University to Spadina: Queen West

The area between University and Spadina Avenues was a cultural nexus in the 1980s known for its restaurants, clubs and eclectic mix of street performers, musicians and a haven for the punk rock scene with its famous club kids such as Kinga, Seika, Wanda and a host of others. In the 1960s and early 1970s, this stretch of Queen Street West was an ageing commercial strip, known for "greasy spoon" restaurants and inexpensive housing in the area. In the late 1970s and 1980s, the area was transformed by local students, including those of the nearby Ontario College of Art & Design, and the area developed an active music scene which was one of the dominant centres of Canadian music in its era.

The vibrant arts culture soon attracted other artists, audiences, and wealthier people to the area. Since then, the name "Queen Street" has become synonymous with the words "trendy", "hip", and "cool". Older and hipper bars such as the Cameron, the Horseshoe Tavern and The Rivoli have not changed much, and top Canadian musical and comedy acts can still often be found performing in the area.

The broadcast hub at 299 Queen Street West (formerly called the CHUM-City Building), housing a number of CTVglobemedia's television operations, is located at the corner of Queen and John Streets in this area. Most notably, MuchMusic has become intimately associated with Queen Street's culture; the station's VJs have often broadcast their segments live from outside the building, and programs such as Electric Circus and the MuchMusic Video Awards have regularly taken place on the street.

Spadina to Trinity Bellwoods Park

As rents rose, most artists began moving westward along the five kilometre thoroughfare. In the early 1990s, the new vogue area was associated with the Goth revival that hit Toronto during the same timespan. Night clubs such as Sanctuary, Catacombs, Freak Show, the Abyss, Savage Garden, The Bovine Sex Club and The Velvet Underground catered to the Goth and other subcultures. Occupying the same area, between Spadina Avenue and Trinity Bellwoods Park, is Toronto's Fashion District. In the later 1990s, high-priced clothing stores opened in the same area.

Trinity Bellwoods to Dufferin: West Queen Street West (the Art and Design District)

Between Trinity Bellwoods Park and Dufferin Street is West Queen Street West, also known as the Art and Design District. For this one kilometre stretch, nearly every storefront on the north side is either a gallery, bar, or nightclub (the south side of the street is largely taken up by the buildings and grounds of the former Queen Street Mental Health Centre, now part of CAMH.) One of the major players in the development of this recent phenomenon is Katharine Mulherin. The Stephen Bulger Gallery, founded in 1994, is also located on Queen West.

Another cause of this gallery conglomeration was the conversion of an old building into Gallery 1313, with extensive financial assistance by the city. The large amount of gallery space, including such galleries as Loop and Fly, allows Toronto artists of all levels of ability to show their work at a low cost.

Unlike the boutique-oriented storefronts of the eastern portion of the street, the Gallery District contains an abundance of space available for special events. The lack of retail in the area, however, creates a void of weekday pedestrian traffic.

West Queen Street West has undergone rapid transformation in the past couple of years. Rents have increased dramatically and many galleries have left. Recent departures include Sis Boom Bah, Luft Gallery, Burston Gallery and Brackett Gallery. At the same time as galleries have closed, many new bars have opened. Many attribute this sudden shift to the development spearheaded by the Drake Hotel, a former flophouse recently renovated and converted to a boutique hotel at a cost of $6 million.

The Gladstone Hotel is one of few pre-existing fixtures in the area that has been able to capitalize on the recent boom. This grand old railroad-era hotel had over the years fallen into disrepair and barely maintained itself by renting boarding-house style accommodation. The tavern on the first floor is now home to a weekly "Art Bar", where locals from the arts community converge to socialize. In 2005 it underwent a major renovation spearheaded by the Zeidler family.
The Camera Bar -- originally established by film director and producer Atom Egoyan -- is now operated by the Stephen Bulger Gallery as a rental space that offers a bar and film/video screening venue.

The Queen West Art Crawl (QWAC) is an annual three-day festival celebrating the arts on Queen Street West and featuring the artists, arts organizations and businesses on the thoroughfare. It is produced by the not-for-profit Parkdale Liberty Economic Development Corporation.

The Toronto Entertainment District is an area in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is home to internationally-renowned theatres and performing arts centres, boasts four major-league sports teams at their home venues, and an array of cultural and family attractions.

With world leading hotel brands, boutique accommodations, and condotels, Toronto Entertainment District is the ideal area for the discerning patron. An urban neighbourhood packed with an array of restaurants, bars and nightclubs, it features something for every taste and demographic.

The area also has a vibrant business community located in elegantly designed office towers as well as transformed and preserved historic manufacturing warehouses, office lofts and artists’ studios.

i live in my dream place... nyc

cborgman said:

cborgman said:

DanceWme said:

:jealous:

DanceWme said:

brooklyn in the house!

thekidsgirl said:

move here... i did

cborgman said:

cborgman said:

I would probably have to live in the subway if I moved there now

DanceWme said:

what happened to Bawkenroedelai ?

thekidsgirl said:

without car payments, car insurance, gas money and so on, nyc is suprisingly affordable.

DanceWme said:

brooklyn in the house!

I live in a beautiful area..
[Edited 3/23/09 10:42am]

cborgman said:

that must be nice! I wish Baltimore had a better transit system. I hate having to drive everywhere

cborgman said:

Jess will be there this summer