Toronto Star

They have stood on Eastern Ave. at the foot of Sumach St. for a decade. Despite being neglected and covered in ads, they are a Toronto landmark, if not an icon. We are referring, of course, to the trio of large green metal cubes visible throughout much of the lower east side of the downtown core. Though the city has changed hugely since they first appeared in 1996, the cubes still look like relics of some ideal future that never happened. Even Toronto's most striking architectural addition, Will Alsop's flying tabletop on McCaul St., owes a spiritual debt to the cubes. But architect Ben Kutner, who designed and built the big boxes, remains ever hopeful they will yet have their day. For the time being, however, he is up to his neck in lawyers, lawsuits and litigation that have kept him from fully realizing his vision. It is a familiar and sadly banal story of property owners, franchises and human greed. So far, only the lawyers have profited. And while they lob arguments back and forth uselessly, Kutner grows madder and more frustrated each day.