condovo
Senior Member
Ouch, Mustapha.
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Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now
- Thread starter Mustapha
- Start date
Earlscourt_Lad
Active Member
It boils down to cost. Fixed glazing is cheaper than operable sashes, and when replacing windows that seems to be a primary concern for commercial buildings. They do make the building seem dead, like a fish on the ice at the fishmonger.
When viewing these photos, I always notice that Toronto was a much tidier place. I think the clean mid-century architecture looks even better when placed in a clean and tidy context. Even the stodgy building (as you put it, Adma) appear to be a part of a streetscape that is clean, ordered, and clearly delineated. Thrown into the melee of a modern streetscape, some of these smaller buildings appear to drown amidst the chaos.
Mustapha
Senior Member
The old school Westinghouse sign is cool.
A charming ramshackle of buildings there wasn't it?
April 12 addition.
Queen looking E from Yonge.
That's the Arcadian theatre, #8 - 10 Queen E. Phone number WA "WAlnut" 5242.
Mustapha
Senior Member
April 13 addition.
1992 Yonge.
1992 Yonge.
Mustapha
Senior Member
April 14 addition.
Gerrard street, N side, just W of Church street.
Older part at the rear of the 1940 addition.
Gerrard street, N side, just W of Church street.
Older part at the rear of the 1940 addition.
UserNameToronto
Active Member
Wow, you're a whole day ahead of the rest of us! Great work--I guess you really do have a time machine?
condovo
Senior Member
St. Mike's does nothing for Queen. What a street deadener. The old pharmacy is quite a loss but the current building has its charm. And, of course, the loss/replacement of that church at 1992 Yonge is a total debacle. Thanks, Mustapha.
androiduk
Senior Member
The old school Westinghouse sign is cool.
A charming ramshackle of buildings there wasn't it?
April 12 addition.
Queen looking E from Yonge.
That's the Arcadian theatre, #8 - 10 Queen E. Phone number WA "WAlnut" 5242.
Nice shooting Mustapha, I actually managed to get people from both photos standing next to each other in these ones.
Mustapha
Senior Member
Thanks UserNameToronto, glad you're enjoying things. This update is even earlier than usual..
The Church at 1992 Yonge lasted until about 1972 or so.. It looked out of place towards the End
. Maybe the congregation died out or sold the place for newer digs.androiduk, the astounding thing is those three American sailors on the left what are they doing here in T.O.? The white upturned rim porkpie style hats give them away - Canadian sailors wore white hats in summer too, but have a black band with their ship's name. This black band would be identifiable even from this distance.
April 15 addition.
Dundas and Yonge looking W. This subway entrance served long and well. Councilor Kyle Rae refered to it as a looking like a 'toilet' - when the hoardings over it seemed destined for permanence.
condovo
Senior Member
Brilliant job, androiduk. So poignant. Thanks.
androiduk
Senior Member
Thanks UserNameToronto, glad you're enjoying things. This update is even earlier than usual..
The Church at 1992 Yonge lasted until about 1972 or so.. It looked out of place towards the End
androiduk, the astounding thing is those three American sailors on the left what are they doing here in T.O.? The white upturned rim porkpie style hats give them away - Canadian sailors wore white hats in summer too, but have a black band with their ship's name. This black band would be identifiable even from this distance.
April 15 addition.
Dundas and Yonge looking W. This subway entrance served long and well. Councilor Kyle Rae refered to it as a looking like a 'toilet' - when the hoardings over it seemed destined for permanence.
Thanks Mustapha. Love these ones with the people in them. It's alot more challenging to get the scale right but they have more impact.
Mustapha
Senior Member
Thanks androiduk.
The corner of Dundas and Yonge has visually undergone so much change. It was just a handful of years ago that the Rockwell Jeans store blared forth their music onto the street. The intersection, although known as a 'crossroads' of sorts was gritty and had little appeal to me. One wonders what the multitudes of tourists strolling south from the Delta hotel thought.
To get away from it, one had to descend into the Eaton Centre.. the diametrical opposite of grittiness.
Nowadays with the new Dundas Square and the newly constructed northeast corner, together with the astounding recent increase in commercial signage, this area has just in the past year turned into Toronto's version of Ginza.
I've walked through here at night when it's like day and smiled at the wonder of it all. The Dundas 505 car arrives unexpectly from the curve to the east without warning. I've seen tourists exhale a surprise as it appears.
April 16 addition.
http://www.superiorrestaurant.com/history.html
Never eaten there. Anybody been?
In the old picture, Chapmans Jewelers can just be seen on the left; most of the building is out of the frame. I'm guessing they traded up until 1995 or so. It was so elegant inside. A large black safe dominated the back of the store. This is where my blushing young bride chose her ring.
-Moose
The corner of Dundas and Yonge has visually undergone so much change. It was just a handful of years ago that the Rockwell Jeans store blared forth their music onto the street. The intersection, although known as a 'crossroads' of sorts was gritty and had little appeal to me. One wonders what the multitudes of tourists strolling south from the Delta hotel thought.
To get away from it, one had to descend into the Eaton Centre.. the diametrical opposite of grittiness.
Nowadays with the new Dundas Square and the newly constructed northeast corner, together with the astounding recent increase in commercial signage, this area has just in the past year turned into Toronto's version of Ginza.
I've walked through here at night when it's like day and smiled at the wonder of it all. The Dundas 505 car arrives unexpectly from the curve to the east without warning. I've seen tourists exhale a surprise as it appears.
April 16 addition.
http://www.superiorrestaurant.com/history.html
Never eaten there. Anybody been?
In the old picture, Chapmans Jewelers can just be seen on the left; most of the building is out of the frame. I'm guessing they traded up until 1995 or so. It was so elegant inside. A large black safe dominated the back of the store. This is where my blushing young bride chose her ring.
-Moose
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Jayomatic
Active Member
I love the old canopies. Did Toronto outlaw these at some point in time? I find they really helped make the buildings seem taller than they are.
Rusty
New Member
The sun block awnings were a necessity in the days before air-conditioning.
The over the street signs are grandfathered (permitted) if you have an old one but new signs over the sidewalk are not permitted.
S
Swamp Thing
Guest
I've eaten lunch at the Superior once or twice in the past year.
It's quite nice inside, acozier and more intimate version of Milestone's (which crowd they cater too), but with a somewhat more inventive menu and higher-quality ingredients, reflected in higher prices.
It's quite nice inside, acozier and more intimate version of Milestone's (which crowd they cater too), but with a somewhat more inventive menu and higher-quality ingredients, reflected in higher prices.