Revisiting "1st Generation highrises" aka: apartment complexes

ASHBURN, VA

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WARREN GYULAY

Buzzer

Revisiting "1st Generation highrises" aka: apartment complexes

I found this great video, maybe it will start some conversation on here... http://bit.ly/s0MEjZ

Toronto / General Chit-Chat

CLIFF PESKIN

BabbleBee

285

Awesome website and video. There is certainly a large number of outdated, sprawling and unsightly residential buildings in Toronto.
Some happen to be right by our offices at Dupont and Queen in Toronto. I very much admire anyone endeavoring to tackle this issue. I wonder if its just less expensive to just knock these decrepit buildings down and build new ones.

MATTHEW SLUTSKY

BuzzStaff

1969

The big question, with a billion people in apartment-style housing, and many in dilapidated forms.... What can be done to better improve living conditions.
What about making home ownership easier for people in these buildings, so they can take ownership of their homes and work on making them better places to live.

WARREN GYULAY

Buzzer

I'm seeing more billboard advertsing in subways and came across this article as well: http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/56267/condo-renovation-set-to-rise/
Sounds like a new niche market to me!
Yes, I agree Matthew, people should be given the opportunity to have ownership made easier for them. Something like a 1% interest rate for the first 2-3 years? Just throwing that out there...Kinda like what they do with car financing, to make it attractive and affordable.
Cliff, some of these older apartments have 'huge' layouts with principle size rooms. I rented one a while back when in university for a couple years and although the suites were outdated, the layout was 'house-like'. A lot of the buildings were over-designed too so structurally, you can probably add a few top floors like they do to old buildings/lofts. Instead of knocking them down, maybe they can be refaced? Of course I can see people cheapening out but some of these building have a nice 'repeat' facade where one can easily incorporate a modern touch.