New and continuing developments in the Annex
By MADELINE SMART
with files from HENRY WIERCINSKI, Annex Residents’ Association
Photos by BRIAN BURCHELL, renderings from developers’ and city’s websites
By MADELINE SMART
with files from HENRY WIERCINSKI, Annex Residents’ Association
Photos by BRIAN BURCHELL, renderings from developers’ and city’s websites
By Nabahat Hussain
Due to the current public health safety restrictions, Westbank Corp., the developer of the Mirvish Village project, was unable to host its annual turkey giveaway this year.
By Tanya Ielyseieva
Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina), Daniel Freeman of Freeman Realty, Ted Winick of Spirit of Math, and Joe Mihevc (Ward 21, St. Paul’s West) gave away 500 turkeys in three hours just before Christmas. Now in its second year, the event is an homage to Ed Mirvish, who also used to give away turkeys before Christmas at Honest Ed’s. “We feel a strong obligation to give back to the community,” said Elden Freeman, who co-sponsors the event with Winick. BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS
BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS Deals fell to the floor as the Honest Ed’s demolition continued with the dismantling of masonry, lumber, and steel. Originally divided by a city-owned alley called Honest Ed’s Way, the store’s sections were constructed very differently. Pictured here is the west annex, which was built on the houses that once stood there and featured crooked floors, because the houses were not built to the same elevations.
Tags: General
NEILAND BRISSENDEN/GLEANER NEWS Honest Ed’s is slowly crumbling, as excavators have begun to pull down the west building from the rear to make way for a mixed use development at Bathurst and Bloor streets. Ed Mirvish built this part of his store over existing houses, which is why the floors were crooked. The developers are preserving 27 buildings on Markham and Bathurst streets, and will incorporate them in the development.
PHOTO BY GEREMY BORDONARO: Part of the iconic Honest Ed’s sign was dismantled on May 23 causing a frenzy of interest from residents and media alike. The sign, which was removed piece by piece throughout the day, will be kept in storage until it can be displayed once more at its new location on the Victoria Street side of the Ed Mirvish Theatre.
By Geremy Bordonaro
For 68 years, Honest Ed’s welcomed all those who came to its doors. While the store made its last sale on the final day of 2016, it will play host to a grand wake before it closes its doors one last time. And organizers hope the celebration will be a tribute to the spirit of inclusivity that they say was a hallmark of the discount emporium.
Without missing a beat, Freeman Real Estate and Spirit of Math spanned wing-on-wing to make sure one of the area’s holiday traditions would continue to fly. Thanks to their efforts, nearly 500 hundred turkeys flew off a giveaway table set up at 988 Bathurst St. last December.
PHOTO BY NOELLE?DEFOUR/GLEANER NEWS: TTC chair Josh Colle (Ward 15, Eglinton-Lawrence), David Mirvish, and Mayor John Tory mark the impending closing of Honest Ed’s by unveiling a poster mimicking the discount store’s signature advertising style at the Bathurst Street entrance of Bathurst Station on Nov. 1. The store will officially close on Dec. 31.