George Street is a north–south street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from south of Front Street, north to Gerrard Street. Its southern blocks are within the grid of the townsite of the original town of York, Upper Canada. George Street was once one of the most exclusive and expensive addresses in the city. Today, the north end of the street, next to Seaton House men's shelter, is an example of urban blight. The City of Toronto government is redeveloping the street with a new Seaton House institution focused more on long-term care. Several abandoned buildings have been bought by the city, and others have been expropriated to facilitate the redevelopment – the George Street Revitalization Project.
Description
Throughout almost all of its length, the street is a two-lane north–south street. The street begins in the south as "George Street South", part of a 1980s-era housing development south of Front Street. The housing development (The St. Lawrence Neighbourhood) is composed of mid-rise condominium towers, co-operatives and community housing, as well as some townhomes. The street continues north of Front Street as "George Street". On the north-east corner of Front is another 12-floor condominium development. Proceeding north, on the west side, is the circa 1840 Thomas Thompson Building that adjoins the south side of King Street. At the corner is the Little York Inn, dating from c. 1880. Behind it, at 65 George Street, is the inn's former stable. Many blocks on the street have Victorian-style 'gas-lamp' street lights as part of the "Old Town" district.
North of King Street, the King George Square condominium building takes up most of the west side. The east side is the St. James campus of George Brown College. On the south-east corner at Adelaide, the college occupies the former Christie's biscuit factory. North of Adelaide, the west side is another condo development (VU Condo). On the south-east corner, stretching north along George, is the historic Bank of Upper Canada Building, which dates to 1827. North of the bank building on the east side are former industrial buildings dating to the 1900s period, when the area was an industrial district. North of Richmond to Queen, the street has mixed uses on both sides. There is an old row-house of worker's housing along the east side. Halfway up along the east side is Britain Street, which bends to the south and east, marking the old riverbank of the now-buried Taddle Creek. George Street is currently interrupted for a block north of Queen Street by Moss Park.
One block north at Shuter, George Street continues north as a one-way street north to Dundas. On the east side is the former Duke of York Public School, which dates to the 1920s. It is now Ecole Gabrielle-Roy. The west side is residential townhomes and the back of a Jarvis Street apartment building and hotel.
North of Dundas Street (formerly Wilton Crescent), George Street continues as a two-way street, with local landmark Fillmore's Hotel (a strip club) on the north-east corner. On the west side is a Toronto Community Housing apartment building. Located on the east side is Seaton House (a large City-operated homeless shelter) and several heritage homes dating to the 1800s. Just north of Seaton House is the former Allan School (1910). Several of the houses on the east side have been damaged by fire and vandals. Seaton House, the former Allan School and these houses are currently (2017) part of the city's George Street Revitalization Project.
The street continues to the north, to its northern terminus at Gerrard Street. Across the street north of Gerrard is Allan Gardens.
History
George Street was one of the first streets laid out in the original grid of Simcoe's plan for York of the 1790s. The street started at Front Street, which was then the waterfront, north two blocks to Adelaide. There are no buildings dating to that time period on the street, but there are several heritage properties dating to the 1800s. By 1827, George was extended two blocks north to Britain Street. As the Toronto harbour was filled-in during the late 19th and early 20th centuries the street was extended south from Front Street to the rail-tracks (now the rail berm.) The section of the street south of Front Street has been called George Street South since about 1980. By 1858, the street was extended north to Gerrard Street and the first homes appeared near Gerrard and the botanical garden.