Unintentional landmarks?

[luggee]

Hey there,

I'm thinking of writing something on "unintentional neighbourhood landmarks". Not things that were intended to be noticed, like neon signs or significant architecture or sculpture but things like this:

-The Bell telephone tower at Pharmacy and Eglinton
-The crown/drum-shaped utilities building at Coxwell and Lakeshore East

Things that do end up in our mental maps of the city and define certain places but weren't meant to do so, things that, if they were gone, would be noticed and even missed, know what I mean?

If I get enough examples I'll research a few and give credit to "my friends at urbantoronto.ca" for the help.

And by the way, if it's not cool to do this on the board, then wipe this off and let me know that you've done so...I certainly don't want to get anyone angry here, as I really do love this forum.

Thanks.

 

[Ed007Toronto]

I don't see any problem with this post.

My first thought (since I think Don Mills everytime you post) is the water tower on Leslie north of Lawrence.

 

[spmarshall]

I can think of a few unintentional landmarks that are now gone and missed:

Lansdowne Carhouse/Garage

The 1950s/1960s circular glass lobby of the Lido building off the QEW near Kipling (now the Costco site)

The air raid sirens like the one that used to be near the corner of McMurchy and Nelson in Brampton.

The coal elevators at Merton and Mount Pleasant - if that isn't an unintentional landmark that is missed, I don't know what is.

 

[JoeyCuppa]

It probably differs a lot, depending on everyone's personal experiences.

For me, the bridge at Lawrence and Bayview is a landmark, because my father has stories about when it was being built.

The white round apartment building in the "Gaybourhood" let's me know I'm close to Church and Wellesley.

I can see that big smokestack near Bay & Dundas for most of my cycling commute, so that's become a landmark for me lately...

I'm sure there are more... I post them as I think of them.

 

[building babel]

* The Rat Guy at Osgoode.
* The Goitre Guy at Dundas Square.
* Ben Kerr at Yonge and ... oh ... er ... no ...

 

[adma]

I'm not sure if even a building complex like, say, the Crossways might count (at least in its 70s sculpted-brick form and skyline isolation). And remembering arguments on this board over the relative merits of the 2 Carlton building, I'd probably offer that for consideration.

Oh, not sure if this is "unintentional landmark" material, but certainly the most subversive urban element I've encountered in recent months is the Enza Supermodel picture on the Charles St Promenade pylon, advertising the photo studio there...

 

[Citywriter]

Arguments over 2 Carlton?
Do tell.

That's definitely a landmark, however intentional.
Even after the (ill-advised) facelift.

 

[elook]

Until last month, when the repainting started, the blue and yellow apartment building at the top of the hill just north of the Don Valley Don Mills exit.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

"I can think of a few unintentional landmarks that are now gone and missed:"

Like the Brimley Ghost @ Sheppard, finally completed last year after sitting as a concrete shell for almost 7 years. It's now the Oriental Centre, and quite ugly. I preferred the Ghost looming over the store across the street (The Plumbing Shoppes) with the sign that has been left upside-down for 20 years.

 

[Mike in TO]

Four Sisters in Mississauga (Lakeview Plant)
Elis Portal on Yonge Subway
Old CBC Radio Tower that was taken down for Radio City
Honest Ed's
Windmill at the Ex
Front Lawn of the Manulife Building
Crane at Metrolpolis

 

[building babel]

The Stump.

 

[Ed007Toronto]

That one is perfect BB. I change my vote.

 

[JoeyCuppa]

That little tunnel thing painted like a rainbow that you see going north on the DVP around Don Mills somewhere.

 

[mark simpson]

Gardiner Expressway

 

[wyliepoon]

I preferred the Ghost looming over the store across the street (The Plumbing Shoppes) with the sign that has been left upside-down for 20 years.

Aw, c'mon. Really? I agree that it's an architectural frankenstein with elevator shafts sticking 2 or 3 storeys above the roof and the cheap materials, but it's a pretty good building in terms of urban design. I've yet to see a "mainstream" suburban developer attempt to create such high density with a shopping plaza.

As for unintentional landmarks, I see every hydro pylon, radio mast, and every light pylon on the 401 as landmarks. They're easy to pick out on the skyline.