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Strathcona Hotel (60 York Street)

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Does anybody out there know anything of the history of this building? For my own reasons, I'm trying to find out when the building was built, but it is pretty much impossible. It makes it all the harder because it's completely covered in some kind of aluminum siding which makes it really hard to date.

StrathconaHotel1.jpg


Here's what I know about the site:

From at least 1900 to the 1940's, 60 York Street was the site of the Savoy Hotel. I managed to find an air photo from 1930 that revealed that the Savoy was a whitish four or five storey building with oblong windows. You can see what I believe is the Savoy across from the Royal York and Prudential House.

1930ViewToronto.jpg


The thirties being what they were, I am now tending to assume that the addition to 12 storeys came after the war, with the name change from Savoy to the Strathcona Hotel (sometimes called New Strathcona House or Strathcona Public House).

This is a place that didn't advertise widely, and I am fresh out of ideas. What I'm trying to verify is the year that it was built up.
 
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I've always been curious as to why a nice hotel like this wouldn't tear the siding off and reveal the underlying history of the building's exterior.

I am curious about this too. I hope this thread brings up some interesting stuff.
 
It's somewhat of a budget business hotel too isn't it? Maybe upgrading to more of a boutique status would warrant the refurbishment, like the small-scale Victoria on Yonge Street.
 
I vaguely remember when it was covered up, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was like before. Crumbling masonry? Lurid supergraphics? Beats me.
 
Does anybody out there know anything of the history of this building? For my own reasons, I'm trying to find out when the building was built, but it is pretty much impossible. It makes it all the harder because it's completely covered in some kind of aluminum siding which makes it really hard to date.

StrathconaHotel1.jpg


Here's what I know about the site:

From at least 1900 to the 1940's, 60 York Street was the site of the Savoy Hotel. I managed to find an air photo from 1930 that revealed that the Savoy was a whitish four or five storey building with oblong windows. You can see what I believe is the Savoy across from the Royal York and Prudential House.

[...]

The thirties being what they were, I am now tending to assume that the addition to 12 storeys came after the war, with the name change from Savoy to the Strathcona Hotel (sometimes called New Strathcona House or Strathcona Public House).

I don't think it was built over top the Savoy. It looks like the Strathcona is built further to the north from where the Savoy originally stood.
 
I think you are right, it's a bit north of where that white thing is. But it the same address as the Savoy, so the Savoy must have been one of those little brown things north of the white thing. That makes me suppose that under the ugly metal covering is a 1940's/1950's building and not something more ornate from an earlier era.
 
York & Piper Streets, (rear view?) of SE corner.

I believe this is looking northwest, with the buildings in the background being where the Strathcona is now, and the taller building to the left being the building with the oblong windows in back?

fo1244%5Cf1244_it7381.jpg
 
Meaning those shacks stand on the Royal York site, right?

BTW the Strathcona bills itself on Expedia as having been in business since 1945.

I think the shacks are where the Royal York now stands. This photo is looking NorthEast from the roof of Walker House, which stood on the SouthWest corner or Front and York. It looks like the building on the corner of York and Piper Streets is the same as in the photo above, but without a billboard on its south side.
fo1244%5Cf1244_it0341a.jpg
 
Drat. If only that last photo were of the other side of the street, it would surely help me. Boy, a lot of those buildings were ugly, and so many ads, it's all a bit tawdry, isn't it?
 
The mystery deepens. I checked here at "work" and found a photo of what is described as the south-east corner of York and Pearl Streets. Looks like it dates from the '30s. There's a three storey brick row building that houses both the Strathcona Fruit Shop ( at the intersection ),and the Strathcona hotel ( the sign above the door says 50 cents ). And next to it is another hotel with a sign on the window that says "Lunch".
 

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