Malta Bake Shop and Gilmore Ave

Walking throughout the Junction can be swift when on errands, but if walk slowly and look at the many of the buildings forms you can see interesting histories build from people's efforts.

The Malta Bake Shop store is one - a rectangular store sat in front of an existing building. The addition is one story in height and provides space for the seating area of business as well as the cash and serving areas.

Whilst the baking area is within the old building.

Situated out if the main Junction retail strip this bakery often is missed by new comers to the area. Offering great and authentic Maltese bakery items and legendary Pastizzis.

Also it is one of last aces in the Junction retail rep where you can experience the Junction of old while having a snack or making a purchase.

Old Canada Bread factory photo grouping of opening up of formerly bricked up back windows.

1st much thanks to reader Jimi Fir alerting the blog to this.

The factory now being converted into artist studios has a wonderful transformation at its rear.

The windowed bricked up
For so long are being shod of their bricks.


Inside the northern most space.


Inside looking towards the CPR tracks at doors that once held the opening for the waste doors for the bakery.


Track side view

Silvano Colour Labs history and specs of the purpose built building currently for sale.

This  building was purposely for the professional printing  firm  Silvano Colour Lab a company that  was very big in the professional photo printing for decades. 1st in a very similar looking building just across the street from this building which the business occupied until its closing.

Silvano Venuto and John Sacilotto created a     colour processing company in Toronto’s west end just south of Roger Rd. On Old Weston Rd. Skilled engineers they built   their own processing machinery, modified equipment all to provide on of the best printing services available.

Silvano Color Labs moved forward with all the changes taking place in their industry for decades, well just over 5 decades.. The technological  sweep of  digital imaging  photography and new forms of sharing photos such as email and online photo services greatly changed the nature of the industry, yet this great company stayed open until February 3, 2012.

This blogger with really miss their SILVANO EASY CROP MASKS.



 

from their website - now down.

 

We've been serving the Photofinishing Needs of Wedding/Social, School, Sports and Industrial/Commercial Photographers, Wedding Couples and Photo Consumers since 1955. We offer a full range of FILM (including C-41, E-6 and B&W) and DIGITAL PHOTO IMAGING services. We also offer Giclée printing and Press Services. You can order on-line through our S.O.S. Order System or our FTP Server. Please visit our Showroom for a large variety of Albums, Scrapbooks, CD/DVD Holders, Folders, Easels, Mounts, Memory Mates, Folios and Photo Packaging. We are based in Toronto Ontario Canada.

 

PDF for their last downloadable price list, its more than price-list though, rather a text and pictorial model of how the professional printing business operated.

 

[caption id="attachment_11375" align="aligncenter" width="489" caption="image from: http://www.phsc.ca/journal/NEWSSHEET201202FINAL.pdf"][/caption]

The Building.

[caption id="attachment_11325" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="http://www.metcomrealty.com/pdfs/Weston_Rd_355_Sale_Feb_10.pdf"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_11326" align="aligncenter" width="486" caption="http://www.metcomrealty.com/pdfs/Weston_Rd_355_Sale_Feb_10.pdf"][/caption]

 

Building Area: 84,000 sq ft (above grade + 28,000 sq ft lower level)
Typical Floor: 28,000 sq ft (approximately)
Total Area: 56,628 sq ft – 1.8 acres (mpac)
Frontage: 240.75‘
Depth: 235.2’
T.M.I.: $2.91/ sq ft (2009)
Shipping: 1 X truck level, 5 X drive-in
Zoning: E - General Employment
Elevators: 1 X Freight, 2 X Passenger
Parking: +/-150 surface
List Price: $7,950,000.00 - $94.64/ sq ft

[caption id="attachment_11327" align="aligncenter" width="457" caption="This image from sales flyer of http://www.metcomrealty.com/ click image to visit their site"][/caption]

 

VENDOR: Silvano and Celestina Investments.
BUILDING AREA: 28,000 sq.ft. – Lower level
28,000 sq.ft. – First floor
28,000 sq.ft – Second Floor
28,000 sq.ft. - Third Floor
112,000 sq.ft. – Total Building area
LOT DIMENSIONS: 240.75’ Frontage x 235.2’ Depth
LOT AREA: 56,628 square feet - 1.8 acres (As per MPAC)
ZONING: “E – General Employment” – allowing a variety of industrial uses, some commercial as well as office uses subject
to municipal approval.
BUILDING: Brick veneer exterior, pored concrete and I-Beam construction;
Triple thermal pane window units;
Flat tar and gravel roof;
27.7 kilo-volts Vendor owned electrical sub-station;
15 X 5/10 ton HVAC Units;
Steel, rebar and poured concrete floors,.
400 sq ft Bay size;
13’ Clear Height; and,
1 X truck level – 5 X drive in shipping doors.
ADJACENT LAND USES: To the north: Public Self-Storage facility;
To the south: Monument manufacturing and Show-Room;
To the east: CN/CP and GO Railway corridor; and
To the west: Residential dwellings and Commercial use.

Silvano 2011 website image.

 

 

What they have... we don't in community building resources

The reason for the trip to the Bloordale area today was to visit Nelison Park Creative Centre, a place for families and children, a making place for kids, a leaning environment for everyone for everyone.

A gallery, a community meeting place ringing with light sounds from adult classes and kids summer events, which I can hear as I sit in the gallery.

Why provide you with all this information about a building and it's community two citys wards away and blocks from the Junction? Well the local police will move from their current building on 209 Mavety St in the next month or so.

When · 11 Division, on Mavety St. leaves the city will offer the building internally to any department in need of it. Or worse sell it! .. For development, to private businesses for use.

Yet this blog believes the community should have the building for it's own uses. In our ward the community has a very special place in the area of Swansea the Swansea Town Hall. This building is wonderful for the community, ward 13's current councillor came out the town hall, undoubtedly having community gain opinions and knowledge of her while she worked there. What a great way to see the values and operational skills of a future politician.

Yet it is not of the Junction, Swansea Town Hall. It's too far for families to walk to. Activities and needs for the local people probably differ in many ways. The Junction is much more urban and industrially gritty than Sawnsea. Further the Junction is strip community straddling a rail network.

The Junction consisting of the Upper Junction and lower Junction could benefit greatly from the conversion of the police station into community use.

What could it be like ... Here are a few photos of the Nelison Park Creative Centre in Bloordale. Left out are images of the activity rooms as they were occupied with people.



 



 

Tailors Shoes arcade to go?

This arcade takes up  a great amount of  the floor space available in the building - a remarkable proportion that was commonplace in shops in the 1930s to the 1960's in the Junction. The double sided shop has two side display windows and a third and fourth outcrop at the rear on both the left and right side.

 The arcade floor is black, red and white small tiled surface in great condition. The display cases are edged in chrome surrounds but there are no glazing snaps between some of the large panes of plate glass. Large expanses of glazing, particularly curved or bent glass, were very fashionable at one time.

All beautiful, but I just cannot see the social agency (Community Living Toronto is a community organization serving individuals with an intellectual disability, they will offer community social and recreational classes and activities)  moving in keeping it, as they probably need the arcade space inside the building.

UPDATE: The Junction residents association has spoken with them about keeping the arcade

 

Mulock Ave and area industrial concurrent activities on any morning

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="643" caption="Milk delivery to the cheese firm"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="643" caption="Textile delivery to Topper Linens"][/caption]

Vine ave demolition happening Tuesday Morning

61 63 67 Vine ave coming down Tuesday, these images about 9:15

Post Victorian rear

Just look what can done with similar types of housing buildings that bare common in the Junction.

An addition type that really builds out and creates wonderful living space.

...and does not attack the historic fabric of the building.

The above image is in Italy


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2978 Dundas Street West undergoing brick remediation

Over the past few months the east and north walls of this building have undergone a rather long stepped procedure to repair the brick of the building. this author believes the building owner should be commended for taking the time and care to consider the community and the building when repairing his building.

He could have chosen to simply the lowest cost modern "repair" method.

WHEN THE JUNCTION FLICKERED article

About the cinemas that once lined the West Toronto Junction article over at Heritage Toronto website.

Imagine an 800-seat theatre in the Junction, with an elegant marbleized lobby and a state-of-the-art theatre organ that could simulate a full orchestra.

Consider, too, management's efforts to lure children to the cinema with the prize of a Shetland pony for best attendance.

The Beaver Theatre opened Nov. 24, 1913 on Dundas St. W., east of Pacific Ave. That was just four years after the community, a then prosperous manufacturing centre crossed by four rail lines, was annexed by the City of Toronto

more? direct link

Brought to the blogs attention by David W.

Industrial repairs in the community, yea!

Always like to see the industrial gang making efforts to stick around!

In the image below, much needed work is being done on the Keele Centre bi-level industrial mall, at 530 Keele St.



...and in the image below the CPR is cleaning up and laying down some new fill on the area that was last used by them for their Iron Highway effort.

Maple Leaf Mills/St Marys Cement repairs to window area

After many years of completely smashed out windows the warehouse part of the old Maple Leaf Mills  site - now used by St Marys Cement has had the window fenestration area repaired. Much the original window opening  has been filled in by plywood sheeting while a small area has a new window inset

Handyman Shop 3077 Dundas Street West - Update

After only 3 weeks the Handyman Shop building is almost completely framed and what a difference it makes.  So far in my opinion the new building looks great.  The curved corner has been replaced, the size and placement of the windows looks good and even with the additional floor the scale is appropriate for the area.

My thanks to the developers for respecting the area and building what so far looks like a perfect addition to the Junction.  It proves you can teardown a hundred year old building and rebuild it with the same character.

I’m really looking forward to the next few weeks when we see the final finishes and the next few months when new tenants and businesses move in.

Submitted by Martin L. co -chair of the Junction Residents Association

Long well maintained building gets more care

We'd glanced at back of what can arguably be one the most beautiful multi residential buildings in the Junction too see some restoration work proceeding.

Wonderful.

Function in the Junction

Saturday March 27 2010

Your Junction Residents Association proudly presents Function in the Junction.  A fundraiser to support the continuing historical research of the brave firefighters of the Junction 423.

All proceeds will be used to professionally frame historic photographs and documents for display in the fire house

A four-course dinner will be served at Aquila restaurant from 6-8 pm for $35 per person.

We are  excited to announce  that  the hours for dinner have been extended to 10:00pm  so remember  to book your space  with Aquila

In celebration and honour of Earth Hour we  will enjoy the sounds of acuostic music performed in Candlelight  from 8:30-9:30pm

Renovation waste removal in the Junction

Having the waste removed from a renovation project in the Junction, can be daunting. Using a steel bin requires city approval if it is to be set on city property. Placing it on your property can destroy the lawn of the small front lots of  Junction houses.  For the small footprint options - using the Rhinobag and the U-BOX-IT are two options - the latter is now the most favored option by this author, simply because they have a low profile small fork lift devise that can easily scoot down our narrow lane-ways and up to small Junction front lots. It does not have the hoisting issues that the Rhinobag has. Such as not being able to pass over parked cars and overhead wire issues, both of which can leave a Rhinobag sitting for days at your location.

Runnymede Healthcare Centre at ground level

Images from this past weekend of the Runnymede Healthcare Centre old building demo



Sure looks different St Johns Rd, and it all happened so fast.

Two major demos occurring in the Junction - photo post

Right now there are two major building teardowns occurring in the Junction. The demolition of the Runnymede Healthcare Centre which  recently opened a new building and the Carleton Village public school on Davenport Ave West .

Both teardowns are contributing to new buildings to better serve the community yet, more heritage lost is sad. Although in the case of the Carleton Village public school some of the old building will remain to be incorporated into the new police station.

[caption id="attachment_5938" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Runnymede Healthcare Centre"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5939" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Runnymede Healthcare Centre"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5940" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Runnymede Healthcare Centre"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5941" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Carleton Village public school"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5942" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Carleton Village public school"][/caption]