as I walk Toronto

below: 504 King streetcar on a snowy January afternoon

As you all know, Toronto is being demolished and redeveloped.  Almost every part of the city is affected by the construction of new condo buildings or the upgrading of public transit.  It can be difficult to keep up documenting the changes!  A few weeks ago I posted some pictures from Queen & Spadina where Metrolinx is building a new subway station for the Ontario Line.  The next stop west from there is at King and Bathurst.

Infrastructure Ontario wants to build what they call a Transit-Oriented Community (TOC) at King and Bathurst.  The gist of the plan is that these sites will feature high density development around transit hubs.  Some of the plans for condo and office may still be at the concept level but the new subway station work is well underway.

below: Looking south on Bathurst from King.  On the southwest corner is the Wheatsheaf Tavern  which has been here since 1849.  The exterior of the building hasn’t changed much in 170 years!  It remains untouched by today’s construction.

below: The Banknote Bar on the southeast corner is now gone, or at least most of it has been demolished.  The north facade will be incorporated into the new station, the King-Bathurst station (Are they really going to call it that?  So Dull. So Bland.).

This 4 storey brick building was previously a Bank of Montreal.  It was built in 1901/02 for the Canadian Biscuit Company.   It then had a series of tenants until 1923 when Bank of Montreal moved in.

Previously, a mixed use development rising above the old brick structure had been proposed for the site (prior to Metrolinx).  Cancelled.  At this point there is no other development on this corner.

below: Looking east on King

You can see that the corner (above picture) is now covered by a very big white temporary structure where construction of another station underway. What will be revealed? Plans suggest a mixed office/residential tower above with rebuilding of most portions of the TD bank that was on the corner, as well as the building directly east of it. No car parking spots, bikes only. Concept stage? Or further along?  One day we might find out!

Last, the northeast corner –

below: Clock Tower lofts dominates the corner.  There really are two clocks on the side of the building, both of which are difficult to see.  But that doesn’t matter since they don’t work anyhow.

below: 1919 photo of the Clocktower Building.  It was in bad shape in 1980 and was demolished.  The Clock Tower Lofts (above) replaced it.  In 1919 it was home to Otto Higel Piano Company. The church in the background is St. Marys Roman Catholic church at Bathurst and Adelaide.

The building dates from 1895; it was built for the Toronto Lithographing Company who used it until 1901.  Next, the Newell & Higel Co. Ltd take over the building where they manufacture piano actions, keys and hammers, and organ keys, reeds, and reedboards.  By 1912 they employed 450 people.  They developed a Player Piano that became famous around the world and business boomed.  They expanded the building north to the corner of Adelaide Street West.

By the way, a Player Piano is one that plays itself.  The 1920’s were their heyday but advances in technology, especially the introduction of radios and record players, helped kill the Player Piano.  By the 1930s production ceased.

below: A 1970s view of the northwest corner.

below: Looking out the window of the Wheatsheaf Tavern.  How many people have sat here and looked out this window?  What did they think about?