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Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

thecharioteer said:
The facade within Brookfield Place is from the Commercial Bank which stood on Wellington:
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I worked in this building in 1986. I owned a delivery company, we had a 1 yr lease with a 90 day vacate clause

after 1 yr they told us not to renew as vacate notices were about to go out. I then moved to 45 Richmond St West

A demo clause there also gave us only 1 yr and I had to vacate for the Bay adelaide ctr
 
King and Simcoe, July 20, 1927:

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King and Simcoe, July 13, 2023:

kingsimcoe2023.jpg
 
egotrippin said:
While I know the TD Centre is generally revered, I've always felt that the 1 storey banking pavillion is such a waste. Especially when you see what was torn down. Of course if you turn towards the north it gets even more depressing when you consider we lost the old Star building for the somewhat generic First Canadian Place. And of course a sterile podium that obliterated the buildings on the NW corner. Seems like an even bigger shame when you consider there was no real reason to tear down the old BMO bldg.

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That late Deco BMO Building would've paired well with the 1950s BNS Building on the NE corner, almost looking like twins.

Now of course I could go further down the wormhole and would bring back the old Mail Building on the NW corner and the Cawthra House on the NE. But alas, we've got what we've got.
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I agree. Fairview shouldn't have demolished the old Bank of Toronto Building at the corner, even if Mies' banking pavilion is a masterpiece of the era. They could have kept it and created a courtyard space to the west of it for the pavilion.

Having the two buildings side by side would have been amazing. The fact that they built a clone of one of the Miesian towers on top of the old Toronto Stock Exchange Building was also regrettable, even though they saved the splendid Art Deco interiors.
 
junctionist said:
I agree. Fairview shouldn't have demolished the old Bank of Toronto Building at the corner, even if Mies' banking pavilion is a masterpiece of the era. They could have kept it and created a courtyard space to the west of it for the pavilion.

Having the two buildings side by side would have been amazing. The fact that they built a clone of one of the Miesian towers on top of the old Toronto Stock Exchange Building was also regrettable, even though they saved the splendid Art Deco interiors.
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Agreed with all that, instead sadly the heritage buildings were viewed as an impediment to the vision of the era. Same goes for the Deeds and Land Titles Bldg. beside City Hall; it still stood even after the towers went up, but was essentially destroyed for a parking garage entrance. Didn't fit the vision.

And that mock Mies tower, that never should've happened. At least the TSE Building was saved beyond the facade though, as you've noted.
 
egotrippin said:
Agreed with all that, instead sadly the heritage buildings were viewed as an impediment to the vision of the era. Same goes for the Deeds and Land Titles Bldg. beside City Hall; it still stood even after the towers went up, but was essentially destroyed for a parking garage entrance. Didn't fit the vision.
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Don’t forget that the original design for the new city hall retained the Registry, but was seen as unworthy of the “Toronto of the Future” vision espoused by Eric Arthur et al, hence triggering the international competition ultimately won by Viljo Revell.

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The Swansea Town Hall still exists, after being annexed by the City of Toronto on January 1st, 1967. Swansea was actually a "village" from 1926 to 1967. It resides in Ward 4 (Parkdale-High Park), which is twice as big as the former village.

SwanseaTownHall1.jpg


Located at 95 Lavinia Avenue.

From link.
 
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thecharioteer said:
Don’t forget that the original design for the new city hall retained the Registry, but was seen as unworthy of the “Toronto of the Future” vision espoused by Eric Arthur et al, hence triggering the international competition ultimately won by Viljo Revell.

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You know, I almost put that illustration in my post. At the risk of double heresy after my TD Centre remarks, I also wouldn't mind if that proposal was built. City Hall itself is visionary but apart from the towers and chambers portion, I've never cared much for Nathan Phillips Square; the raised walkway that cuts off the surrounding area, much of it is a concrete wasteland. The Shore & Moffat proposal has lots of trees and reflecting pools leading up to the Reg Building. A nice mix of classic and modern.
 
egotrippin said:
You know, I almost put that illustration in my post. At the risk of double heresy after my TD Centre remarks, I also wouldn't mind if that proposal was built. City Hall itself is visionary but apart from the towers and chambers portion, I've never cared much for Nathan Phillips Square; the raised walkway that cuts off the surrounding area, much of it is a concrete wasteland. The Shore & Moffat proposal has lots of trees and reflecting pools leading up to the Reg Building. A nice mix of classic and modern.
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I don’t think I’d want to replace the Revell design, but this pic shows that it could have existed in harmony with the Registry building:

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