called. It doesn't predate the station, AFAIK. It is part of the station property, so therefore part of the complex.

The redevelopment of the GO platforms and terminal should also include an underground pathway to the new GO bus terminal across the street.

Use Track 1, but I agree that a more convenient and obvious stair/elevator access should perhaps be installed on the west side of Bay.

The statue sitting in front of the station is called "Monument to Multiculturalism". The National Congress of Italian Canadians commissionned it as a gift to the city in 1985...so no...it's considerably newer than the station. It was missing for a while, as it was in for a good guano cleaning.

The statue may not have a face...but he is anotomically correct...I remember a few prudes complained about his weeny.

The poor guy's trouble didn't end there...local artists actually picketed the unveiling, because they thought it was just terrible kitsch art.
And let's face it...it is bad...ranks right up there with "Gumby goes to Heaven" on University. LOL!!






KGB

Hm. Thought it might be a 1930s job. Looks a bit like "Golden Boy" from the old AT&T Building (although he was sculpted in the 1890s).