Toronto’s Streetcar Developments announced today they bought the historic Broadview Hotel, known to most of us as the gorgeous building that houses Jilly’s strip club at Queen and Broadview.
Streetcar is responsible for many residential developments in the neighbourhood, including the Queen City Vinegar Co. lofts on River Street and the Corktown District Lofts. That said, Streetcar president and CEO Les Mallins says they’re not envisioning a condo project for the site.
“This is a landmark property in Toronto and we’re excited about creating a destination that’s public for the whole community to enjoy,” he said by email.
Mallins says the first priority is to address significant safety and structural issues, and so they’re in the very early stages of development.
“We’re excited to be leading this restoration, bringing this building back to its former glory. Being a good neighbour is an absolute core value of Streetcar. Whatever we do with this site will enhance the look, feel and livability of the community.”
In 1981, NOW editor and publisher Michael Hollett wrote a cover story about the gritty, friendly, but sometimes violent Queen Street country and western bars. His research included a stop at Jilly’s.
Went to Jillys for @nowtoronto cover story guy came out of toilet stall with syringe in arm Reading NOW Magazine 1981 http://t.co/2NtzyvYqWl
– Michael Hollett (@m_hollett) May 13, 2014
He wrote:
“There is a Queen Street that has remained constant through the years-untouched and unimpressed with the growing pockets of art nouveau and bare brick walls. It thrives today as it has for years in the old taverns and hotels that have been around since the turn of the century. These places are easy to miss, sitting on street corners with their bricks painted and their upper windows covered in plywood.”
