The ghost sign is on the north side of the building and can be seen very well from the street level; however, there’s a good view of it from the deck of the Wallace Avenue Footbridge, which looks south. According to the ghost sign, this factory made aluminum cooking utensils.
The old factory was converted into living and working space and is today known as the Dundas West Arts Building (City of Toronto Archives, Former City of Toronto fonds, Fonds 200, Series 372, Sub Series 3, Item 1379)
The archive photo shows Classic Bookshop in the left foreground, which today is the site of Sankofa Square, previously known as Dundas Square. On the right, the building that housed the Hard Rock Cafe from 1978 until 2017 can be seen. This building has a rich history that dates back to 1918, when it was constructed for Child’s Restaurant. Later on, from 1963 to 1976, it was known as the legendary Friar’s Tavern. Today, the heritage-designated building is home to Shoppers Drug Mart and Friar’s Music Museum.
The present-day photo also showcases the beautifully restored Sam the Record Man neon spinning record signs that sit atop a building at 277 Victoria St, adding a touch of nostalgia to the cityscape (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 519, Item 22)
Built in 1931 and known as one of the “cathedrals of hockey,” this landmark was designed by architects Ross & Macdonald with associate architects Mackenzie Waters and Jack Ryrie. It took a record-breaking five months and 12 days to build.
The Gardens was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1931 to 1999. They won 11 of their 13 Stanley Cups there, and their first and last games there were against the Chicago Blackhawks.
In 2004, Loblaw Companies purchased the Toronto gem, and in 2009, renovations began. The roof, rafters and exterior were preserved. This historic building is home to Loblaws on the main level and Toronto Metropolitan University’s (formerly Ryerson University) Mattamy Athletic Centre, which includes a 2,700-seat hockey rink on the upper level (Toronto Public Library R-3834)
The archive photo depicts the aftermath of The Great Fire of Toronto, which occurred on the evening of April 19, 1904. The fire left the downtown core in ruins, destroying nearly 100 buildings, affecting 5,000 jobs, and causing over $10 million in damages (in 1904 dollars). The fire highlighted the need for safer building codes and a high-pressure water system, which was lacking at the time. The devastating event led to new bylaws for fire-resistant construction.
Today, the area where the fire took place is part of the city’s Financial District (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 2)
The archive photo provides a glimpse into the past when the Dominion Coal and Wood facility occupied the southwest corner. The nine concrete coal silos were constructed in 1928. The facility received coal and wood via rail along the former Belt Line Railway, which was then sold as heating fuel to area homeowners and businesses.
For more than seventy years, the towering silos were a prominent feature of the landscape. Dominion Coal and Wood expanded into selling building materials when coal sales declined but eventually closed the site in 1999. Despite their significance as a rare example of industrial architecture, the once-mighty silos were dismantled in 2001.
Today, a residential building stands at the site of the former facility and silos (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 124, File 3, Item 25)
The three-story building that once stood at 306 Davenport Rd was built circa 1904 and served as Lewis Bros Grocers until the mid-1930s, as shown in the archive photo. The building continued to operate as a grocery store, changing hands a few times until it was renamed Edward Whitehead Grocery in 1939, which remained in business until the mid-1960s.
In 1968, the building was repurposed as a Beckers store until the late 1970s when it was transformed into Just Desserts. Tragically, the location was the site of a fatal shooting in 1994. The building later became the Tiffany Tea Room Café before being converted into a Subway sandwich shop in the early 2000s.
The structure had a unique feature of a ghost sign that advertised Buckingham Cigarettes, which was still visible in the recent photo. The building was torn down in 2022, and there are plans to build a 22-storey condo tower known as Designers Walk at the site (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 3, Item 1019)
The archive photo is a captivating snapshot of the past, providing a glimpse into a bygone era. It reveals that the building once housed the Saphire Tavern. The legendary Jackie Shane recorded her album, “Jackie Shane Live,” at the Saphire Tavern in 1967 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 17, Item 22)
This fortress-like Romanesque Revival-style structure was designed by architect Arthur R Denison and constructed in 1890. Once a bustling police station, the building served the community until the late 1960s. Above the entrance, you can still see a fragment of the sign that reads “POLICE,” which serves as a reminder of its previous function.
Following its time as a police station, the building was repurposed and became the headquarters of the Federation of Italian Canadian Clubs & Associations. This organization acted as a unified voice for many associations, village clubs, sports clubs, and churches within the Italian community. The building was given heritage designation by the city in 1974.
Today, the old police station is an office for childcare services and the Canadian Italian Family Assistance Association (City of Toronto Archives, the picture was taken at the Archives)
The 3-storey hotel building at the corner dates back to 1897. Designed by architect John Wilson Siddall, it was initially known as the Kormann House and operated by Frantz J Kormann. In the mid-1910s, it became the Canada House Hotel/Tavern. A heritage notice from the City of Toronto states that Canada House closed its doors in the 1990s; however, it remained listed in the 2001 Toronto City Directory.
The city recognized the building’s historical and architectural significance, and it received heritage status in 2007. Today, the building is vacant, and there are plans to preserve it as part of a condo tower development (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 60, Item 24)
Built in 1907/08, the building was designed by architect Henry Simpson and originally known as the Strand Hotel. When the hotel closed in the early 1920s, it mainly housed permanent guests. The building was sold for $24,000 at a public auction and housed offices before being turned back into lodgings and becoming the Hotel Sheldon in the mid-1930s.
Over the years, it had several name changes, including the Sheldon House Hotel and the Sheldon Public House/Tavern in the 1970s and 80s. Later on, it became The Strand, a fine dining restaurant, and then the Grange Hotel.
More recently, it was home to the Batch House brewpub, which closed in 2021. Today, the heritage-designated building sits vacant (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 538)
The block has been the site of Kerr Hall since the 1960s. The cluster of buildings surrounding TMU Community Park form a square and are named after Howard Kerr, who served as the founding principal of Ryerson Institute of Technology from 1948 to 1966.
Kerr Hall is built on the site of the Toronto Normal School, which was established in the mid-19th century to educate elementary school teachers (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 17, Item 11)
The clock tower shown in both photos was originally part of Yonge Street Fire Hall No. 3 and later the St Charles Tavern. The fire hall was built in 1871 by architects Irving & Grand. It served as a fire station until 1928 and was used by a car wash and tire dealership.
In the 1950s, the building became the St Charles restaurant and cocktail bar, and over the next few decades, it became a popular spot for the gay community. Then known as the St Charles Tavern, it closed in 1987. The building later housed various nightclubs.
The heritage-designated clock tower and the neighbouring building have been restored and incorporated into the Halo Residences, a 45-storey tower. A glass structure next to the historic clock tower depicts the fire hall that once stood on the site (Google Maps)
The archive photo shows on the marquee that “Kong Kong” and “Leopard Man” were playing at the Imperial Theatre, originally Pantages Theatre. Later, Imperial Six went back to Pantages, Canon, and today, the Ed Mirvish Theatre.
Also, notice the Senator Restaurant in the left foreground (Unique identifier CU110867860, by Panda Associates, Courtesy of Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary)
The archive photo reveals a different view from what we see today. It shows the corner was a parking lot with several commercial buildings in the background. In the far right of both photos, we can spot the former Christie, Brown & Company Factory, which is now home to George Brown College (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 8, Item 3)
The photos show the heritage-designated 19th-century commercial buildings from 496 to 508 Yonge St (except for 500 Yonge St) along with the clock tower that was once part of the former Yonge Street Fire Hall No. 3, later St Charles Tavern in the distance (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 2, Item 81)
The building, constructed over a period of six years between 1929 and 1935, is a magnificent example of the Beaux-Arts Classicism style of architecture. The esteemed architect Thomas W Fuller designed the building, which has since become a landmark of Toronto.
The city recognized its historical significance by granting it heritage status in 1973, and it was later listed on the prestigious Canadian Register in 2011 (Library and Archives Canada a068224)
Built in 1871 and designed by architects Irving & Grand, the fire hall once at 484-488 Yonge St was in active use until 1928. After that, it became a car wash and then a tire dealership. In 1950, the building was again repurposed as the St Charles restaurant and cocktail bar, as shown in the archive photo. Over the next few decades, the St Charles Tavern became a popular destination for the gay community, hosting many drag shows.
After the St Charles closed in 1987, it continued to house a variety of nightclubs. Recently, the heritage-designated clock tower along the neighbouring building, once home to Syd Silver Formals, have been restored and incorporated into the 45-storey tower called Halo Residences (Toronto Public Library R-3759)
In 1929, “Little Red,” as it’s affectionately known, was saved from demolition during lake filling. The lighthouse was carefully moved using wooden rollers and pulled to where it stands today. In 2023, Little Red was restored, which involved replacing old cedar shingles, repairing damaged wood, and applying a coat of red paint to live up to its name.
For decades, this heritage-designated lighthouse has been an integral part of the city’s waterfront landscape, and its restoration ensures that it will continue to be a cherished landmark (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1128, File 380, Item 46)
The 2020 photo showcases the three-story building that once stood at 306 Davenport Rd, featuring a Buckingham Cigarettes ghost sign. It was built around 1904 and served as Lewis Bros Grocers until the mid-1930s. The building continued to operate as a grocery store, changing hands a few times until it was renamed Edward Whitehead Grocery in 1939, which remained in business until the mid-1960s.
In 1968, the building was repurposed as a Beckers store until the late 1970s when it was transformed into Just Desserts, a popular dessert shop in the area. Tragically, the location was the site of a fatal shooting in 1994. The building later became the Tiffany Tea Room Café before being converted into a Subway in the early 2000s.
The building was torn down in 2022, and there are plans to build a 22-storey condo tower known as Designers Walk at the site
In 1905, Canadian Northern Railway (later part of Canadian National Railway) purchased the land east of Cherry St and south from Eastern Ave. As part of its expansion plans, the railway company demolished more than 200 houses that stood on the land over the next ten years. They built their own facilities, including the freight office building, constructed circa 1923. The building remained in use until 1970, when the railways began leaving the area.
In the late 1980s, the provincial government took over a substantial portion of the area’s railway land for redevelopment, including the former freight office at 453 Cherry St. The building received heritage designation in 2005. It, along with the historic former Palace Street School building across the street, serves as a gateway to the modern neighbourhood (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 19, Item 28)
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register
- Heritage Toronto
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- Heritage Toronto: St. Charles Clock Tower – Yonge Street Fire Hall 1872 plaque
- Heritage Toronto: Queen’s Wharf Lighthouse plaque
- Toronto Metropolitan University: Looking Back at the History of the Normal School Building (Kerr Hall)
- Heritage Toronto: Canadian National Railway Office Building plaque
- Heritage Toronto: Dominion Coal and Wood plaque
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Jan 27, 1923, pg 18 (81 Victoria St)
- Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Public Library, Archives of Ontario & CNE Heritage
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
