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8 King St E (exterior restoration, KingSett Capital, ERA Architects)

Hmmm, looks like what his now the second floor was placed into the banking hall.

Construction of that was not likely kind to the original features.

Can't tell much from Streetview photos; but certainly the ceilings are all drop ceilings on both levels 1 and 2.

Portions of the Sleep Country floor are not original but could have been overlayed.

I would need to find better pictures; I searched The Toronto Archives and Library for online images, didn't find anything revelatory.

Could be some good stuff hidden; but could be all wrecked too.

Post-lockdown assignment: to go check out the inside of that Sleep Country store while pretending to be there for prospectively buying a mattress. ;)
 
Post-lockdown assignment: to go check out the inside of that Sleep Country store while pretending to be there for prospectively buying a mattress. ;)
Not looking like there's anything visible. In street view from up close you can see much of the interior. Views from across the street show office space directly above, which I'd imagine means the banking hall was filled in to create another level of space
 
Not looking like there's anything visible. In street view from up close you can see much of the interior. Views from across the street show office space directly above, which I'd imagine means the banking hall was filled in to create another level of space

I looked at the Google Map entry for Sleep Country - there are a good number of interior shots, but nothing that revealed much of its past. What columns there are have flat profiles.


I think they have added a second floor in the original banking hall as well - so whatever mouldings are left would be above the false ceiling there.

Further investigation - maybe not - the banking hall is actually on the entirety of the first floor (not the ground floor). From the issue of Contruction:

1619576723670.png


AoD
 
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I looked at the Google Map entry for Sleep Country - there are a good number of interior shots, but nothing that revealed much of its' past. What columns there are have flat profiles.


I think they have added a second floor in the original banking hall as well - so whatever mouldings are left would be above the false ceiling there.

Further investigation - maybe not - the banking hall is actually on the entirety of the first floor (not the ground floor). From the issue of Contruction:

View attachment 315686

AoD
Good catch! Now we just need an explorer to go and visit the 1st floor and see - though I would not expect to see much left/ (Question: When did Royal Bank move out??)
 
What's left is hard to say. In the Sleep Country showroom, there are square columns clad in marble from the mid-20th century. Entirely possible that the original columns are intact within them.

As for the mezzanine, I just don't know. It's now office with dropped ceilings.
 
I would love to see 33 Yonge bought, demolished and made into an extension of the park one day.

I love parks...............but if we're getting rid of 33 Yonge, likely at considerable cost...........could be we put back up what we lost to it?

1619986664168.png


From: https://tayloronhistory.com/2016/06/11/torontos-board-of-trade-building-demolished/

To think, its last occupant was the TTC which moved to its current HQ in 1958.

It was then demolished.......for a parking lot, that remained there till the current building went up in '82
 
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The thread title has been switched over to 8 King Street East (from 2) as that's the address that the leasing is done through.


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