Plenty of vacancy at the Hotel Waverly. Photo via Toronto Savvy
The Silver Dollar Room has been sitting at College and Spadina since 1900. It shows. The building, home to the Silver Dollar Room, Hotel Waverly, and Comfort Zone, has been held up by the same wooden sticks for 113 years. Waverly gets a whopping two stars on online reviews. Fact of the matter is, the spot is shady and could do with a glass of water.
Toronto-based building developer The Wynn Group has an idea to turn it around. They’re hoping to tear it down and put in a new 22-floor student housing center instead. Urban Toronto reports that Kirkor Architects and Planners has submitted application to the city to amend the zoning by-law so that the new structure will be permitted. The proposal was submitted to the Heritage Preservation Services to get their blessing, too.
If it’s greenlit, College and Spadina will be home to 202 bike spots, 202 rental units, and a fitness studio. Plus, they want to rebuild the Silver Dollar Room on the ground level, with the new design featuring a higher ceiling and an open-concept space.
It’s fair. Student housing means the contuination of local, student bands getting a mic at the Silver Dollar. We’ll still get that Wednesday night bluegrass – all that’s missing is the cringe-worthy Hotel Waverly, and something tells me we’re not going to miss it.
Check out the design for the proposed building:
via BlogTO
Combined with a soon-to-be-renovated One Spadina Crescent up the block, the redevelopment could help this great location reach its full potential.
____
Farrah Khaled is an intern at the Toronto Standard. Follow her on twitter at @farkhaly.
For more, follow us on Twitter at @torontostandard and subscribe to our Newsletter.
