King-Victoria Transit Hub

[urbd]

I think Spokes is right. If the Region does the build out the entire first level, imagine how hard that will be to future-proof the structure for something going on top. My guess is this just killed any hope for any kind of Towers. Any developer or architect will just say “uhhhh, you want me to build my tower on top if what you built 10 years ago? Ummm hi no”

There are loads of ways they could accomplish this. For example, build the train station, but make the bus facilities a bit more temporary so that any future development could incorporate bus facilities, but not necessarily the existing ones. Alternately, and I actually think possibly preferably, just build an awesome facility solely focused on transportation. Loads of cities do just that with no problems and they can be key public spaces that really define the entrance to a city. We don't need skyscrapers on every corner. In some ways, we'd be better served redeveloping along Victoria toward the existing VIA station and spreading some of the growth further off King Street.

My understanding is that the GO train related facilities will be built close/adjacent to the tracks, obviously, with an elevator and stairs/ramp going down to King Street (over or very near the underpass). See example below. This would leave the rest of the site untouched and ready for development when the consortium sees fit, depending on the market. Also, this would allow for the rest of the site to be temporarily paved for parking and part of the new bus facilities until construction of the main development starts. Most of the local buses will now stop either on King or on Victoria, so no need for a terminal like Charles, but there would be space for intercity buses in this temporary lot.