1K 
Urban Toronto has partnered with Heritage Toronto to capture a moment in Toronto's past. On a weekly basis, we highlight historic photos of the city's people, places and events, and tell the stories behind them.
This week's photo:
Early in Toronto's development, landowners viewed the escarpment south of St. Clair Avenue as a great location to build a home. To the south could be viewed the growing City of Toronto, the bustling lakefront and the glistening waters of Lake Ontario. South of Avenue Road and St. Clair several large estates were built including Oaklands, the home of Senator John MacDonald, Rathnelly, the house of Senator McMaster and Benvenuto, the estate built for Simeon Henan Janes.
Janes was among Toronto's most prosperous real estate developers. Having lived previously on prestigious Jarvis Street, Janes ventured northward and found a site on the southwest corner of today's Avenue Road and Edmund. Built in 1890, the design is attributed to American architect A. Page Brown although it is believed that another architect, Stanford White was involved in the project.
Seen here in this photo from around 1909, Janes' home stood out from many other estates of its generation. It was eclectic, featuring a pair of corner towers with conical roofs, walls of greyish-white rough Kingston limestone, and Spanish roof tiles. Round arched windows were included in the design adding a touch of the fashionable Richardsonian Romanesque style to the design.
Janes lived in the home for only 7 years. In 1897 he sold it to railway contractor Sir William Mackenzie who expanded the home in 1914 under architects Darling and Pearson. The home remained a centre for Toronto's high society until Mackenzie's passing in 1924. In 1932, the home was demolished but memory of the estate survives in the naming of a small street, Benvenuto Place that runs south from Edmund Avenue, west of Avenue Road. Also, at One Benvenuto Place is a condominium residence called “The Benvenuto” that is known for its great views of Toronto as Benvenuto once had when Janes and Mackenzie lived there many moons ago.
Source:
Lost Toronto, p. 182-184
Janes was among Toronto's most prosperous real estate developers. Having lived previously on prestigious Jarvis Street, Janes ventured northward and found a site on the southwest corner of today's Avenue Road and Edmund. Built in 1890, the design is attributed to American architect A. Page Brown although it is believed that another architect, Stanford White was involved in the project.
Seen here in this photo from around 1909, Janes' home stood out from many other estates of its generation. It was eclectic, featuring a pair of corner towers with conical roofs, walls of greyish-white rough Kingston limestone, and Spanish roof tiles. Round arched windows were included in the design adding a touch of the fashionable Richardsonian Romanesque style to the design.
Janes lived in the home for only 7 years. In 1897 he sold it to railway contractor Sir William Mackenzie who expanded the home in 1914 under architects Darling and Pearson. The home remained a centre for Toronto's high society until Mackenzie's passing in 1924. In 1932, the home was demolished but memory of the estate survives in the naming of a small street, Benvenuto Place that runs south from Edmund Avenue, west of Avenue Road. Also, at One Benvenuto Place is a condominium residence called “The Benvenuto” that is known for its great views of Toronto as Benvenuto once had when Janes and Mackenzie lived there many moons ago.
Source:
Lost Toronto, p. 182-184
Many thanks to both Gary Switzer of MOD Developments and Maya Bilbao for putting together the photos and research.
