Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[thecharioteer]

And what's the 'tallest building in the British Empire'? - isn't 1925 too early for Commerce Court North - is the date wrong?

The mystery building is the Victoria Tower at 25 Adelaide Street East at Victoria, completed in 1927:

http://www.tobuilt.ca/php/tobuildings_more.php?search_fd3=9

 

[thecharioteer]

Mention should be made of the Xmas Parade filmed by British Pathe, with imagery worthy of Stephen King and Tim Burton:

 

[adma]

Interesting how the Victoria Tower was de-corniced at some (perhaps early) point--makes it look even more like a spec dullard than it is (and the invisible-in-the-new-photo replacement for the pyramidial elevator penthouse is just plain hideous; like they knew nobody was going to "look up there" once the building was overshadowed by its neighbours)

 

[Bayer]

Then and Now for March 12.


Then. 454 Yonge c1918. "Branch of Royal Bank, Toronto. F.S. Baker, F.R.I.B.A., Architect". Thank you wwwebster for sourcing this rare picture.

Another view, 1950. Yonge St. looking south from Wood.

 

[Mustapha]

Mention should be made of the Xmas Parade filmed by British Pathe, with imagery worthy of Stephen King and Tim Burton:

Those are creepy, like The Burger King.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/08/20/burger-king-dethrones-its-creepy-king-mascot/

 

[Mustapha]

Another view, 1950. Yonge St. looking south from Wood.

It's great to see it in the context of its situation in the street at that time. Great find Bayer, thank you.

 

[Mustapha]

Where where we,,.. ah yes, Then and Now. For March 13.


Then. 7-9 King East. c1915. "Building for Bowles Lunch Room, Toronto. Hand, Harris & Merritt, Architects."

Now. September 2011.

And for added interest, sometime before the 1950s era picture below, our Bowles Lunch Room had doubled its frontage and gotten a new owner.

 

[Mustapha]

Just wanted to give you all a heads up that I may have to drop things very quickly and leave here for a few days. So,, it's not desertion as I've given you notice.

Don't worry, it's a happy event. I would never leave JT at the altar to rush back here.

On my return back to daily updates as usual. I only expect to be away 4 days or so when it happens.

 

[adma]

And for added interest, sometime before the 1950s era picture below, our Bowles Lunch Room had doubled its frontage and gotten a new owner.

And a subway entrance in the rightmost bay--which appears to be so tight and narrow, little wonder they ultimately opted for the present sidewalk entrance instead. (Wonder what buried/concealed evidence of this entrance remains...)

 

[adma]

dp

 

[DSC]

It's great to see it in the context of its situation in the street at that time. Great find Bayer, thank you.

What's with the "Say Yes" signage on every pole. Were we having a referendum or ? in 1950?

 

[AlbertHWagstaff]

What's with the "Say Yes" signage on every pole. Were we having a referendum or ? in 1950?

The signs read "SAY YES to Red Feather Services" and "Give enough" underneath. Red Feather Services was an earlier name for what became the United Way.

http://www.unitedwaytoronto.com/aboutUs/faq.php

 

[wwwebster]

So the sides changed for odd and even numbers between those years? I think I am confused

Yes. Uh-oh, does this mean you’ve been researching the wrong side of the street?

Assuming not, the attached image shows the storefronts of Peter C. Allan at 35 King West and Richard B. Butland at 37 King West. Not sure of the date.

 

[Mustapha]

And a subway entrance in the rightmost bay--which appears to be so tight and narrow, little wonder they ultimately opted for the present sidewalk entrance instead. (Wonder what buried/concealed evidence of this entrance remains...)

In my Now picture the young lady is in front of our vanished entrance. An interesting question.. what might lie underneath the concrete.

For those of you interested in this kind of exploration, go to the NE corner of Yonge and Queen. Walk a few paces E on Queen to the grate in the middle of the sidewalk - now look down, and see the ghostly steps that once went down into the Queen subway.

 

[Mustapha]

"I would never leave JT at the altar to rush back here."
QUOTE Mustapha.

?

Is that a SCOTT'S Restaurant in the pic, and if it is, did it enter into an agreement

with a Mr H Sanders?

Regards,
J T

Sorry, JT, I can't even remember why I made that joke anymore.

Also sorry that I can't remember the Scotts and Kentucky Fried Chicken connection.. wasn't it called Scotts Chicken Villa or Scotts Kentucky Fried Chicken for awhile in the 1960s?