[Anna]

The original edwardian style structure itself was never demolished...they just gave it a new generic facade when deco modern was in vogue. This happened to a ton of buildings.

One example a couple blocks west shows an example of when a "remodel" can actually be better than the original. Rother, Bland, Trudeau's 1956 Georg Jensen building (interior design by Finn Juhl) at 95A Bloor West. That started life as your garden variety Bloor St house (can't recall if it was a victorian or edwardian house). It's been a listed heritage building for over a decade...and rightly should be. The building in it's original form would never had made it on the list.

20 feet of it was demolished when Bloor Street was widened in 1928. - Though I don't quite get why the photo shows the south bit being torn down.
And the Stollery's store at the end included the building to the south - the white Evangeline/Girl Friday building in the last photo.

From the city archives:

1923:

1928 ("A note [with the photograph] says the property was sold to Stollery for $400,000.00."):

Late 60s/early 70s:

 

[LNahid2000]

On a side note; how long do you think until that awful apartment slab (seen in the photo above) will be redeveloped? I can't imagine that it will stay for long, given the prominence of its location and all the revitalization going on along this area of Yonge.

That apartment slab is actually a UofT Residence building.

http://studentfamilyhousing.utoronto.ca/Page31.aspx

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

That apartment slab is actually a UofT Residence building.

http://studentfamilyhousing.utoronto.ca/Page31.aspx

I don't mind the apartment building, the block of outdoor space on the N/W corner of Yonge/Charles could have used some love for the last 20 years, including the small mall inside there. Nothing special, just something creative and updated. That's a great little space outside there that has so much potential to be enjoyed so much more. The Second Cup sign has been a haven for pigeons since it went up in the late 80's/early 90's and never addressed - careful where you sit there!

 

[freshcutgrass]

20 feet of it was demolished when Bloor Street was widened in 1928. - Though I don't quite get why the photo shows the south bit being torn down.

The only explanation is that the building must have been moved 20 feet south. Then they gave it a new exterior. Seems like a lot of work, but I guess it must have saved money over demolishing and building new.

 

[P23]

hah, and people complain about overhead wires today. that's an almost comical amount in the old shots.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

hah, and people complain about overhead wires today. that's an almost comical amount in the old shots.

Different expectations from a different period of time when the city is significantly smaller.

AoD

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

A statement from Councillor Wong-Tam on Stollery's

 

[jcam]

20 feet of it was demolished when Bloor Street was widened in 1928. - Though I don't quite get why the photo shows the south bit being torn down.
And the Stollery's store at the end included the building to the south - the white Evangeline/Girl Friday building in the last photo.

Based on the preserved buildings next door on Yonge, it looks like they cut off the back, then moved the whole facade back 20ft to snug up against the Yonge neighbour. Strange.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I'd argue it's an entirely different building and was simply razed in two sections. The 1929/30 (new) building is longer along Bloor Street, and has simply nothing that matches the building as it appears in the 1923/28 photos. Remember Stolley's also expanded south to double floor space in the 1970's, then added the unfortunate third floor glass mess in the 1980's.

 

[hawc]

I expect developers to follow the rules, including the need to obtain necessary permits when undertaking work that affects access to our sidewalks and streets. Today I inquired with the City’s Transportation Services department and they advised that the developer of 1 Bloor Street West had not obtained the necessary permits to obstruct access on adjacent right of ways, including Yonge and Bloor Street sidewalks.

So... the sidewalks are being block illegally??? Can the city order them to remove what's blocking the sidewalks and consequently stop the demolition?

On a side note, I don't think many people walk by Stollery's and think ooh, pretty building. It's pretty ugly.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

So... the sidewalks are being block illegally??? Can the city order them to remove what's blocking the sidewalks and consequently stop the demolition?

At this point, I am not sure what that would achieve. It's pretty weak sauce to pull that out as a now when most of the worthwhile aspects of that building that is worth removal has been chipped off, removed or otherwise damaged.

AoD

 

[LNahid2000]

How did the developer get Toronto police to watch over the sidewalks if they are being blocked illegally?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

How did the developer get Toronto police to watch over the sidewalks if they are being blocked illegally?

Perhaps the left hand doesn't talk to the right?

AoD

 

[salsa]

So I was looking at some examples of Foster buildings in today's Star article, and to be honest they don't inspire much excitement for me. If Mizrahi want's to compare this future development to the Empire State building or the Rockefeller Centre, then I'm expecting to see some stone or marble cladding rather than just all glass, as well as an observation deck. None of those examples in the article are nearly as epic compared to those NYC buildings, except for maybe The Gherkin, London (but even that one doesn't hold a candle to the Empire State building). Of course we still have to wait and see what they will come up with for Toronto, and see if it will live up to the hype.

 

[ProjectEnd]

So I was looking at some examples of Foster buildings in today's Star article, and to be honest they don't inspire much excitement for me. If Mizrahi want's to compare this future development to the Empire State building or the Rockefeller Centre, then I'm expecting to see some stone or marble cladding rather than just all glass, as well as an observation deck. None of those examples in the article are nearly as epic compared to those NYC buildings, except for maybe The Gherkin, London (but even that one doesn't hold a candle to the Empire State building). Of course we still have to wait and see what they will come up with for Toronto, and see if it will live up to the hype.

Well when you're the client, you can tell your architect that you want the Empire State Building (and then pay for it).