Looking northwest towards the corner of Spadina Ave and Sussex Ave, in the Harbord Village neighbourhood of Toronto.
The archive photo shows when the storefront of 698 Spadina Ave was home to Spadina Coin Wash. The three-story building was constructed in 1885 and initially served as John James Funston’s grocery store, with residential units on the upper floors. From 1984 until about 2019, the storefront housed Ten Editions, a second-hand bookstore.
The heritage-designated eastern and southern facades of the Victorian building were preserved and are now part of Oak House, a 23-storey student residence for the University of Toronto, which was completed in 2025.
Then and Now
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register
- Heritage Toronto
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- City of Toronto: Zoning By-law Amendment Application – Decision Report for 698 Spadina Ave, dated Aug 8, 2018
- Photo: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photo: City of Toronto Archives
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
