[AgentOrange]

remember only 10 years ago, this area was not considered hip/trendy.

although some of the houses would be nice candidates for refurbishing, i wouldn't cry too much if the whole strip was demo'ed for a mid-rise.

These houses might be renovated over the upcoming years but most likely they are going to continue to exist.

You can't just demo a neighbourhood street. A developer would have to pay a huge amount to buy each house and then get rezoning approval from the city which isn't going to happen.

This street and the ones surrounding it and their houses are generally fine the way they are.

 

[LowPolygon]

These houses might be renovated over the upcoming years but most likely they are going to continue to exist.

You can't just demo a neighbourhood street. A developer would have to pay a huge amount to buy each house and then get rezoning approval from the city which isn't going to happen.

and thank god for that...
the true nature of great cities is found far more in these kinds of off the wall and off the radar neighbourhoods than in the latest so-so slab.

these houses add immeasurably to the experience and uniqueness of downtown, and they reveal that Toronto is a far more odd and quirky place than the condo developers and tower boosters would have us believe.

 

[Niagra & Adelade]

I remember trick or treating most of these houses when I was a little kid attending Niagra. Lots of portugese families and old italian grandmothers. The water fountain shrines to the Virgin Mary were the centerpiece of many a front yard on Richmond and Adelade both.
Blocks like this are exactly the thing that gives Toronto such character. Those narrow little houses and small lots might be useless to some, but we need all those strange shaped places for people living strange shaped lives. to steal a favorite quote.

 

[LowPolygon]

I remember trick or treating most of these houses when I was a little kid attending Niagra. Lots of portugese families and old italian grandmothers. The water fountain shrines to the Virgin Mary were the centerpiece of many a front yard on Richmond and Adelade both.
Blocks like this are exactly the thing that gives Toronto such character. Those narrow little houses and small lots might be useless to some, but we need all those strange shaped places for people living strange shaped lives. to steal a favorite quote.

good posting, welcome to UT!

 

[AgentOrange]

I remember trick or treating most of these houses when I was a little kid attending Niagra. Lots of portugese families and old italian grandmothers. The water fountain shrines to the Virgin Mary were the centerpiece of many a front yard on Richmond and Adelade both.
Blocks like this are exactly the thing that gives Toronto such character. Those narrow little houses and small lots might be useless to some, but we need all those strange shaped places for people living strange shaped lives. to steal a favorite quote.

I would love to be the owner of this house currently listed on MLS, one block south of Richmond on Mitchell street between Niagra and Tecumseth.

http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=8789470

 

[thecharioteer]

Note that the Official Plan and Zoning By-law is very different west and east of Bathurst Street. West of Bathurst it's Neighbourhood (i.e. stable, low-rise), east of Bathurst it's a Regeneration Area, permitting heights up to 23M (with various urban-design guidelines). Most developments east of Bathurst have increased the heights through Committee of Adjustment variances.

The main impediment to redevelopment of these houses east of Bathurst is the effort needed to assemble enough of them to make a reasonable development parcel.

 

[LowPolygon]

Note that the Official Plan and Zoning By-law is very different west and east of Bathurst Street. West of Bathurst it's Neighbourhood (i.e. stable, low-rise), east of Bathurst it's a Regeneration Area, permitting heights up to 23M (with various urban-design guidelines). Most developments east of Bathurst have increased the heights through Committee of Adjustment variances.

The main impediment to redevelopment of these houses east of Bathurst is the effort needed to assemble enough of them to make a reasonable development parcel.

thanks for the info!

 

[collations]

618 Richmond St W, April 23, 1988, as it was when I first photographed it, and as it remained for decades afterwards, until only a few years ago.

580-586 Richmond St W, March 31, 1983, as it was when I first photographed it, before the unit to the left was renovated, and before the tree in front of the centre unit grew to the gargantuan proportions that it has, and, obviously, before the unit to the right became Eldon Garnet's Garnet Press Gallery, and certainly before it was so uncerimoniously lopped off earlier this year, or sometime last year.

707 Richmond St W, the first time that I photographed it, November 19, 1983. It is, of course, now gone. This is one of those odd little buildings that are completely undatable based upon surface appeareances. And when you do the research, it's even more difficult. This little building appears to predate the 1880 Goad's Atlas, in some form or other, and it apparently gets added to and altered in the subsequent years, and then it just stagnates, for decades, at least for the decades that I photographed it !!! In its last days, this little home sported a Union Jack in its front window ... defiantly?!!

 

[Goldie]

618 Richmond St W, April 23, 1988, as it was when I first photographed it, and as it remained for decades afterwards, until only a few years ago.

580-586 Richmond St W, March 31, 1983, as it was when I first photographed it, before the unit to the left was renovated, and before the tree in front of the centre unit grew to the gargantuan proportions that it has, and, obviously, before the unit to the right became Eldon Garnet's Garnet Press Gallery, and certainly before it was so uncerimoniously lopped off earlier this year, or sometime last year.

707 Richmond St W, the first time that I photographed it, November 19, 1983. It is, of course, now gone. This is one of those odd little buildings that are completely undatable based upon surface appeareances. And when you do the research, it's even more difficult. This little building appears to predate the 1880 Goad's Atlas, in some form or other, and it apparently gets added to and altered in the subsequent years, and then it just stagnates, for decades, at least for the decades that I photographed it !!! In its last days, this little home sported a Union Jack in its front window ... defiantly?!!

Thanks for those contributions, collations.

Many of us have been admiring your magnificent photostream on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32175940@N06/

 

[wwwebster]

755 Richmond St. West, on the right, is (or was recently) on the market for $650,000.

There were originally 16 double cottages, known as the Garrison Common Cottages. Four pairs are still standing on Richmond, and three pairs remain on Mitchell (formerly Garrison). All on Adelaide are gone. Two pairs on Richmond are listed on the inventory of heritage properties, and are identified as “Robertson Cottages.â€

I’m wondering who Robertson was. I can’t seem to find anything that explains the connection. They were apparently commissioned by James Lukin Robinson, which is close, but not close enough.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Have you noticed that some of the narrow houses shown could actually fit in the spaces between some suburban houses. Too bad the city wouldn't give permits to do so.

 

[wwwebster]

707 Richmond St W, the first time that I photographed it, November 19, 1983. It is, of course, now gone. This is one of those odd little buildings that are completely undatable based upon surface appeareances. And when you do the research, it's even more difficult. This little building appears to predate the 1880 Goad's Atlas, in some form or other, and it apparently gets added to and altered in the subsequent years, and then it just stagnates, for decades, at least for the decades that I photographed it !!! In its last days, this little home sported a Union Jack in its front window ... defiantly?!!

One story I heard about this house is that it was owned by Dan Aykroyd before the current owners, Les Jours Corporation, bought it and tore it down. An old friend of Aykroyd’s used to live there.

Les Jours plans for the site can be found on page 19 of this document:

http://www.toronto.ca/planning/pdf/cofa_tey_agenda_am_14april10.pdf

 

[LowPolygon]

755 Richmond St. West, on the right, is (or was recently) on the market for $650,000.

it does seem a lot for a uhm, 'small fixer-upper'. i talked to the tenant a few weeks back and he told me that that entire property: the attached house plus the large lot behind, were on the market for 1.25 million....

 

[collations]

755 Richmond St. West, on the right, is (or was recently) on the market for $650,000.

There were originally 16 double cottages, known as the Garrison Common Cottages. Four pairs are still standing on Richmond, and three pairs remain on Mitchell (formerly Garrison). All on Adelaide are gone. Two pairs on Richmond are listed on the inventory of heritage properties, and are identified as “Robertson Cottages.â€

I’m wondering who Robertson was. I can’t seem to find anything that explains the connection. They were apparently commissioned by James Lukin Robinson, which is close, but not close enough.

Yes, this is one of seven surviving semi-detached cottages built on Garrison Common in the 1850s by James Lukin Robinson, son of Sir John Beverley Robinson. There were sixteen of these structures originally built on Adelaide, Garrison (now Mitchell) and Richmond streets, between Niagara and Tecumseth streets, as is clearly seen on the 1858 Boulton Atlas plate that you've posted. These were built during the economic boom of the 1850s that saw much development occurring in Toronto at the time. Note that the Robertson spelling on the City's inventory of heritage properties, as opposed to the correct Robinson spelling, is in fact a typo ... there are many errors on that inventory!

Here's a couple of photos that I've taken of 753-755 Richmond St W ... in 1983 and 1998 ...

November 19, 1983

April 4, 1998

 

[LowPolygon]

Here's a couple of photos that I've taken of 753-755 Richmond St W ... in 1983 and 1998 ...

November 19, 1983

April 4, 1998

its amazing how few changes there have been to the house on the right in the past 27 years. the most obvious thing missing from the 2010 version is that killer car: a 1970 Pontiac Bonneville or Parisienne. its amazing that the car persisted over the span of 15 years between 83-98--it looks like it wasn't even moved!

the house on the right is somewhat worse for wear, but there are very few changes visible in the last 12 years--same NO PARKING spray paint even. a new lawn is the most obvious change.

as a pair they certainly looked better before the owners decided to paint the little one white--strange, as it only accentuates how tiny it is.