Exploring 1 Spadina Crescent

  • Posted by Zach
  • Filed in City
  • August 31, 2006

explore1spadina.jpgWhile I was playing around with geotagging the other day, I found some photos I had taken while exploring 1 Spadina Crescent. The building sits in the middle of Spadina Avenue, just north of College and has since 1875. It got me thinking about the building where I worked for one year, often late into the night. I still remember the haunting atmosphere of the place. It's a building that smells of lives already lived and you can feel it breathing with history. It is also quite beautiful.

Marc Gotlieb argues that "by virtue of its dedicated circle and soaring tower, it is hard to imagine a more impressive gateway to the university." Toronto philanthropist Bernard Herman obviously agrees with Marc. In 2005, Harman donated "$1 million to help restore the University of Toronto's heritage property at 1 Spadina Crescent."

"People give money to the poor, the sick and the aged to satisfy their conscience," says Herman, a U of T alumnus and avid art collector. "A person gives to the Faculty of Arts and Science to satisfy his or her intellect."
Giving money to a building like 1 Spadina Crescent also satisfies his or her city's past. Built by Knox College before they moved to St. George, the building later became a military hospital during the First World War. In 1918 Amelia Earhart worked here as a nurses aide. Then, in 1943, Connaught Laboratories purchased the hospital, where they manufactured important vaccines and antitoxins. Since 1972, 1 Spadina has belonged to the University of Toronto, however the story continued.

The building became home to the university's fine art department. In January of 2001, fine art senior lecturer David Buller was stabbed to death in his office in 1 Spadina. The tragic murder is unsolved to this day.

The building also houses the Eye Bank of Ontario. I still laugh about the cabbies who would sporadically arrive with small coolers -- eye donations.






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Wow, Zach. Awesome post... the pictures are creepy and great but learning the history of the building was even better.

They should hold an open house.

Posted by: Tanja at August 31, 2006 7:52 PM

I always wondered both what that building was used for, and also where it was that Earhart had worked as a nurse. Crazy, and sad, to hear about the unsolved murder too.

Posted by: sookie at August 31, 2006 10:51 PM

I used to love coming in to the building to stop by the offices Zach. There's lots of neat stuff there that most UofT students don't know about.

Posted by: Sameer Vasta [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 1, 2006 12:59 AM

I wish everyone could go there. It would be awesome if it was a part of Open Doors Toronto.

Posted by: Zach at September 1, 2006 1:07 AM

Awesome post and cool UE photos!

Posted by: jerrold at September 1, 2006 2:02 AM

Actually, yeah. I'm a fine art student in U of T, I often have to stay there late at night, I like workin at night when few people are around, I get more work done that way. One time, I was in hte darkroom, in the middle of the night (3am perhaps), and the room was pitchblack (with tiny safe light on). The building was empty, except for one other person next door in the printmaking room (or so I thought). Then, suddenly, I heard whispers by my ear (no, it didnt' come from next door, my door was closed, I wouldn't hear unless the peron next door screams and the sound clearly came from beside me)... I was really scared, but I didn't want to turn on the lights and ruin my picture. I waited, for another 30 seconds, when the picture was done developing. Turn on the lights, then walk out of the room to the print making room... and realised no one was there. Could he have left in the 30 seconds without me hearing? Highly doubtful. Could I have imgined it, who knows.


and no, don't even think about it, you need a valid student card to enter after 5pm (however, anyone can go there before 5 though.)

Posted by: Nov at September 1, 2006 5:39 PM

Howdy,

I was very happy to see this webpage. I work at One Spadina Crescent and have spent hours wandering the halls...some kind of odd things left over (old electric chair-looking device with metal arm and leg restraints hiding in a closet!!). Indeed, very sad to think of the former professor who was murdered. I think about him sometimes while roaming the halls...the building is still in bad shape physically. I have vermin infestations like crazy and the basement hallway literally waterfalls with water when it rains hard outside! Not cool. Thank you for providing a place to talk about such a lovely structure!

Posted by: Urban G at October 12, 2007 10:25 AM

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