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Avenue & St Clair

There's one part of town which has a curious effect on me. I find Avenue Road looking north from St Clair to be dramatic for some inexplicable reason.

The buildings are bland, almost shabby. Perhaps the width of the "boulevard", the setbacks, and most importantly the uniform scale of the apartments give this 2-3 blocks a grand feeling. And I don't think St Mike's college at the terminus is the main reason. Part of the explanation may be that this area seems set on a plateau after the slope south of St Clair.

I amagine these buildings were once glamourous, but there's little sense of that now aside from the Lonsdale (?) apartments at the north end of this stretch.

Has anyone else had the same feeling?
 
Other than being "old", about the only un-glamourous thing about the the apartments is that, being mostly 50s-type creatures, they don't have that contemporary condo-tower aloofness to them. In fact, true to their environs, they're among the best of their ilk in Toronto--at least a couple by Peter Dickinson...
 
I agree with Adma. A great strip of buildings though I always wanted to live in that tall thin one just north of De La Salle College. Stunning southern views I would think.
 
...and yet, living in these circa-1950's buildings is probably less than glamorous: small pokey rooms, small windows, no amenities. It's a trade off.
 
Well, likewise, there are those who'd say something similar about those circa-20s-30s-40s-50s houses in Forest Hill. That's why they're threatened by monster homes...
 
To mistake UCC for St. Mike's--the horror!!

I definitely know what you mean though--the strip always seemed sort of vaguely South American to me, like something you'd see in Rio or Buenos Aires, between the 50's atchitecture and massively wide roadway. Also, no hydro wires.

Eagerly awaiting a building filling up the empty lot at the SW corner of Ave and St Clair where that bank used to be.
 
They are far from shabby. Over the past few years at least two of them have undergone quite extensive restorations on their exteriors and driveways. The big mystery to me is the Environment Ministry building on the southeast corner. It is supposedly targeted for demolition for a new condo. Is that still the case?
 
First I heard of that one--thanx for the reminder. (Interesting standard-issue 60s sub-Seagram wannabe; curtain wall, plaza, the works. Interesting in how, true to the tenancy, the plaza was "greened" rather than "urbanized". Interesting that the curtain wall *seems* original. I can almost see a condo-retrofitting rather than demolition per se...)
 
"The big mystery to me is the Environment Ministry building on the southeast corner. It is supposedly targeted for demolition for a new condo. Is that still the case? "

I imagine so - the application was approved but who knows when it will happen. I do vaguely recall an article mentioning the government offices vacating and moving to the new Canada Life building.
 
Four years ago or so John Barber wrote about this streach in his column.

I go running along there a lot -- nothing seems to be falling apart, and in fact, has an "upper east side" kept-upness to it. Very urban and peaceful.
 
"The big mystery to me is the Environment Ministry building on the southeast corner. It is supposedly targeted for demolition for a new condo. Is that still the case?"

I used to work in the building and I had heard the condo plans were scrapped. It is still 100% occupied by the Ministry of the Environment, but I guess the plan could come back in another form. The location is amazing and the views are pretty incredible, so I could see it happening eventually.

I like the trio of international-style towers on St. Clair (2, 95 and 135 St. Clair West) though and I think it makes the street somewhat unique for Toronto. I would be somewhat upset if it got demolished, even if it isn't exactly a Seagram.

In terms of the area as a whole, I can't think of anywhere outside of the financial core with as many nice office buildings. I mean compare it to Eglinton, yuck....
 
I like the trio of international-style towers on St. Clair (2, 95 and 135 St. Clair West) though
Click to expand...

Either 95 (the ex-Imperial Oil building) or 135 was built on a losing design for Toronto City Hall. (Anybody remember which one?)
 
No, 95 isn't Imperial Oil. It's Imperial *Life*. (And is that where WZMH have their offices?) Like 2 and 135, it's a 60s curtain wall. Imperial Oil, which is next door, is the one you're talking about...
 
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