One Young (née Mayfair Hotel) | 5 fl | Complete

[ac3r]

That's assuming it's equipped to handle kitchen equipment at this point. If they ended up constructing it simply as a floor for offices, it's probably unlikely anyone would invest the money into modifying it to handle equipment, ventilation, drainage and so on.

[westwardloo]

That's assuming it's equipped to handle kitchen equipment at this point. If they ended up constructing it simply as a floor for offices, it's probably unlikely anyone would invest the money into modifying it to handle equipment, ventilation, drainage and so on.

I have seen the drawings for the top floor. It did not seem to be designed to handle anything other than office space. Its really too bad, because it could have been one of the most unique spaces to gather and eat in the region.

[ijmorlan]

That's assuming it's equipped to handle kitchen equipment at this point. If they ended up constructing it simply as a floor for offices, it's probably unlikely anyone would invest the money into modifying it to handle equipment, ventilation, drainage and so on.

I have seen the drawings for the top floor. It did not seem to be designed to handle anything other than office space. Its really too bad, because it could have been one of the most unique spaces to gather and eat in the region.

That seems surprising to me. I would have thought that providing the basic hookups (water, sewer, more electric, …) to allow a restaurant would have been a natural thing to do even if the initial fit-out is for office space. It would be nice to imagine that if restaurant use makes more sense in the future that renovation of just the top floor (without needing to run new services through the lower floors) would be enough to convert the space.

[westwardloo]

I have seen the drawings for the top floor. It did not seem to be designed to handle anything other than office space. Its really too bad, because it could have been one of the most unique spaces to gather and eat in the region.

That seems surprising to me. I would have thought that providing the basic hookups (water, sewer, more electric, …) to allow a restaurant would have been a natural thing to do even if the initial fit-out is for office space. It would be nice to imagine that if restaurant use makes more sense in the future that renovation of just the top floor (without needing to run new services through the lower floors) would be enough to convert the space.

I believe kitchen ventilation is a big one that ideally would have been planned prior to construction. Obviously a conversion could happen if a potential tenant is willing to spend the money.

[KingandWeber]

I’m definitely disappointed they’re not going forward with the restaurant, even if I understand it’s risky right now. I was hoping for something by Charcoal Group here that could draw a good crowd like Beertown or Bauer Kitchen. I think this spot would need someone with that kind of expertise to make it work, but I think they’d be wildly successful if they pulled it off. With Abe Erb closed at the Tannery, there’s not much similar anywhere in DTK.

[Coke6pk]

Does city hall still have that rooftop cafe?

Used to be a staff cafeteria when I worked for the city 15 yrs ago.  Today, it is a staff break room with vending machines.... not open to the public.

Coke

[Spokes]

Maybe they never actually planned to have it. The previous design did, maybe they just kept it there to get people on board with the project

[jeffster]

Does city hall still have that rooftop cafe?

Used to be a staff cafeteria when I worked for the city 15 yrs ago.  Today, it is a staff break room with vending machines.... not open to the public.

Coke

But it was still open to the public 15 years ago. I think it was closed sometime in 2010 to the public (I have photos of my kids on the balcony outside the cafeteria in March of 2010, so it was still public then). Then maybe 2015 they took out the cafeteria? I can’t remember.

I seem to recall one of the features of this city hall was to have this public cafeteria, and the balcony to view the city.

[ac3r]

Used to be a staff cafeteria when I worked for the city 15 yrs ago.  Today, it is a staff break room with vending machines.... not open to the public.

Coke

But it was still open to the public 15 years ago. I think it was closed sometime in 2010 to the public (I have photos of my kids on the balcony outside the cafeteria in March of 2010, so it was still public then). Then maybe 2015 they took out the cafeteria? I can’t remember.

I seem to recall one of the features of this city hall was to have this public cafeteria, and the balcony to view the city.

That's one feature I remember being used to get people to visit.

I did some DuckDuckGoing and it looks like a popup resturaunt opened up in 2018 for a short while: https://www.theeventfirm.ca/blog/pop-up-...-city-hall

I can understand why it never became a popular place, though. The tacky 90s post-modern interior doesn't look good and not many people are interested in going up 10 floors to visit a restaurant.

[ijmorlan]

… not many people are interested in going up 10 floors to visit a restaurant.

I don’t understand this. Lots of people are interested in driving across the city or walking several blocks to visit a restaurant. Adding a short trip on an elevator doesn’t feel like that much of an additional barrier.

[ac3r]

… not many people are interested in going up 10 floors to visit a restaurant.

I don’t understand this. Lots of people are interested in driving across the city or walking several blocks to visit a restaurant. Adding a short trip on an elevator doesn’t feel like that much of an additional barrier.

I wouldn't mind it either if it had a nice view. I loved playing the games SimTower and Yoot Tower and building restaurants at the tops of my buildings. But I think when it comes to eating, most people want to just go in and sit down. Restaurants that are high up in buildings tend to only exist as novelties such as revolving restaurants.

[taylortbb]

When it was announced RBC was taking the ground floor I wondered about the offices RBC has in their current building, and if they would take space above too. Looks like the answer is they're putting offices on the ground floor. This is from the Young St side, there's a clear view in to this room and others with desks and meeting rooms. It seems unfortunate they couldn't just put the retail components on the ground floor, and have a separate unit above for the offices, this really isn't a very good use of ground floor space. At least it's on the Young St side, and not on King St.

   

[tomh009]

I'd rather have the offices there than empty space (we do have many available streetfront retail units in DTK).

[danbrotherston]

Does city hall still have that rooftop cafe?

Used to be a staff cafeteria when I worked for the city 15 yrs ago.  Today, it is a staff break room with vending machines.... not open to the public.

Coke

It is occasionally shown off during tours...and it is spectacular. Really great ammenity for staff.

[danbrotherston]

I don’t understand this. Lots of people are interested in driving across the city or walking several blocks to visit a restaurant. Adding a short trip on an elevator doesn’t feel like that much of an additional barrier.

I wouldn't mind it either if it had a nice view. I loved playing the games SimTower and Yoot Tower and building restaurants at the tops of my buildings. But I think when it comes to eating, most people want to just go in and sit down. Restaurants that are high up in buildings tend to only exist as novelties such as revolving restaurants.

There are few to no restaurants that you just "go in and sit down", almost everyone must drive or walk some distance to a restaurant before going in and sitting down.

I think if properly advertised at street level, the elevator ride is not really an obstacle, but if it isn't obvious to people where to go and that they are allowed to use the elevator, they will be put off by it. This is the case in city hall, it isn't at all clear that it's a public area.