07-13-11
“New owners plan facelift for Maclean House”
Tamara Baluja writes in the Globe & Mail on July 7th, 2011:
Maclean House, a Toronto heritage building, may just have found its saviour.
01-28-10
“City opens door to save 1910 Casa Loma home”
On January 27th, Paul Moloney and Denise Balkissoon from The Toronto Star write:
Although its century-old sash window frames have already been ripped out, the John B. Maclean house will be added to Toronto’s inventory of heritage properties, city council decided Tuesday.
The unanimous vote is a move to force talks with the developer, who wants to tear down the 1910 Georgian Revival home and build eight townhouses and a rental building.
Designed by architect John Lyle, who was also behind Union Station and the Royal Alexandra Theatre, the building was already on a list of potential heritage properties when it was bought for $2.3 million in October 2008.
Two permit applications by owner 1626829 Ontario Ltd. to demolish it and rebuild were turned down.
01-28-10
“Toronto’s Maclean House designated a heritage building”
On January 26, Kenyon Wallace from the National Post writes:
Maclean House, a much-beloved Toronto landmark in the Casa Loma neighbourhood, will retain most of its historical architectural features after city council voted today to assign the property a heritage designation.
“I am so pleased that City Council made the right decision and stated its intention to designate Maclean House, following a unanimous recommendation by the Toronto Preservation Board,” said Councillor Joe Mihevc (Ward 21 – St. Paul’s West). “This would not have been possible without the great efforts of the local community group, the Casa Loma Residents Association, to preserve their neighbourhood’s and this city’s history.”
12-22-09
Razing of Maclean home stopped
Anna Mehler Paperny writes in The Globe and Mail on December 22nd:
Razing of Maclean home stopped
After a weekend of urgent wrangling, the province issued a stop-work order on a possible heritage building in danger of being demolished.
Ontario’s Culture Ministry announced the last-minute order to stop construction work on 7 Austin Terrace late yesterday afternoon. Built in 1922 by notable architect John Lyle, the now-vacant structure was the home of John Maclean, founder of Maclean’s Magazine. A numbered company planned to build townhouses on the site.
“Last week they took an axe to the building and started to demolish various pieces that were clearly of heritage value,” Councillor Joe Mihevc said. The city took the matter up with MPP Eric Hoskins and Culture Minister Aileen Carroll to obtain the stop-work order. Now the city’s heritage staff has until the end of January to determine whether the site should have a heritage designation, a decision that will be finalized in council. The developer can appeal to the province.
12-22-09
Stop-work order for century home
Brendan Kennedy writes in the Toronto Star on December 22nd:
Stop-work order for century home
One week after historic features hacked away, province gives city time to assess its heritage value
The Ontario government has stepped in to protect the home of Maclean’s magazine’s founder after the property’s owner was accused of attempting to destroy its architecturally significant elements to avoid heritage designation.
Provincial Culture Minister Aileen Carroll issued a stop-work order Monday to “prevent further alterations or damage” to 7 Austin Terrace, in the Casa Loma neighbourhood.
The house, which dates to 1922, according to the ministry, was designed by John Lyle – the architect behind Union Station and the Royal Alexandra Theatre – and was built for John Bayne Maclean, founder of Maclean’s.
12-20-09
“Toothless laws led to shameful destruction”
Christopher Hume writes in The Toronto Star:
Developers don’t get a lot of respect in this town. Even when they’re trying to do their best, many view them as little more than dressed-up vandals.
This week, we found out why.
Thanks to an unprecedented display of wanton destruction by John Todd, president of 1626829 Ontario Ltd., a historic Toronto house has been defaced beyond recognition.
Designed by architect John Lyle, he of Union Station and the Royal Alexandra Theatre, the century-old residential building at 7 Austin Terrace was reduced to a shell Tuesday as a small crowd watched in disbelief.
Todd, who bought the property in 2008, wants to tear it down to make way for a row of townhouses.
12-20-09
“Anger as historic home’s features hacked away”
Stephen Smysnuik writes about the Maclean House:
Contract workers smashed out windows with hammers and crowbars while about 10 dismayed residents watched from behind the home’s old iron gates and a newly installed chain-link fence.
There were some gasps and yelps from the spectators.
“Oh my God, how can they do this?” one of them muttered.
Dyan Kirshenbaum, vice-president of the Casa Loma Residents Association, yelled out: “I hope you’re prepared to pay for the damage!”
But they watched helplessly as the workers at 7 Austin Terrace demolished the architectural elements they say makes it worthy of consideration for historical preservation.
12-20-09
“Voice their outrage”
An article from Peter Power at the Globe and Mail:
12-20-09
“Architect John Lyle left legacy of style”
Christopher Hume writes in The Toronto Star on May 4, 2009:
Had the Group of Seven been made up of architects, not artists, John Lyle would have been a member.
Lyle, who died in 1945, practised at a time when cultural nationalism was alive and well in the Great White North. He and his cohorts took as their self-imposed mission the creation of aCanadian architecture, one that reflected the country, its values, history and culture.
These days, such issues barely rate a second yawn – which is probably just as well – but in the 1920s and ’30s, before the American onslaught was complete, people cared passionately about the arts as a force for nationalism.
In his new book, A Progressive Traditionalist: John M. Lyle, Architect, author, photographer and designer Glenn McArthur documents the career of the man who designed more than his fair share of landmarks across Canada. Locally, he is best known for Union Station, the Royal Alex, Runnymede Public Library and the former bank on the southwest corner of Yonge and Gerrard, now a pub.
The Casa Loma Residents Association ("CLRA") is a volunteer organization of residents living in the Casa Loma area of Toronto committed to strengthening and preserving the distinctive character, heritage and quality of life in the Toronto neighbourhood bounded by Bathurst to Spadina and St. Clair to Davenport.
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