blogTO | Posts by jonathan

blogTO | Posts by jonathan http://www.blogto.com/ Toronto blog Copyright 2009 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:33:04 PST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Toronto's Forgotten Landmarks: Don Mount Court As recently as a few months back, on the Eastern side of Toronto's Don River just North of Queen street, sat Don Mount Court. I actually happened upon this then-abandoned location tangentially while scouting an infamous derelict 'gentleman's club' to the South of the massive housing complex; the TCHC (Toronto Community Housing Corp.) structure was home to some 232 households, until severe structural damage to the late 1960's building was reported.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2009/01/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_don_mount_court http://www.blogto.com/city/2009/01/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_don_mount_court City Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:00:51 PST City Jonathan Castellino 2009-01-05T21:00:51 Toronto's Forgotten Landmarks: Charles Street Mansions Until only a few months ago, a mere block south and west of Bloor and Bay street lay home to the old derelict Charles Street Victoria College mansions. Since 2002, these 2 blocks of abandomnments have been slowly vanishing, making room for new hotel and condominium developments.

Since my alma mater, St. Michael's College, lies just adjacent to the property, I have spent (wasted?) much time salivating over these beautiful, and absolutely impenetrable late 19th century buildings. It was not until fairly recently that I was able to finally gain entry, and at that, in quite unique a manner.

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/12/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_charles_street_mansions http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/12/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_charles_street_mansions City Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:42:36 PST City Jonathan Castellino 2008-12-26T11:42:36 Downsview Park(ing lot) Recession? What recession? While going to snap some photos on the old military grounds at Downsview this past weekend, my friend and I discovered something quite strange: alongside the derelict hangars and control tower of the old base were several hundred brand new Dodge vehicles.

Hoping to quietly park behind the cars and get down to business (photography business, that is), we were met by security guarding what we thought was the base, but ended up being the cars themselves. After leaving, tails between our legs, we decided to drive across to see more of the base, got out onto the old tarmac, and lo and behold: more cars. What exactly was going on here?

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/12/downsview_parking_lot http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/12/downsview_parking_lot City Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:36:44 PST City Jonathan Castellino 2008-12-15T16:36:44 Toronto's Forgotten Landmarks: A Night at the Roxy Few of us will recall frequenting Toronto's Allenby Theatre at 1213 Danforth Avenue, even under its later name, The Roxy. This 1930s art deco theater is a perfect example of inter-war architecture and style, and typified the classic neighbourhood theatre, or 'nabe', as author John Sebert calls them, before it was abandoned.

An anonymous tip led me to this spot on a derelict strip in an old part of town. After a daytime scout (and the realization that 80s anti-climb grid, unlike its modern antecessor, acts more like a sideways-ladder), me and a friend returned quite early one evening.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/12/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_a_night_at_the_roxy http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/12/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_a_night_at_the_roxy City Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:03:59 PST City Jonathan Castellino 2008-12-11T11:03:59 Rooftopping Toronto: King and Yonge, Down and Out There is nothing quite as mesmerizing as gazing down at the vibrant night city from quiet heights in the center of Toronto's business district. The vantage point from King and Yonge astounds me; not because of its frenzy, but because of its silent lull.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/12/rooftopping_toronto_king_and_yonge_down_and_out http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/12/rooftopping_toronto_king_and_yonge_down_and_out City Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:34:35 PST City Jonathan Castellino 2008-12-02T11:34:35 Toronto Behind the Boarding: 1495 Queen West Ten years ago, where Dowling Avenue joins Queen St. West, a housing project built in 1920 went up in flames. Two perished in the fire, two more in its aftermath. 1495 Queen St. West has sat vacant ever since, awaiting the results of numerous battles between independent housing groups and city councils.

Given the circumstances surrounding this buildings' demise, it piqued my curiosity in a special way. It has sat unoccupied, yes, but not empty - all of the former tenants' belongings and accoutrements were left intact after the evacuation. This, coupled with the startling realization (after climbing to the top of an adjacent building to get a holistic view of the ruin) that approximately 1/8th of the 3-story structure has literally fallen into itself, made my visits inside an absolute must.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/11/toronto_behind_the_boarding_1495_queen_west http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/11/toronto_behind_the_boarding_1495_queen_west City Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:45:59 PST City Jonathan Castellino 2008-11-23T19:45:59 Giving Back to Toronto: Volunteer Opportunities During the Holiday Season As the dizzying Holiday Season approaches, Toronto urbanites need to remember that the state of a society is best gauged by looking at its most needy. Often overwhelmed by the practicalities involved with this time of year, it is easy to forget to make room for those who truly need our care.

Thankfully, many Torontonians share the proper spirit of giving by volunteering their resources (the most valuable of these being time) during this period, so if you are willing to make this sacrifice, you need to plan ahead.

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/11/giving_back_to_toronto_volunteer_opportunities_during_the_holiday_season http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/11/giving_back_to_toronto_volunteer_opportunities_during_the_holiday_season City Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:12:15 PST City Jonathan Castellino 2008-11-18T09:12:15 Toronto Behind the Boarding: Queen and Beverly Ever since the upper floor of the storefronts on the south side of Queen and Beverly caught fire a while back, I have had my eye on the buildings. There is something very perplexing about prime real estate in downtown Toronto sitting derelict, no matter what the damage. What is even more confusing is the city's attempt to pretend to be working on the place, just so that passers-by don't give it a second thought.

Eventually my curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to find a way in.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/11/toronto_behind_the_boarding_queen_and_beverly http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/11/toronto_behind_the_boarding_queen_and_beverly City Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:55:11 PST City Jonathan Castellino 2008-11-12T12:55:11 Toronto's Forgotten Landmarks: Metropolitan United Church Parsonage On the south-west corner of Church and Shuter, nestled between two of Toronto's oldest, largest, and most spectacular churches is the beautiful Metropolitan United Church Parsonage.

I use the term 'is' here very liberally, for as you read this, the more modern portion of the building (1929 as opposed to the original 1906 western section) is being torn apart.

During my first visit a few Sundays ago, I was able to see the structure in its entirety, but upon visiting it again some 2 days later, I witnessed a large Lions tractor making a convertible of the eastern sections.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/11/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_metropolitan_united_church_parsonage http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/11/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_metropolitan_united_church_parsonage City Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:00:53 PST City Jonathan Castellino 2008-11-05T09:00:53 Just Jags: Where the Old Cats Go to Die While paying a visit to one of my old haunts, I came upon a Jaguar graveyard a stone's throw away - 'Just Jags'. For me, nothing is more haunting than the husk of a vehicle or building which exists in operative form elsewhere. Not knowing the safeguards such a property might have, I waited until an immaculate '77 XJ sleuthed in, and bracing myself, gingerly made my way out back to find someone who might be able to answer my questions.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/just_jags_where_the_old_cats_go_to_die http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/just_jags_where_the_old_cats_go_to_die City Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:20:17 PDT City Jonathan Castellino 2008-10-24T09:20:17 Toronto's Forgotten Landmarks: Don Valley Brick Works The Don Valley is lovely, dark, and deep, and anyone who has traversed its many paths, crevices and alcoves surely knows of its most beautiful secret - the derelict Don Valley Brick Works. Built in 1889, the brick factory was responsible for the cornerstones of some of Toronto's most famous buildings, yet since its final closure decades ago, the site has remained fundamentally unchanged.

Beside the woods and frozen pond sits the silent monster, whose varied visitors will all attest to its almost unspeakable beauty. My first visit to the quarry was very brief, on a bike ride with my father when I was 8 years old or so. The image of the 'V-A-L-L-E-Y' stack (one of four original stacks reading 'Don Valley Brick Works') at the outermost edge of the ominous courtyard was burned into my memory from that moment on.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_don_valley_brick_works http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_don_valley_brick_works City Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:13:30 PDT City Jonathan Castellino 2008-10-22T09:13:30 Rooftopping Toronto: Eglinton and Yonge, Midtown Heights Some call it 'Yonge and Eligible' and others, the yuppie central. Toronto's midtown at Yonge and Eglinton is a very unique place. While offering the feel of being at the heart of the city pulse, one may still reclaim the charm of distance from downtown proper. We had our eyes on the tallest peak in the area for a while, but decided that we would wait until the building was at least partially active before making our ascent. The view is simply stunning, the isolation almost unbearable, and the silence utterly deafening.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/rooftopping_toronto_eglinton_and_yonge_midtown_heights http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/rooftopping_toronto_eglinton_and_yonge_midtown_heights City Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:57:56 PDT City Jonathan Castellino 2008-10-17T10:57:56 Rooftopping Toronto: Not So Long AGO Since the day I saw the planned architectural renovations to the Art Gallery of Ontario in a newspaper several years back, I knew that I would finally have a chance to answer the aesthetic dilemma that had been haunting me since the erection of the adjacent Tabletop building. And so, one quiet night well into the later phase of construction, we made our silent ascent.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/rooftopping_toronto_not_so_long_ago http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/rooftopping_toronto_not_so_long_ago City Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:41:15 PDT City Jonathan Castellino 2008-10-10T11:41:15 Toronto's Forgotten Landmarks: Regal Constellation Hotel Sitting silently just east of Toronto's Pearson airport is the derelict Regal Constellation Hotel. Built in 1962, this somewhat bizarre example of modernist architecture was geared toward conferences and trade shows, but due to corporate rearrangement, SARS, and a host of other unfortunate events, it has sat vacant for the past few years. This past weekend, I found myself at an international conference across the street (one that, ironically, used to be held at the Regal), and I could not help paying a visit to my old friend.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_regal_constellation_hotel http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/10/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_regal_constellation_hotel City Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:25:01 PDT City Jonathan Castellino 2008-10-07T09:25:01 Toronto's Forgotten Landmarks: The Guild Inn Sitting high atop the Scarborough Bluffs on Toronto's eastern side, sits one of our oldest and most beautiful hotels, the Guild Inn. Boarded-off and sealed to potential guests, this magnificent structure is also famed as being one of the most haunted buildings in Canada. It consists of two large buildings, the stouter of which was built in 1914, with a large addition being added in the mid-60s.

I've visited this place many times, as well as its beautiful surrounding gardens (still frequented for wedding photos and the like). In and of themselves, these gardens are quite interesting - in days past, whenever an important building in downtown Toronto was demolished, a small portion of the structure would be transplanted to the Guildwood gardens (behind the Inn). On my most recent sojourn, I decided to do something a little different than my usual photographic escapades - I decided to sleep over.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/09/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_the_guild_inn http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/09/torontos_forgotten_landmarks_the_guild_inn City Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:25:56 PDT City Jonathan Castellino 2008-09-30T09:25:56