[adma]

Under construction: the North American Life annex (now PoMo'd and swamped by the FCP podium) as well as 165 University (at Adelaide)

 

[FAC33]

And a terrific overhead of the Board Of Trade in its final days...

Wow, almost missed that. I also hadn't realized that BMO across the street actually had a parking lot behind it at this point.

My little King and Bay project heart is fluttering right now. Not only that, extra bonus prize--the top of the elusive Woolworth's building...

 

[FAC33]

Some more pics from the Telegram Archives: the demolition of the old Telegram Building at Bay and Melinda for Commerce Court 1964:

What was demolished:

Making sure I know what I'm looking at: building just to the north: Imperial Bank building?

If anyone knows of any photos of that one being taken down, or the pre-old Scotia building demolition (which I believe was the Cawthra House) that would just make my day. I've got demolition pictures for 2 1/2 of the 4 corners now. I'd take demolition photos for Scotia Plaza, too, if anyone has those.

My little handout is getting bigger..

 

[FAC33]

Making sure I know what I'm looking at: building just to the north: Imperial Bank building?

If anyone knows of any photos of that one being taken down, or the pre-old Scotia building demolition (which I believe was the Cawthra House) that would just make my day. I've got demolition pictures for 2 1/2 of the 4 corners now. I'd take demolition photos for Scotia Plaza, too, if anyone has those.

My little handout is getting bigger..

I've been searching the Then and Now thread continuing my collection of photos, so I can answer my own question: NOT the Imperial Bank building. Toronto General Trust building. Imperial Bank was the next building north. I didn't think the Imperial Bank building was that big, and the style was wrong (the Imperial was more of a Moderne-type building).

 

[thecharioteer]

I've been searching the Then and Now thread continuing my collection of photos, so I can answer my own question: NOT the Imperial Bank building. Toronto General Trust building. Imperial Bank was the next building north. I didn't think the Imperial Bank building was that big, and the style was wrong (the Imperial was more of a Moderne-type building).

That's true. The Imperial Bank on the corner replaced the Union Bank:

1924 Goad's map:

Union Bank on left 1912:

1919:

1931:

Imperal Bank:

Bank of Commerce:

1950's map:

Post-clearance of the Telegram Building:

Excavation for Commerce Court 1969:

 

[Urban Shocker]

On the far left of that photo is William Thomas's 1845 Commercial Bank, now housed as a facade inside Brookfield Place. Interestingly, the central flourish that's now on the roof doesn't seem to be there in this photo.

 

[FAC33]

That's true. The Imperial Bank on the corner replaced the Union Bank:

1924 Goad's map:

Union Bank on left 1912:

1919:

1931:

Thanks for these....I'd seen earlier photos of the general area and wondered about the roofline that projected higher than the surrounding buildings--the Union Bank photos answered that question for me.

One question does arise: Any idea when the Imperial Bank building was constructed? That 1931 shot still shows the Union Bank building in place (but the shot of Commerce Court North dated "1928?" shows the Imperial Bank, so one of those dates must be off). It seems to be a nondescript, rather unloved little Moderne building. Did it actually get built in the middle of the Depression?

I also noted the Tely building came down in 1964, but I'm assuming the rest of the buildings came down closer to CCW's construction. I'm curious whether CCW was being contemplated that far back and the property was acquired in anticipation of it.

Thanks to thecharioteer for all the great photos. I've done my presentation, but I've got a King and Bay collection going now that looks like it's just going to keep expanding.

 

[adma]

IIRC Imperial was actually an expansion and recladding of the Union Bank. (Maybe that "modesty" explains a Depression-era date.)

Interesting thing to note in the "1928?" shot: the shiny white Metropolitan United Church, after its post-1928-fire rebuild...

 

[thecharioteer]

One question does arise: Any idea when the Imperial Bank building was constructed? That 1931 shot still shows the Union Bank building in place (but the shot of Commerce Court North dated "1928?" shows the Imperial Bank, so one of those dates must be off). It seems to be a nondescript, rather unloved little Moderne building. Did it actually get built in the middle of the Depression?

I've narrowed the gap somewhat. The following pic from November 1939 shows the Imperial Bank. The quest continues.....

 

[thecharioteer]

A further narrowing: an undated pic from the Toronto Star Archives which describes the Imperial Bank as "new", but is obviously post-1931, the date the Bank of Commerce building opened:

"Canadian Wall Street. Photo shows what is recognized throughout Canada and the United States as "the Canadian Wall Street," for this is the King-Bay Street district of Toronto, Canada, where the financial-commerical-stock transactions of a nation are mainly handled. The tall structure (centre) is the head-office of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, 33 stories and the tallest building in the British Empire. The white building in the lower right-hand corner is that of the new Imperial Bank head-office. In the distance, top left-hand corner, is seen the head office of the Royal Bank of Canada. A small portion of Toronto Harbor is seen in the distance also."

 

[r937]

Here's a page which gives the basics regarding the Bayview Ghost: http://rudy.ca/the-bayview-ghost-part-1.html

thanks, Goldie, for linking to this page -- i certainly had fun making it, once i discovered that old topographic map

i am a long, long time forum reader (mostly Mustapha's classic "then and now" thread), but a first time forum poster

this type of "then and now" in which aerial or map views are compared, showing the location of some lost structure and the contemporary city area where it stood, can be particularly striking, if one is not too familiar with the original location, and can go there in person to scope it out

i would think the House of Providence on Power Street might make a similar good subject

 

[Goldie]

Thanks for these....I'd seen earlier photos of the general area and wondered about the roofline that projected higher than the surrounding buildings--the Union Bank photos answered that question for me.

Thanks to thecharioteer for all the great photos. I've done my presentation, but I've got a King and Bay collection going now that looks like it's just going to keep expanding.

I've attempted to reveal more detail in this photo (Union Bank 1919 - attached)

 

[adma]

I've narrowed the gap somewhat. The following pic from November 1939 shows the Imperial Bank. The quest continues.....

Note on the left, the hoarding around the skeleton of the new Bank of Montreal (or the skeleton of the old Globe building?)

 

[FAC33]

Note on the left, the hoarding around the skeleton of the new Bank of Montreal (or the skeleton of the old Globe building?)

Pretty sure it is the new BMO building. That's a little tidbit I picked up in the newest "Unbuilt Toronto" book--the BMO building was started in the late 30s, then halted with just a steel skeleton in place when WWII began; the building was not completed until after the war.

 

[FAC33]

A further narrowing: an undated pic from the Toronto Star Archives which describes the Imperial Bank as "new", but is obviously post-1931, the date the Bank of Commerce building opened:

Now this one seems to have the old Globe building intact--I'm assuming the spires in the foreground are part of that. I *think* the framing for the BMO building went up in 1938 or 1939, so this narrows it to between 1931 and then.