Neighborhoods you wouldn't recognize: Streetview observations 2009-2019

SkahHigh · #1 Posted **Feb 6, 2021, 3:47 PM**

I've been looking at Streetview pictures of Montreal's Griffintown neighborhood and I really like the gritty look it had. I think of it as one of those typical industrial neighborhoods on the edge of a CBD with tons of vacant lots and old buildings that you see in 80's or 90's movies.

By comparing 2009 Griffintown to 2019 using Streetview, the differences are striking. Sometimes, it's hard to believe the pictures were taken at the same place, only ten years apart. Case in point, Peel Street:

2009

2019

There are other examples, such as Wellington Street:

2009

2019

This had me thinking that it could be a sweet idea for a thread. What neighborhoods or areas of your city have changed so much in the past ten years that they're barely recognizable? How quickly have some of your city's neighborhoods been redeveloped in the last decade or so? On top of my head, I can think of the Distillery District in Toronto or the area around the new Rogers Arena in Edmonton.

MonkeyRonin · #2 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 12:56 AM**

Xelebes · #3 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 2:03 AM**

The northside of Edmonton's downtown:

2009:

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5461...7i13312!8i6656

2019:

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5460...7i13312!8i6656

A block north of that:

2007:

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5477...!7i3328!8i1664

2019:

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5478...7i13312!8i6656

SkahHigh · #4 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 2:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xelebes

The northside of Edmonton's downtown:

2009:

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5461...7i13312!8i6656

2019:

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5460...7i13312!8i6656

A block north of that:

2007:

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5477...!7i3328!8i1664

2019:

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5478...7i13312!8i6656

That’s what I was talking about in my OP. Any chance the Baccarat Casino is leaving soon?

Those Toronto ones are pretty crazy too, especially the last one.

Darkoshvilli · #5 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 2:38 AM**

Rene Levesque in 2011

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4940...7i13312!8i6656

In 2020

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4939...7i16384!8i8192

urbandreamer · #6 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 2:44 AM**

I liked Griffintown in 2002. I had a 1200 sqft loft on Wellington for $800. Now like a lot of neighbourhoods in Toronto I used to like - West Queen West, Kensington Market, King and Bathurst - it feels crowded and kind of bland.

rousseau · #7 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 3:12 AM**

Love what's happening in Toronto. That strip along Gladstone is especially awesome. Hopefully what's going up across from the Gladstone Hotel will be decent-looking.

CanadianCentaur · #8 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 3:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

That’s what I was talking about in my OP. Any chance the Baccarat Casino is leaving soon?

The Baccarat's gone. Torn down last year.

urbandreamer · #9 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 3:49 AM**

In reality that stretch of Gladstone is dreary, grey and pretty suburban. The more interesting section of Gladstone is north of here towards Dundas and around Dufferin Grove Park. That Queen West Triangle comparison is especially depressing, reminding me that peak Queen West was probably in 2008 when it was still majority art galleries. I miss those Thursday night art openings with Katharine Mulherin etc. WQW was great c.2000-2008 then the condos wrecked everything. Feels very trashy now. We used to think Galaxy Donuts was ghetto - um no ghetto is Tim Hortons, A&W and low rent suburban chain retail.

YusufChowdhury · #10 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 7:05 AM**

An example from Saskatoon. Largest tower is already topped out but streetview wasn't recent enough. Oh well.

2009
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1227...7i13312!8i6656

2019
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1227...7i13312!8i6656

Here's a more current view by drm310
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e59920b6_c.jpg

jamincan · #11 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 12:14 PM**

Northdale in Waterloo isn't exactly an example of great urbanism, but the change there has been pretty astonishing. Streetview hasn't really kept up, but this view from University and Albert gives an idea.
2009: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.47344...7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.47345...7i13312!8i6656

Proof Sheet · #12 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 12:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamincan

Northdale in Waterloo isn't exactly an example of great urbanism, but the change there has been pretty astonishing. Streetview hasn't really kept up, but this view from University and Albert gives an idea.
2009: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.47344...7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.47345...7i13312!8i6656

that was an image I was going to share. In the late 80's I lived in the area covered by those images and it was the same in 2009 but is totally unrecognizable in 2019. Our son is at university there so I have some points of reference to talk to him about but everytime I go to Waterloo especially to the east and north east of the campus it is all soo different looking. As well, I notice many of the cars owned by students are no longer hand me downs from the students parents.

SkahHigh · #13 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 1:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamincan

Northdale in Waterloo isn't exactly an example of great urbanism, but the change there has been pretty astonishing. Streetview hasn't really kept up, but this view from University and Albert gives an idea.
2009: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.47344...7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.47345...7i13312!8i6656

So wait, that neighborhood just disappeared? It's quite rare to have SFH being torn down to make way for higher density (usually happens with vacant lots or low-density commercial/industrial).

Most of Montreal doesn't change much but there are other examples that are less-striking than Griffintown.

Saint-Laurent (old site of the Cartierville Airport)

2009: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5119...7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5119...7i16384!8i8192

2009: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5173...7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5174...7i16384!8i8192

2011: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5109...7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5109...7i16384!8i8192

Innsertnamehere · #14 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 1:57 PM**

The Waterloo student village is a really odd development condition. It initially started with small apartment blocks - just a few storeys, largely fitting in with the existing neighborhood.. then they just got bigger and bigger.

A good chunk of Waterloo’s growth has come from student housing expansion, shifting students out of their old housing forms and opening those up for other users.

Proof Sheet · #15 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 1:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

So wait, that neighborhood just disappeared? It's quite rare to have SFH being torn down to make way for higher density (usually happens with vacant lots of low-density commercial/industrial).

The intersection shown has Wilfred Laurier University on the right hand side of the intersection just out of view and a 5 minute walk to the left is the University of Waterloo. The City of Waterloo upzoned or allowed lots of new purpose built apartment buildings catering to students after 2009.

I walked that 5 minute walk for my last 2 years of university and it is unrecognizable now. For some reason the SW corner of the intersection hasn't changed. When I was at university is was some sort of co-op type building

Architype · #16 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 3:36 PM**

Few places in Canada, if any, have undergone the transformation of Vancouver's SE False Creek during the last 10+ years. Mostly former industrial land skirting downtown, containing the 2010 Olympic Village; it's now a completely new inner city urban neighborhood still partly under construction.

Vancouver, Mt. Pleasant, SE False Creek, 2nd Ave W

2007
https://goo.gl/maps/LphE5H1cvGhGSjzM8
2020
https://goo.gl/maps/RMyrSeJKGGhrvW5GA

SE False Creek, Quebec Street & 1st Ave
2009
https://goo.gl/maps/dctNRsubJDv4pGEP6
2020
https://goo.gl/maps/8XLZkpwpkQXvfL3L8

Cars in 2007
https://goo.gl/maps/YAWqq9FErpdQiSTt7
Cars in 2020
https://goo.gl/maps/3EDDg5RwL4dDDoQt6

W 1st Ave & Manitoba St - 2007
https://goo.gl/maps/4PtzHBkEqD9V2zJZ6
W 1st Ave & Manitoba St - 2020
https://goo.gl/maps/Cpmzm6pj3BbU23VV9

SignalHillHiker · #17 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 3:43 PM**

George Street West will be a great one for us by the end of summer but it’s still a construction zone right now so I’ll wait.

Just popping in to say this is my fave thing in weeks. Great idea and views!

SkahHigh · #18 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 3:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

George Street West will be a great one for us by the end of summer but it’s still a construction zone right now so I’ll wait.

Just popping in to say this is my fave thing in weeks. Great idea and views!

Thanks for the feedback, love watching our Canadian cities evolve.

MonkeyRonin · #19 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 4:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rousseau

Love what's happening in Toronto. That strip along Gladstone is especially awesome. Hopefully what's going up across from the Gladstone Hotel will be decent-looking.

Yeah, I think that strip along Gladstone are some of the better new builds in the area. I wish the blocks south of Queen had been built more to that scale & style (and had preserved some of the old warehouse buildings).

Across from the hotel - you mean this one on the old Country Style lot?

https://urbantoronto.ca/database/pro...en-street-west

There's also this on the other side:

https://urbantoronto.ca/database/pro...ouse-gladstone

MolsonExport · #20 Posted **Feb 7, 2021, 4:14 PM**

Great thread topic.