Then and Now: 990 Queen St W

Looking east along Queen St W, just past Ossington Ave.

Then:

This photo was taken in 1919. The set of rowhouses is a display of Toronto’s Victorian architecture, as evident by the mansard roof, dormers, decorative dentils below the roof, narrow round top windows with brick quoining. The colours of the brick would have originally been a combination of yellow and red.

Now:

The buildings depreciated over time and each of the owners maintained their property in their own manners. The obvious change here is the colour of the brick. Some of owners painted over the brick to reflect their business’s brand or perhaps reflect their own personal taste. The roofs would have all been replaced. One owner added shutters to the window, while another added a balcony.

The end result is an inconsistent look across the row, but on a busy street like Queen West, business owners strive to stand out. These days, blending in doesn’t generate business.