Canadian skylines of the past

[OTSkyline]

Wow... so more densification happened since that time, it's hard to believe how ugly and empty it used to be.

Imagine living on that 1 street surrounded by mills and parking lots

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

Imagine living on that 1 street surrounded by mills and parking lots

Detroit 2014.

[Martin Mtl]

1964


Source

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Darkoshvilli

1979


https://www.flickr.com/photos/martig...65587/sizes/h/

Radio Canada urban renewal was a disaster. Also, Drapeau in McGill Ghetto (half destroyed).

urnommé le faubourg à m’lasse, le quartier où se situe maintenant la tour de Radio-Canada comptait vers 1880 plus de 16 000 habitants. Ce dernier avait été surnommé ainsi en raison de la forte odeur de mélasse qui flottait dans l’air en raison du déchargement sur les quais de tonneaux contenant cette substance sucré.

En 1930, quelques années seulement après la prise de cette photographie, le quartier fut sectionné en 2 suite à la construction du pont Jacques-Cartier. Ainsi donc, plusieurs résidences et industries furent rasés. Cet évènement ne fut toutefois pas celui qui entraina le plus de démolitions dans le secteur.

C’est plutôt au cours des années 1950 et 1960, lors des nombreux travaux de réaménagement et de construction que le quartier connu un brusque déclin.

Plusieurs centaines de résidences furent démolies lors de l’élargissement du boulevard René-Lévesque, de l’aménagement de bretelles d’accès au pont, ainsi que pour permettre la construction de la tour de Radio-Canada.

En fait, plus de 5000 familles furent délogées de leur quartier dans les années 1960 suite aux projets d’éliminations des taudis. Le terrain aujourd’hui occupé par la tour de Radio-Canada et son vaste stationnement comportait autrefois : 778 logements, 12 épiceries, 13 restaurants, 8 garages, 4 imprimeries et 20 usines.

Bref, un quartier résidentiel complet est disparu entre les rues René-Lévesque et Notre-Dame. Il serait donc souhaitable que le projet de construction de logements annoncé plus tôt au cours de l’année sur le site de Radio-Canada voit le jour. Celui-ci permettrait probablement de redonner du dynamisme à ce secteur de la ville qui ne semble être aujourd’hui qu’un vaste terrain de stationnements.

plans to redevelop neighbourhood: http://spacing.ca/montreal/2008/11/0...-canada-plans/

[Chadillaccc]

So much has changed in such a short time...



http://www.calgaryhotels.org/

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Detroit 2014.

And a few parts of Hamilton.

[FrAnKs]

Show us ! I want an example

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Show us ! I want an example

I'm not sure how you link to specific spots in google maps (I think I followed someone's instructions somewhere and my internet crashed or something). I can list a few places though:

Catharine St. N and Rebecca St. (plus a few neighbouring blocks are in similar shape.)
Canon St. throughout the downtown has many depressing bits.
Imperial St. doesn't have much in the way of parking lots, but it's still weird.
The areas around Burlington St. or Beach Rd. (between Ottawa St. and Gage Ave.)

The main difference is that Hamilton's industrial areas and the downtown parking blight are a bit apart, but there's still some depressing housing options around.

[yaletown_fella]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

And even then there were our post-war high-rise suburbs that look more like Soviet-era Moscow than they do anything in the US.

While our commie block-esque architecture isn't exactly glamerous we're fortunate that these slabs towers are complimented by a more aesthetically appealing greenspace/ravine system than Moscow.

[SignalHillHiker]

So, the Colonial Building, our former Parliament, is in the midst of an extensive restoration.

I happened to learn a bit more this weekend...

A few of the highlights:

- It's going to be an amazing museum, focused almost exclusively on our political history as an independent country. If even a fraction of what they're planning for the exhibits is actually successful, it will be the most impressive one in the city. Easily. The ideas are amazing. One tiny hint: say when you get to the part about the 1932 riots, what if the lighting and sound effects made it seem like the windows were shattering in the room you're standing in, etc.

- They're restoring the front to its original appearance, which is VERY different from just about all pictures we've ever seen of it. The entrance was twice as wide, and there were fewer windows on the top floor. This is all returning - and they're even going to recreate the beautiful stonework that surrounded the original, wider entrance.

- Faux stone is going to be used to restore the lobby to its original green marble look.

- The wrought iron fence surrounding the property will be reinstalled, but it was actually an especially elaborate, beautiful fence. The gate won't be able to close, but it will look like the original, functioning one. It's very ornate.

- An architectural feature called a lantern is being reinstalled on the roof. It'll replace the dormer windows that were installed later. It's a huge glass box, so basically a 3D skylight, and it will illuminate the lobby. Its removal decades ago is what necessitated adding more windows and narrowing the entrance.

Via MUN Archives, here was the original window configuration and entrance width:



Also note that the stairs leading up to the entrance were only half the height they are today. The entire property sloped, which was intentional - to increase the sense of a procession when entering the building. That's being restored as well, with a stone path.

And, also via MUN Archives...

The current dormer windows:



The original lantern that will be restored (it's twice as long as it is wide, so slightly more substantial than the impression you get from this angle):

[Chadillaccc]

http://www.aehs.ca/heritage/communities/urban.html

[esquire]

^ Good Lord! It was Regina with an observation tower.

[Chadillaccc]

no kidding eh! Regina is quite a bit nicer than that though!

[thomax]

Hamilton - 1960's


Source

[Darkoshvilli]

Hamilton had commie blocks in the 50s?

[FrAnKs]

Quebec city in 1903

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Hamilton was at the vanguard of the commie block movement.

[Darkoshvilli]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

^Hamilton was at the vanguard of the commie block movement.

Montreal first commie blocks were built in 56'-59'. The Habitation Jean-Mance.

BTW there's a comment in the link to the Hamilton pic that says its from the 60s.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Yeah, I didn't look at the photo carefully > I'd date that pic to some point in the mid-60s.

[Chadillaccc]

Great Quebec shot. That water tower reminds me of Loonie Toons for some reason. Was the old Warner Bros logo a water tower or something?