Woodbine Heights

[EVCco]

My neck of the woods. Basically the area of East York around Woodbine Avenue, north of Danforth.

This stretch of Woodbine is still largely dominated by mechanic's shops, hair salons, and churches. However, over the past few years the neighbourhood has started to slowly undergo a process of (depending on your viewpoint) revitalization/gentrification/yuppification.

Here are some comparison pics I took from 2007 and 2010, going south to north along Woodbine.

But first, the neighbourhood "skyline," looking north:

Abandoned building to art gallery and architect's office:

Improved residential, disimproved retail:

Garage to costume studio:

Pizza parlour to health food store:

Work in progress:

New housing, same old service centre:

All dressed-up, but nobody's home:

And a few final shots of some places that have so far remained the same:

 

[sterdeus]

Great photos and comparison. I've just moved into the neighbourhood a few months ago and havent seen the improvements first-hand, but I hope to see more to come over the years.

 

[adma]

Boy, I hate the EIFS-ing away of curtain walls.

 

[junctionist]

That's just awful. It reminds me of how so many Victorian blocks were ruined over time when their cornices and turrets were removed or simplified.

 

[EVCco]

Looks like someone bought into that blandtastic stucco. I just went by there yesterday and the For Lease sign was finally down
...although they could just be replacing it with a newer, blander one.

Anyway, welcome to the neighbourhood sterdeus!

 

[drone]

you could've shot some of those pics from my former house. I lived right at the corner of woodbine/lumsden for 6 years.
I do agree it looks better,but, the main reason I moved out of that area is crime. my house got broken into or was attempted to be broken into several times.gun shots at night,muggings..etc.. the beer store at the corner is the biggest attraction in that area barring none,it draws the worst kinda people to that corner..NEVER LIVE CLOSE TO A BEER STORE. the sirens from ambulances and fire trucks is non stop,the final straw was when I was doing some cleanin outside in my front garden. I went inside for 10 mins and left my shoes on my porch,came back and they were gone..lol

next day some drunk passes by wearing them carrying a 12 pack of beer. I made him take them off and watched him walk home barefoot as I threw them in the trash

 

[Urban Shocker]

Not exactly in Woodbine Heights, but I noticed one of those proposed redevelopment signs that the City puts up - outside the properties on the south east corner of Woodbine and Gerrard today. A seven storey development, I think.

 

[Goldie]

Garage to costume studio:

Did you know that this complex was once a movie theatre (c.1930/40/50s)? The Community (see attachment)

 

[Cast_Member]

The Community opened from 1937 to 1956 according to movie-theatre.org. The theatre was part of the Bloom and Fine chain, a subsidiary of Famous Players. I guess the television was the factor behind the theatre's closure.

 

[Goldie]

The Community opened from 1937 to 1956 according to movie-theatre.org. The theatre was part of the Bloom and Fine chain, a subsidiary of Famous Players. I guess the television was the factor behind the theatre's closure.

When the theatre closed, a film production company (Meridian, I think) took over and made TV commercials there.
The garage came later.

 

[EVCco]

I didn't know about that place being a theatre! Shame that..
I think another old theatre on Danforth, just west of me, was recently converted to a Tim Horton's, or something.

A couple updates for 2011:

and, adma's favourite project - Mart to "Marketeria":

....the yuppification continues

 

[Jonny5]

Damn yuppies and their Marketerias.

 

[Joe]

thanks

Thanks for starting this thread EVCco - really cool how you've caught buildings in their before and after stages.

I live in the neighbourhood as well, and speaking of theatres, did you know that the Valumart at Woodbine and Danforth used to be one called the Prince of Wales? My father was a projectionist and worked there occasionally in the 70s.

It's hard to tell (I just realized I never look UP in grocery stores, being tall) but if you enter from the rear parking lot, you can see the theatre / projection booth layout immediately.

 

[Goldie]

Cinema becomes Tim's

I think another old theatre on Danforth, just west of me, was recently converted to a Tim Horton's, or something.

Yes, that would be the Allenby (later to become the Roxy) at Danforth & Greenwood which is now Tim's as well as a convenience store for the Imperial Oil Service Station - see attached photo

 

[EVCco]

^
That's the one, all right! It took me rather off guard when walking by it a month or so back. But I suppose I shouldn't have been too surprised as I used to go to highschool near an old theatre that was converted to a Portugese church which posted its sermons on the marquee. It certainly beats the standard Tim's / Esso outlets, anyway.

I live in the neighbourhood as well, and speaking of theatres, did you know that the Valumart at Woodbine and Danforth used to be one called the Prince of Wales? My father was a projectionist and worked there occasionally in the 70s.

Wow! Really? I go in there all the time and I never would have guessed that! You'd certainly never know from just looking at the place from the outside.

It would seem this neighbourhood was a lot more interesting back in the day...