Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[adma]

Now. March 2011. This building doesn't look 1959 vintage... may we safely assume this is the third building on this site?

Indeed; and there's a project thread on the Duca rebuild somewhere (the 1959 building was a concrete pavilion set back from the street and the corner). FYI in the old photo, the strip mall on the right is still with us...

 

[Edward Skira]

The 1959 was a set back from the street with parking in the front. It was north of the corner. The corner consisted of a building right on the corner. For many years it was a John Anderson's greasy spoon. I spent many late nights eating burgers and onion rings here.

 

[rickmcginnis]

Love the vintage Mac font on your old file.

 

[Goldie]

Early efforts

A few more of my oldies found hidden away on a hard-drive:

 

[Mustapha]

A few more of my oldies found hidden away on a hard-drive:

Gramps, and by that I mean all of our "Gramps", should have bought up all the land in Don Mills when they had the chance.

 

[Mustapha]

March 30 addition.




Then. Archival description: "Imperial Optical Co. Building 194-?" On the SW corner of Victoria Street and Dundas Square. The larger 1930 Hermant Building Annex [now the HNR Building] on the left. The smaller 1913 Hermant building on the right. This is the view from the NE.

Now. Tonight's March 29, 2011 view is from the NW; I thought it made for a nicer photograph, what with all the good light coming off the Square at it.

I can see it being turned into a condo some day.

 

[NomoreaTorontonian]

The pictures currently running on the left and right of the Urban Toronto banner both awake my "Then and Now" interest. For those who haven't clicked to the articles that go with the pictures, the left one is the scene from a condo just completing construction at St Clair and Spadina. In the comments someone describes it as a place to be aware of the city's hub and yet to be away from it. That was the desire of those who first inhabited Spadina Hill in the 1840s and 50s.

The one on the right is more personal. The old structure retained in the centre was the offices of the architect, John Lyle. We discussed his work on Yonge Street about a month ago. Although he is no relation, I grew up with the same surname. But that office on Bedford Road is opposite the building I would have been working in had I stayed in Toronto in 1965.

We Gramps and Grams find it interesting how so many things can come full circle.

 

[spider]

Re: School house at Don Mills & Lawrence Ave. East.
As I recall when cycling up from East York to this area in the the 1940's to go swimming at Watson's swimming hole in the Don river the School house was on the East side of Don Mills south of Lawrence. The North west corner was occupied by a farm house with a water pump on the front lawn that we all used with the permission of the woman who lived there and always admonished us city kids to leave some water in the pail to prime the pump for the next user.
Twenty years later I learned that the woman mentioned above was my lovely new wife's great aunt and I met her son who was about 20 years my senior in a different time and place. Their family name was Watson, they owned much of what is now Don Mills probably selling to E.P. Taylor.

 

[Goldie]

Don Mills Library

Re: School house at Don Mills & Lawrence Ave. East.
The School house was on the East side of Don Mills south of Lawrence. The North west corner was occupied by a farm house.

Thanks for that correction, spider.
Here's another photo from the same area.
I wish the location was more precise so that a "Now" image could be provided.

 

[spider]

Properties facing on Don Mills Road were laid out in the usual 5 lots to the concession. Jno Hogg's name appears in the 2nd lot north of Lawrence on the East side, if the store was on that property it would be between 1/4 and 1/2 mile north of Lawrence. Chipping Road?

 

[thecharioteer]

March 30 addition.




Then. Archival description: "Imperial Optical Co. Building 194-?" On the SW corner of Victoria Street and Dundas Square. The larger 1930 Hermant Building Annex [now the HNR Building] on the left. The smaller 1913 Hermant building on the right. This is the view from the NE.

Now. Tonight's March 29, 2011 view is from the NW; I thought it made for a nicer photograph, what with all the good light coming off the Square at it.

I can see it being turned into a condo some day.

Another view:

 

[Urban Shocker]

How lovely if they were to convert them back.

 

[Goldie]

Finch/Woodbine

This fine comparison was found on Lone Primate's blog at:

http://cityinthetrees.blogspot.com/2009/10/retrospectives-finch-avenue-and.html

- a site worth exploring!

 

[Mustapha]

This fine comparison was found on Lone Primate's blog at:

http://cityinthetrees.blogspot.com/2009/10/retrospectives-finch-avenue-and.html

- a site worth exploring!

Very very worthwhile link, thank you Goldie [and Lone primate too, if you are reading this].

 

[Mustapha]

Another view:

Besides being an interesting photo of the Hermant, it's interesting that the sides of the building don't converge towards the top of the photo. Perhaps the photographer used a "tilt-shift" lens?