Toronto One Front | 170.86m | 49s | Larco | a—A

[AlvinofDiaspar]

It is stunning inside......a real old fashioned "publicly owned" building. I think the level of protection on this building extends beyond the facade.

from the CBC.ca story:

I have never been inside so I was assuming it's one of those nice outside, government issue interior buildings. All the more reason to take it seriously.

AoD

 

[A Torontonian Now]

I have never been inside so I was assuming it's one of those nice outside, government issue interior buildings. All the more reason to take it seriously.

AoD

Parts of it are exactly what you assumed. I once had a meeting in an office on the 3rd or 4th floor, and what I saw up there was far from anything to write home about.

This makes it even more of a challenge - to update (or gut) the parts that need it while restoring the parts that deserve it.

 

[DSC]

Lots of info and photos on the City's Designation document. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2016.TE13.18 As it is a Federal building the City's designation only becomes 'active' when it is sold.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Lots of info and photos on the City's Designation document. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2016.TE13.18 As it is a Federal building the City's designation only becomes 'active' when it is sold.

So what exactly the does this mean? Will the interior be heritage protected immediately as the building is sold? Does this mean that developers won't be able to gut the interior?

 

[DSC]

So what exactly the does this mean? Will the interior be heritage protected immediately as the building is sold? Does this mean that developers won't be able to gut the interior?

If I understand correctly the building is protected by a Federal designation as long as it's owned by the Feds. The City cannot protect Federal property. As soon as it is sold the Federal designation ends and the Toronto designation comes into force. Of course a designation does not offer unlimited protection but it certainly helps.

 

[Longview]

Obviously one of the most important public buildings in the city. Visually it's vital to the dynamic look of Front St. It pairs up with Union Station and defines the curve of the street. If any developer threatens to mess with that, it'll be time for torches and pitchforks.

 

[adHominem]

The Long Room is lovely, I'd never seen it before. I can't help but try to imagine a use for it that retains not just the structure, but the marble counters & brass wickets and everything. The world's nicest Consumers Distributing, maybe.

 

[innsertnamehere]

The Long Room is lovely, I'd never seen it before. I can't help but try to imagine a use for it that retains not just the structure, but the marble counters & brass wickets and everything. The world's nicest Consumers Distributing, maybe.

If Consumers Distributing hadn't gone under 20 years ago, that is.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

If Consumers Distributing hadn't gone under 20 years ago, that is.

LCBO is still around and could always go back to the old ways in class You might have to ask for the booze, but at least you'd have to privilege of getting it from someone behind a marble counter.

AoD

 

[innsertnamehere]

World's nicest Beer Store?

 

[Skeezix]

Bank (although even banks are moving away from counters). Service Ontario/Service Canada. Restaurant. Champagne bar. Retail (counters could be repurposed for displays, etc.). UrbanToronto HQ.

 

[adHominem]

UrbanToronto HQ.

Aim high!

A Dean & DeLuca would be nice.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Aim high!

A Dean & DeLuca would be nice.

They still have to show up first - besides, isn't Pusateri's sucking up all the O2 in that regard in the GTA?

AoD

 

[ADRM]

Here are some of those neat images from the various background doc a previous poster mentioned; an historical progression through the timeline of this site.

"Jones, Plan of Survey, 1791: made prior to the founding of the Town of York and showing the lots surveyed along the 'broken front' of the Lake Ontario shoreline before later plans of subdivision were introduced." source

"Phillpotts, Plan of York, 1818: showing the "water lots" long the broken front where the southwest corner of Yonge and Front Streets is labelled "Customs House Reserve" (the part south of The Esplanade was conveyed to John Ewart)."

"Plan 5A, c. 1840: showing part of the plan of subdivision with the portion of Lot 38 between Front Street and The Esplanade reserved for the Customs House."

"Historical Illustration, City of Toronto, 1886: the build-up of buildings and wharves to the west of the subject property and along the waterfront is shown in this illustration (Dendy, Lost Toronto, cover)."

"Archival Photograph, southwest corner of Yonge and Front Streets, 1923: showing the vacant site formerly occupied by the 1873 Customs House (demolished in 1910) with the extant Bank of Montreal to the north and the raised railway viaduct to the rear (south) that carried the tracks to Union Station (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1255, Item 5026)."

"Goad's Atlas, 1910 revised to 1923, Volume 1: Goad's last update shows the future site of the Dominion Public Building and, directly west (left) the new Union Station that was completed in 1919 but not officially opened until 1927 when the railway viaducts carrying the tracks were in place."

"Architectural Drawing, Dominion Public Building, 1929: showing part of the Front Street West elevation, where the west wing (right) is marked “this section not included in contract” for the initial phase of construction (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, File 455)."

Streetcars! "Archival Photograph, Dominion Public Building, 1934: showing the completion of the first phase of construction with the centre and east pavilions in place (City of Toronto Archives, Series 71, Item 10254)."

"Archival Photograph, Toronto Waterfront, 1951: this view includes the rear (south) wall of the Dominion Public Building and shows its proximity to Toronto's waterfront (Toronto Public Library, Item e1-59b)."

 

[marcus_a_j]

Excellent post! Thanks for sharing.