Old Toronto Star Building Explained

Toronto Star Building
Location:80 King West
Toronto, Ontario
Status:Demolished
Completion Date:1929
Demolished Date:1972
Building Type:Office
(Newspaper publishing)
Roof:88m (289feet)
Floor Count:22
Architect:Chapman and Oxley
Owner:Toronto Star

The Old Toronto Star Building was an Art Deco office tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building was at 80 King Street West and was the headquarters of the Toronto Star newspaper from 1929 until 1970. The building was demolished in 1972 to make way for the construction of First Canadian Place.

The skyscraper is the second tallest voluntarily demolished building in Canada behind the 120.1m (394feet) tall Empire Landmark Hotel that was demolished in 2019.

Overview

The building was designed by the firm of Chapman and Oxley and opened in 1929. It was 22 storeys and 88m (289feet) tall. The front facade around the main entrance was clad in granite, the entrance itself having a bronze screen. The first three floors of the building were clad in granite; the upper floors in limestone. On the third floor, the facade was wrapped in elaborate stonework in geometric and floral motifs, which also adorned the interior and the limestone piers at the crest of the building. The first six floors were built in reinforced concrete, while the tower was built with a structural steel frame.The first six stories held the offices of the Star, and the rest was rental office space. The 21st floor housed the newspaper's radio studios. The ground floor facing King Street housed a few retail stores and a Stoodleigh's Restaurant at the east end. The basement had a restaurant and barbershop.

Some stonework from the building can be found at Guild Park and Gardens, along with other portions of facades of lost buildings of Toronto.[1]

In popular culture

Superman co-creator Joe Shuster, a Toronto native and former Star newsboy, used the building as a model for the Daily Planet Building.[2] [3]

See also

References

Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Boyd. Kevin A.. March 18, 2009. Joe Shuster's final interview with Henry Mietkiewicz. The Joe Shuster Awards. 2014-05-02.
  2. Web site: That time when the Toronto Star was the Daily Planet. Bateman. Chris. November 13, 2012. www.blogto.com. en. 2019-10-22.
  3. Web site: The Architecture of Superman: A Brief History of The Daily Planet. Stamp. Jimmy. June 12, 2013. Smithsonian. en. 2019-10-22.