Unbuilt Toronto 2: More of the City That Might Have Been

by Mark Osbaldeston

Overview

Discover the scrapyard statue planned for University Avenue, the flapper-era "CN Tower" that led to a decade of litigation, and an electric light-rail transit network proposed in 1915.

Winner of the 2012 Heritage Toronto Award of Merit

Quill & Quire cited Unbuilt Toronto as a book filled with "well-researched, often gripping tales of grand plans," while Canadian Architect said that it is "an impressively researched exploration of never-realized architectural and master-planning projects intended for the city." Now Unbuilt Toronto 2 provides an all-new, fascinating return to the "Toronto that might have been."

Discover the scrapyard statue planned for University Avenue, the flapper-era "CN Tower" that led to a decade of litigation, and an electric light-rail transit network proposed in 1915. What would Toronto look like today if it had hosted the Olympics in 1996 or 1976? And what was the downtown expressway that Frederick Gardiner really wanted?

With over 150 photographs, maps, and illustrations, Unbuilt Toronto 2 tracks the origins and fates of some of the city’s most interesting planning, transit, and architectural "what-ifs."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554889754
Publisher:	Dundurn Press
Publication date:	11/15/2011
Series:	City That Might Have Been Series , #2
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Mark Osbaldeston has written and spoken extensively on Toronto's architectural and planning history. His first book, Unbuilt Toronto: A History of the City That Might Have Been, was the basis for an exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum, was a finalist for the Toronto Book Awards, and received a Heritage Toronto Award of Merit. He lives in Toronto.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Public Works
1. University Avenue Monuments
2. Government House/Whitney Block
3. 1910 Subway Plan/Radial Railways Plan
4. War Memorials
5. Gardiner Expressway
6. Scarborough Expressway/Island Airport Bridge
7. UTDC Rapid Transit/Network 2011
8. East of Bay Development/Ataratiri
9. Yonge-Dundas Square
10. John Howard Public Buildings

Commercial Buildings
11. Confederation Life Building
12. Toronto Hotels
13. Bank of Toronto Head Office/Toronto-Dominion Centre
14. Canadian Bank of Commerce Building/Commerce Court
15. Canadian National Building
16. Toronto’s New Skyline
17. Simpson Tower/North American Life Building
18. Bank of Montreal Building
19. Wittington Place/Sapphire Tower
20. John Maryon Tower

Arts, Letters, and Leisure
21. Toronto Reference Library
22. Royal Ontario Museum/Art Gallery of Ontario
23. Trinity College/Innis College
24. Palace Pier/Metronome
25. Spadina Gardens/Union Station Arena
26. Canadian Broadcasting Centre
27. Olympic Proposals
28. Rogers Centre
29. Arts and Letters Cathedral

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"This sequel book examines over 150 years of plans for buildings, civic squares, city halls, and subways that Toronto and its citizens have long forgotten. Unbuilt Toronto 2 lets you imagine the city that could have been.

Editorial Reviews

Unbuilt Toronto 2 is a treasure trove of lost projects that's every bit the rival of its predecessor. In fact, one could make the argument that it's even a tad more interesting on account of some of the lesser-known projects and plans that it sheds light on.

Blogto.com

The success of and positive response to Mark Osbaldestons first effort in 2008, Unbuilt Toronto: A History of the City That Might Have Been, left the author feeling like he wasnt quite yet finished with his research. As a consequence, in this second volume, Osbaldeston not only gives readers a more complete picture of how the city might be vastly different today, but also offers an intriguing behind-the-scenes account of the political machinations that either stymied or guaranteed the success of a number of undeniably significant architectural and urban design projects.

Canadian Architect Magazine

This sequel book examines over 150 years of plans for buildings, civic squares, city halls, and subways that Toronto and its citizens have long forgotten. Unbuilt Toronto 2 lets you imagine the city that could have been.

Spacing Magazine

Unbuilt Toronto 2 is a treasure trove of lost projects that's every bit the rival of its predecessor. In fact, one could make the argument that it's even a tad more interesting on account of some of the lesser-known projects and plans that it sheds light on.

Canadianarchitect.com

The success of and positive response to Mark Osbaldestons first effort in 2008, Unbuilt Toronto: A History of the City That Might Have Been, left the author feeling like he wasnt quite yet finished with his research. As a consequence, in this second volume, Osbaldeston not only gives readers a more complete picture of how the city might be vastly different today, but also offers an intriguing behind-the-scenes account of the political machinations that either stymied or guaranteed the success of a number of undeniably significant architectural and urban design projects.

Canadian Architect magazine

"Unbuilt Toronto 2" is a treasure trove of lost projects that's every bit the rival of its predecessor. In fact, one could make the argument that it's even a tad more interesting on account of some of the lesser-known projects and plans that it sheds light on.

The success of and positive response to Mark Osbaldestons first effort in 2008, Unbuilt Toronto: A History of the City That Might Have Been, left the author feeling like he wasnt quite yet finished with his research. As a consequence, in this second volume, Osbaldeston not only gives readers a more complete picture of how the city might be vastly different today, but also offers an intriguing behind-the-scenes account of the political machinations that either stymied or guaranteed the success of a number of undeniably significant architectural and urban design projects.

"This sequel book examines over 150 years of plans for buildings, civic squares, city halls, and subways that Toronto and its citizens have long forgotten. Unbuilt Toronto 2 lets you imagine the city that could have been.

"Unbuilt Toronto 2 is a treasure trove of lost projects that's every bit the rival of its predecessor. In fact, one could make the argument that it's even a tad more interesting on account of some of the lesser-known projects and plans that it sheds light on.

From the Publisher

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