Tim Brown 2016 wrote:

Won't BlogTO move to the Zoomerplex - having been recently purchased by Moses?

Also, speaking of Bell Toronto properties; I've driven by the CFTO Agincourt building twice this week. At quick glance from the 401, it looks abandoned. Is it still operational?

Yes. CFTO, CTV News Network, TSN, master control for most channels, and central IT are there.
 

I used to know a number of City TV people and they confirmed that 299 Queen was almost like an on-air personality.

They used to have all these nodes inside that let you plug in a camera and broadcast from almost anywhere inside the property without much technical prep, leading to a slogan that went, "The building that shoots itself."

To which one wag added, "yeah, in the foot!"

Wonder if they ever plan to sell the very valuable land where CFTO sits.  Bell is currently expanding and adding more soundstages to the Pinewood Studio facility on the lakefront downtown. Would they ever move everything together at this location and sell off prime land and facilities like 401 and McCowan?  It would make sense to keep CP24, Bell/CTV HQ and BNN downtown rather than in the east end in Scarborough.

Bell likely has other parcels of land that they have been sitting on that they could sell or develop.  Maybe there is a possibility of them building a new complex to house everything then lease it back, similar to Corus.  Rogers certainly is becoming a major player in real estate.   

Last edited by paterson1 (March 10, 2022 11:02 pm)

I loved Kevin Frankish's comment about what he wrote after the C in the CTV logo sign before it was put on the building.

Bell will no doubt sell 299 Queen West and it will end up with a giant glass turd on top of it. Allegedly when Moses Znaimer was the proprietor, he wanted to have one of the gargoyles holding a TV set, this was apparently nixed by the Heritage folks. But glass turds, no problem. It was an amazing building to work in and it was indeed like “an on-air personality”, which we were very proud of!

RadioActive wrote:

the article states that the move is seen as "temporary." My guess is it won't be - why would Bell invest potentially millions of dollars for the equipment and the renovation of a new place, only to abandon it once the line is finally built? (And given that it's a Toronto transit project, most of us will likely be long gone by the time it's actually finished.) 

We also have no idea of the leasing arrangement.
If it's a sublet or short term lease, that will make it easy to return after a 5 year lease (or so) comes to an end.
It is doubtful that they will be buying a property for short term use.

I also doubt it'll be an annual rent arrangement. That just gives a landlord power to charge more than what Bell is willing to pay, (after the first year) causing another move to occur...the last thing Bell wants to have happen before being able to return back to their original 299 Queen street west home. 






 

Radiowiz wrote:

Gotta love those rumours! Is this the plan? (From Urban Toronto)

That's the old Hudson's Bay building on Granville...in Vancouver.  But that would probably work for 299 Queen. 

Came across this by accident somehow. Looks like the whole area...not just Queen & John will look very different soon..  https://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2019/05/massive-condo-towers-replace-toronto-scotiabank-theatre/

Bless them. Toronto is getting low on available condos.

Glen Warren wrote:

Juggie1 wrote:

Maybe they might move to the Pinewood Studios in the Portlands! Bell owns that property and there is lots of space to do what they would want to do. No lease or money out for rentals, plus they could stay a while. Once built, there would be no reason to move out!

Yes, this is getting alot of traction from the CTV/CFTO campers...   The plan that is spinning now is that in addition to 299 Queen St. West being sold (and the radio complex on Richmond),  The CFTO/TSN , CTV Mega Master complex in Agincourt will also be sold.

All current Operations/Properties will move to a new complex to be constructed at the Pinewood/Portlands property.   Target date is still for 2024.

Part of the rationale that I heard was that it would consolidate the CFTO local and CP24 newsrooms.  It would also make it easier to get guest experts who are mostly already in the downtown core area over to Pinewood, than it is to make the hike up to Agincourt.




 

Rumours?? are that the Pinewood Complex on the waterfront (which Bell has controlling interest) quietly may be on the market as well...Bell Media is in the midst of an expansion of Pinewood.  They opened two new sound stages last week, and three more are currently under construction.  Would Netflix be interested in this large 33 acre facility that ultimately will have 16 large soundstages?

Netflix has four of the largest studios at Pinewood under a long term lease arrangement, as do a few other studios. Could be that Bell will move all of their operations to Pinewood and become a tenant rather than an owner?  Similar to what CORUS did with their facility also located on the lakefront downtown.  CORUS built the current glamorous studio/office complex, only to turn around and sell it and then lease out space.  CBC did the same on Front St.   More on the possible sale of Pinewood Toronto from the Hollywood Reporter....https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/bell-media-eyes-selling-controlling-stake-in-pinewood-toronto-studios-exclusive-1235174417/  

Last edited by paterson1 (July 20, 2022 8:32 am)