Then and Now: 11 Spadina Rd

This photo was taken in 1974.

Then:

The narrow Victorian semi-detached house was run by Olga Karabanow as a home for tourists, known as “The Karabanow Tourist House” for 30 years until she died. The semi was sold to the Singer family in 1995, who had plans of converting the building into a school. However, it was hard to change the home’s reputation and with constant demand for room rentals, the couple decided to keep it a guest house.

Now:

The house is now called “Global Guest House of Toronto”.

The architecture hasn’t changed, with the exception of a new coat of paint over the gable decor (trim covering the triangular portion of the wall between the edges of the sloping roof) and the addition of the door canopy. The canopy takes away from the authenticity of the building, but perhaps the addition makes the property seem more like a business and less like a residence.

The neighbouring building to the left has been demolished, and replaced with a parking lot. At least there are a few trees left.