East Danforth

[Goldie]

That's actually quite an interesting compromise. Where would the gas pumps be then, and how would you get to them?

As can be seen in my previous post (with the old photo of the Allenby in 1936), there was once a gas station on the corner lot beside the cinema.
I expect that will be the location of any new pump island.

Attached are some photos of other east end cinemas I attended as a child.

 

[adma]

The plans are not to demolish the Roxy/Allenby, but rather to convert the site to a gas station. The former cinema facade is to be restored, and the building will be used for the station's retail component. As someone mentioned above, there may very well be a Tim Hortons counter in there, as is common at a number of stations.

The fact that only the facade is to be retained still marks it as more "demolished" than not in certain circles, remember.

 

[christiesplits]

Anything to turn this decrepit intersection around.

The abandoned Roxy, with the adjacent abandoned gas station and KFC, a seedy pool hall and bar on the north side, plus a Beer Store, 80's era LCBO and sketchy apartment blocks directly west creates the most unattractive Danforth strip west of Main. Even the boom of young families in and around the side streets seem to have done little to remedy such a disaster.

 

[Goldie]

abandoned KFC

The abandoned Roxy, with the adjacent abandoned gas station and KFC,

Here are a couple of my photos of that abandoned KFC just east of the Roxy - taken in 2006.
Does it still look like this?

 

[christiesplits]

I walked by last month and that is largely what it looked like.

 

[slowtyper]

Anyone know what is going on with the big house that stopped being built on the east side of coxwell, north of danforth. I read some blog last year that said they did not have a proper permit to build that house because it was too large for the lot, but it hasn't been touched since then. A couple lots south of that there is an empty dug out lot thats been there for a while also...anyone know what the deal with that one is?

 

[northstar]

There's also a huge empty pit on the southside of Danforth, just west of Woodbine.
I'm not sure what was/is being planned for that site?

I'm curious if a developer had planned something, but has since pulled back as the economy has tightened.

 

[christiesplits]

Anyone know what is going on with the big house that stopped being built on the east side of coxwell, north of danforth. I read some blog last year that said they did not have a proper permit to build that house because it was too large for the lot, but it hasn't been touched since then. A couple lots south of that there is an empty dug out lot thats been there for a while also...anyone know what the deal with that one is?

I know the two properties you are talking about. Interestingly enough, a few doors south of that empty lot was a busted prostitution (ahem escort) ring that the Star ran a big serial on a few years ago. Last time I checked the abandoned security cameras and barricaded windows remain.

There's also a huge empty pit on the southside of Danforth, just west of Woodbine.
I'm not sure what was/is being planned for that site?

I'm curious if a developer had planned something, but has since pulled back as the economy has tightened.

That was an old Home Building Centre that burned down back in 2003 I believe... the landlord was charged with arson. I've seen little activity on the site ever since.

 

[slowtyper]

I know the two properties you are talking about. Interestingly enough, a few doors south of that empty lot was a busted prostitution (ahem escort) ring that the Star ran a big serial on a few years ago. Last time I checked the abandoned security cameras and barricaded windows remain.

I never heard about that. I will take a stroll soon and try to spot it. I wonder what makes police bust one house here and leave the gazillions of highrise apartment and condo brothels running.

 

[adma]

I never heard about that. I will take a stroll soon and try to spot it. I wonder what makes police bust one house here and leave the gazillions of highrise apartment and condo brothels running.

Maybe because it's in a whiteish middle-classish inner-cityish zone. (And how long ago was this Star feature? I think it was ages before the high-rise brothel phenomenon made the headlines...)

 

[junctionman]

That was an old Home Building Centre that burned down back in 2003 I believe... the landlord was charged with arson. I've seen little activity on the site ever since.

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/224259
http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=0a10b0e2-bd0d-4355-b091-83e2930a8a1f

 

[Eug]

"Police are calling it suspicious."

Fire closes Danforth near Woodbine

A fire near Danforth and Woodbine avenues closed a large section of the east end during the Wednesday morning rush hour.

The fire at Best Choice Auto Sales on Danforth Avenue started at about 1:30 a.m., forcing police and firefighters to evacuate about 100 nearby residents. A stretch of Danforth Avenue was closed.

 

[christiesplits]

According to a poster on the CBC board who lives down the street, this is the second time there has been a fire on that site in the past few months, hence the "suspicion."

 

[adma]

Overall, that's a weird little nucleus. That single-storey shop on the right is the one with the billboards on the HUGE scaffold that evidently once supported a humongous neon sign of some sort, right? (And behind is some ancient concrete-frame affair that shows signs of once being a dairy or something...)

 

[christiesplits]

Overall, that's a weird little nucleus. That single-storey shop on the right is the one with the billboards on the HUGE scaffold that evidently once supported a humongous neon sign of some sort, right? (And behind is some ancient concrete-frame affair that shows signs of once being a dairy or something...)

That rickety building on the right is an auctioneer/antique dealer whose name skips me (though you can see the "MO-" before the cutt off). Whatever junk he places on the sidewalk during the day I'm sure would make good kindling.