Toronto Architecture from the 1940's and 1950's

[LowPolygon]

The Westbury Hotel, designed by Peter Dickinson while at Page & Steele 1957, north addition by WZMH 1963:

View attachment 10658


The Westbury’s exterior represented the lightness, airiness and transparency of Dickinson’s best work during the mid-1950s: horizontal bands of windows in slim metal frames, contrasting solid wall planes of buff-coloured brick and daringly cantilevered balconies with translucent glass panels. A space-age butterfly canopy of steel and concrete, flanked by lush greenery, identified the main entrance on Wood Street.


View attachment 10664

it is really really too bad this beautiful building was entombed by that horrid redo. it would be an absolute classic if the owners had been able to perceive its value, and restored it. obviously, the same goes for Park Hyatt at Bloor and Avenue, which is almost worse than this desecration.

more broadly, it continues to mystify me that building owners are willing to swap out beautiful clay brick for panels of styrofoam coated with textured beige paint, and think they are gaining something in the bargain. it's a great shame that so many building owners have been hoodwinked.

 

[DavidJamesTO]

What did the Park Hyatt look like before? I've never seen the original facade.

 

[LowPolygon]

What did the Park Hyatt look like before? I've never seen the original facade.

here's one from a distance, looking south on Avenue

and a few smaller ones....

 

[thecharioteer]

A few more:

 

[thecharioteer]

From the Panda Archives 1956.

Looking objectively at the Dickinson design I have two major reservations (remembering the building pre-reno): first, the end wall on Avenue Road was too blank and should have "turned the corner" (more like the Westbury); secondly, the ramp in the courtyard truly was awful. Seems to have been relocated in the current version.

 

[Mississauga Slim]

I'm surprised that they once designed hotels with balconies. Whoever would have used them?

 

[junctionist]

Some hotels are still built with balconies. People who like views and fresh air use them.

 

[Earlscourt_Lad]

more broadly, it continues to mystify me that building owners are willing to swap out beautiful clay brick for panels of styrofoam coated with textured beige paint, and think they are gaining something in the bargain. it's a great shame that so many building owners have been hoodwinked.

+1

 

[thecharioteer]

The Lord Simcoe Hotel, NE corner of King and University, built 1956-57, designed by Henry Langston of Montreal and (according to Wikipedia) Peter Dickinson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Simcoe_Hotel)

1981:

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

The pics of The Park Plaza include two Rolls-Royce autos.

The Standard Steel Sedan, (grey) was owned by the hotel's main floor jeweller, Vic Secrett, while the other, Extended Sedan, (white) is presently unknown.


Regards,
J T

 

[Goldie]

The Lord Simcoe Hotel, NE corner of King and University, built 1956-57, designed by Henry Langston of Montreal and (according to Wikipedia) Peter Dickinson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Simcoe_Hotel)

1981:

View attachment 10719

It's always amazed me that a building such as this could last for only 25 years.
How is that financially possible?

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

"It's always amazed me that a building such as this could last for only 25 years.
How is that financially possible?"
QUOTE: Prof Goldie.

Webster lost money from day one, until it was demolished.
(Deep pockets, but losses are losses - time to pull the plug.)


Regards'
J T

 

[thecharioteer]

"It's always amazed me that a building such as this could last for only 25 years.
How is that financially possible?"
QUOTE: Prof Goldie.

Webster lost money from day one, until it was demolished.
(Deep pockets, but losses are losses - time to pull the plug.)


Regards'
J T

Fascinating account on how the hotel did so badly that by 1960, the owners were behind in realty taxes $424,000, which was 10% of all taxes in arrear for the entire city. Mayor Nathan Phillips intervened to give them time to refinance. They did, but it ultimately didn't help:

http://torontoist.com/2011/08/historicist_lord_simcoes_folly/

 

[Goldie]

Thank you, charioteer, for that fine link to the history of the Lord Simcoe Hotel.

http://torontoist.com/2011/08/histor...simcoes_folly/

 

[adma]

Funny thing is, I feel that even the Westbury fell short in the end--that is, it erred just a little too much on the side of "50s blandness" that was to look really dated within a few years time. Perhaps that was "first hotel" tentativeness on Dickinson's behalf? (even if Benvenuto qualified as "apartment hotel") It wasn't until Dickinson started getting together w/Issy Sharp that he really found his stride in that genre...