Toronto The Dineen Building | ?m | 5s | Commercial Realty G. | George Robb

[someMidTowner]

This restoration is like a bottle of fine vintage wine in a sea of clunky hipster skull bottle vodka. If only Paul Olberman was alive to see this. Is there an award specifically for adaptive reuse projects?

 

[Joe R.]

What a gorgeous building.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

SMT:

Not sure about a specific award on adaptive reuse but Heritage Toronto has this:

http://www.heritagetoronto.org/sites/heritagetoronto/files/HT_Awards_Form_ARCH(WEB).pdf

AoD

 

[interchange42]

The Pugs have added that category.

42

 

[vecchietto]

As with many other older buildings, after so many years, I had no idea that this was the actual color of the building. I had similar surprises with Old City Hall, the Ontario Legislature, and many others.

I'm having the same feeling about the old Don Jail. Passed by on the streetcar this morning, once west and then once east. It no longer has that doom/gloom aura of "Abandon hope all ye who enter here." Probably a good thing now that it is becoming part of a hospital, but I'll miss that gritty past.

I'll also miss the sign that used to be in a second floor (IIRC) window of the Dineen: "Men's and Ladies' Complete Alterations." I had the idea that I could go in there some day when I finally decided I'd had enough of the way I was, and come out a new man.

Now what can I do? Well, there is always the self-storage option.

 

[androiduk]

 

[someMidTowner]

Sept 11:

 

[Joe R.]

This has instantly become one of my favourite buildings in the city--I'm blown away with every new picture posted. There are hundreds of buildings in the city that I wish could receive equally ambitious restorations. Those black framed windows are so sharp and the cornice really pops out in contrast to the yellow brick. Is the glassed in roof still going ahead?

 

[Ramako]

I encourage people to go back and take a look at this building as it was prior to the restoration on Google Streetview. The change is dramatic.

 

[Joe R.]

I encourage people to go back and take a look at this building as it was prior to the restoration on Google Streetview. The change is dramatic.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=dineen+building+toronto&hl=en&ll=43.651068,-79.378715&spn=0.000798,0.001742&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=dineen+building&hnear=0x89d4cb90d7c63ba5:0x323555502ab4c477,Toronto,+ON&cid=0,0,12583067807142351612&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=43.651068,-79.378715&panoid=mY_jxkKgLFO2qn8v8BFxTg&cbp=12,304.71,,0,-21.96

 

[Filip]

Unbelievable!

 

[someMidTowner]

I encourage people to go back and take a look at this building as it was prior to the restoration on Google Streetview. The change is dramatic.

Took one of my photos from today, scaled it down and put it next to a Google Streetview screen cap

 

[Torontovibe]

^^
That transformation is AMAZING! The 2 buildings beside this, are so god damned ugly. (what a shame)

 

[thecharioteer]

^^
That transformation is AMAZING! The 2 buildings beside this, are so god damned ugly. (what a shame)

They're actually two small deco buildings that could look quite nice with a little TLC:

1950:

 

[someMidTowner]

It will be nice to watch this thing age. It was way too dirty for a heritage building before, but now it almost looks too pristine. Im sure one good old fashioned T.O winter will fix that up (if we ever get winter again). Quick question: How long does it usually take for copper to develop a nice turquoise patina??