Yonge-Eglinton Centre rises out of what used to be Yonge-Eglinton Square as part of a $100-million redevelopment of the northwest corner of the midtown intersection. Developers plan to replace lost open public space with a garden terrace atop this podium, although it’s not clear how public the terrace will be since it’s slated to host private events – and happens to be owned by RioCan, the largest real estate holder in the land. Additions of five and seven storeys, respectively, are also planned to the existing 22 and 30-storey towers on the corner. The irony: in 1968, in return for allowing the developer of Yonge-Eglinton Square to obliterate Starrett Avenue, the city insisted on open space, and thus the square was born. We’ve included some photos of the square to give you a sense of what it used to look like, just for old-time’s sake. A few fearless locals tried to save the space, threatening to take RioCan to the OMB in 2010. But that didn’t work out. Meanwhile, on the northeast corner across the street a 68-storey mixed-used condo development has been proposed. Yonge-Eglinton keeps getting higher.
