Toji temple, Nishi honganji temple, Kyoto station building are all within walking distance of the Granvia. While they're not the most celebrated sites, I rate them as worth seeing. Also, the Granvia is in a handy spot for buses to any part of town and for the bicycle rental shop next to the station... and once you're on two wheels, the trip to Kiyomizu and the Higashiyama area is a breeze.

Your dislike for the Granvia and the Kyoto station area seems to be one of your hobby horses, but it's not as bad as you portray it. In fact, it's not bad at all.