There's not a soul who grew up in the Toronto area in the last 50 years who doesn't know Ed Mirvish. The son of Lithuanian stettl Jews who arrived in Toronto via the US, Ed was one of those guys who through an indefatigable combination of hard work and chutzpah bootstrapped himself out of abject poverty and into considerable fortune.
His son David always struck me as a different kettle of fish. Ran an art-book store for the longest time, then an art gallery. Got involved in theater and became Toronto's leading live stage promoter. An accomplished man in his own right, but always a little bland next to Mirvish the Elder.
Well that seems to be changing. David has proposed the biggest condo development in Toronto's history. Three eighty story residential towers in the heart of the city's entertainment district. To lead the design team he's retained a certain Frank Gehry.
That should help shut up the NIMBY crowd. You see, Toronto is pretty much the birthplace of NIMBY. Those 80 story condo towers are going to block a lot of sunlight from a lot of balconies. They're going to obstruct a lot of views. The fur's going to fly...
For years!
So David was on the CBC this afternoon, ready to defend against what promised to be the opening salvo of protest against his proposed condo development. Sure enough, after a few pleasantries about the glory of having three Gehry originals on the skyline, the interviewer struck.
How are people going to feel about such a massive condo development?
David was ready.
It's not a condo development, it's sculpture!
Toronto will be blessed with three 80 story Frank Gehry sculptures that Mirvish is adding to his art collection! The fact that thousands of people will live in those sculptures is quite beside the point!
Brilliant!
Who can be against art?
Ed would be proud!
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