The archive photo prominently features the Hotel Torontonian. This building first appeared on the 1889 edition of the Atlas of the City of Toronto map and was previously known as the Grosvenor House and later the Grovenor Hotel. In the mid-1950s, it was briefly called the Hotel Torontonian before this stretch of the block was torn down to make way for the first phase of the Westbury Hotel, a 16-storey structure that opened in 1957. The second phase of the Westbury Hotel, a 9-storey building, was completed in 1963 at the site where the Hotel Torontonian once stood. In 1999, the hotel complex became a Courtyard by Marriott.
A few other items to point out in the vintage photo are the Globe and Mail newspaper box in the right foreground and the streetcar tracks along Yonge St. The Yonge Street Subway, now known as Line 1 or the Yonge–University Line, opened on March 30, 1954, which marked the end of streetcar service on Yonge St. The tracks along the street were removed later that year (Toronto Public Library, Pictures-R-3623)
The archive photo shows the Uptown Theatre, once located at 764 Yonge St, in the right foreground (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 312, Item 48 – Urban Design photographs)
A few of the businesses visible in the archive photo, from right to left, include Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Sam the Record Man, Electronic Depot, A&A Records and the Vinyl Museum. In 2007, Ryerson University purchased the parcel of land stretching from 345 to 353 Yonge St, and over the next couple of years, the buildings in this area were gradually torn down. Today, the corner is home to the Sheldon & Tracy Levy Student Learning Centre at Toronto Metropolitan University, which opened in 2015 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 614, Item 26 – Urban Design photographs)
A few of the establishments visible in the archive photo on the left side include the Hong Kong Chop Suey Cafeteria, the Hong Kong Emporium novelty shop, Lindy’s Restaurant, Lynn Gold Clothes men’s wear, the Odeon Coronet Theatre, and Bassel’s Restaurant & Tavern. The vintage photo also shows when Hayter St intersected with Yonge St (City of Toronto Archives, Harvey R. Naylor fonds, Fonds 1526, File 3, Item 6)
A few of the establishments in the archive photo include Inglis The Hatter, New York Optical and W.B. Wellwood fruits, flowers and candies (Toronto Public Library Pictures-R-1624)
The present-day school was built in 1931. Architect Charles Edmund Cyril Dyson designed the school in the Romanesque Revival style. The building was granted heritage status by the City of Toronto in 1974 (City of Toronto Archives, Alexandra Studio fonds, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 258)
The archive photo shows the Tecumseh Wigwam at the corner. Built around 1820, the one-storey log cabin with a verandah became a popular drinking spot for “city toughs and a sprinkling of lawless university students.” Also known as “The Wigwam”, it was destroyed in the mid-1870s. Afterward, Albert Nordheimer of the Nordheimer Piano Company purchased the property and constructed his residence on the site, which remained until 1912, when it was torn down after the property was sold.
In 1927, construction began on what was initially intended to be the Queen’s Park Plaza—a luxury apartment hotel. The project ran into financial difficulties and in 1934, was put up for sale. The building was eventually completed and opened as the Park Plaza Hotel in July 1936. A north tower was added to the site in the 1950s. In 1999, Hyatt acquired the hotel and renamed it the Park Hyatt Toronto. In 2014, Oxford Properties purchased the property and, three years later, closed it for extensive renovations. In partnership with the Park Hyatt, the original south tower building shown in the present-day photo—now known as Two Avenue Road—houses 65 luxury rental units, while the north tower remains a hotel that reopened in 2021 (Toronto Public Library Pictures- R-1870)
Both photos feature the Campbell Block, built in 1888, on the right. The building was restored to its former glory in 2015 using Leicester Orange Stock brick. Visible in the left foreground is a building constructed in 1907 and originally home to the Bank of British North America. This bank was acquired by the Bank of Montreal in 1918. For over a century, the building housed a BMO branch, which recently relocated three blocks to the west.
A few of the establishments in the archive photo, from right to left, include Super Submarine, Blue Donau Bakery & Deli, All Seasons Textile yard goods, Alps Restaurant & Banquet Hall and Sears (Junction) catalogue store (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 620, Item 736 – Avard Woolaver photographer)
The archive photo shows John’s Place shoe repair once at 83 River St (City of Toronto Archives, Strathy Smith fonds, Fonds 1128, Series 380, Item 241)
The archive photo shows looking southeast from Albert St, when it intersected with Yonge St. Notice the Toronto Dominion Bank, built in 1905 and designed by architect Edward James Lennox, next door to The Colonial Tavern (CU110499467, by Panda Associates, Courtesy of Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary)
Both photos show the Comstock Building on the corner at 75 Victoria St, built in 1890 and added to the city’s heritage register in 1973. The archive photo shows Leon’s Restaurant (City of Toronto Archives, Harvey R. Naylor fonds, Fonds 1526, File 61, Item 48)
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register
- City of Toronto Heritage Register: 2858 Dundas St W (Campbell Block, looking northwest at Dundas St W & Keele St)
- City of Toronto Heritage Register: 2859 Dundas St W (Bank of British North America, looking northwest at Dundas St W & Keele St)
- Heritage Toronto
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Mar 27, 1954, pg 7 (Streetcar service, looking southeast along Yonge St from Grosvenor St & Alexander St)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Oct 21, 1954, pg 17 (Streetcar service, looking southeast along Yonge St from Grosvenor St & Alexander St)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Feb 28, 1957, pg 5 (Westbury Hotel, looking southeast along Yonge St from Grosvenor St & Alexander St)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Aug 14, 1963, pg 2 (Westbury Hotel, looking southeast along Yonge St from Grosvenor St & Alexander St)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Oct 22, 1999, pg B7 (Courtyard by Marriott, looking southeast along Yonge St from Grosvenor St & Alexander St)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Jul 4, 2007, pg A9 (looking northeast along Yonge St from Gould St)
- Landmarks of Toronto: Volume 1 by J Ross Robertson (1894), pg 23 (Tecumseh Wigwam, northwest corner of Bloor St W & Avenue Rd)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Jan 12, 1912, pg 9 (Tecumseh Wigwam, northwest corner of Bloor St W & Avenue Rd)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: May 6, 1927, pg 14 (Park Plaza, northwest corner of Bloor St W & Avenue Rd)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Oct 20, 1934, pg 2 (Park Plaza, northwest corner of Bloor St W & Avenue Rd)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Jul 10, 1936, pg 9 (Park Plaza, northwest corner of Bloor St W & Avenue Rd)
- Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: Nov 24, 2017, pg A3 (Park Hyatt Toronto, northwest corner of Bloor St W & Avenue Rd)
- Two Avenue Road (Two Avenue Road, northwest corner of Bloor St W & Avenue Rd)
- Kreitmaker: Campbell Block (Campbell Block, looking northwest at Dundas St W & Keele St)
- Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Public Library, Archives of Ontario & CNE Heritage
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory, courtesy of Toronto Public Library
