Wednesday, January 4, 2012

John McBride Estate - 2621 Lake Shore Blvd West - DEMOLISHED

John McBride House - 2621 Lake Shore Blvd West
© Michael Harrison 2008

The large house at 2621 Lake Shore Blvd West was built circa 1927 for John McBride.

John McBride was the son of John McBride and Hannah Cuttell and was born in 1872.  On June 17, 1896 he was married to Ada Grace Libby and they would have three children:  Harold (b. 1897), Maud (b. 1898) and Ada (b. 1900).  His wife Ada died in 1916 of a cerebral hemorrhage.

He was a first cousin of Sam McBride, a two time Mayor of Toronto serving his first term in 1928-1929 and his second in 1936.  Sam McBride died on November 10, 1936, becoming the first sitting Toronto mayor to die in office.

John McBride ran a successful fruit importing business on Church Street in Toronto.

In 1927 he purchased a lakefront lot on the Lake Shore Road and built the home that he would live in for the rest of his life.  He died there on August 5, 1953 at the age of 82 years.  He is buried in Prospect Cemetery.

In 1955 the house was sold by his estate to Arthur and Margaret Mercer.  I had the opportunity to talk to Mrs. Mercer in the mid 1990s.

She must have passed away a few years ago as the house was sold.  A demolition permit was approved by the Etobicoke-York Community Council in 2008.  The future of the house is uncertain.  Hopefully the owners will see the value in renovating this handsome and impressive house.

Update - December 18, 2013

City staff just confirmed that the John McBride House has been demolished.  Another loss of a historic Mimico Beach estate home.

5 comments:

  1. Unfortunately it looks like- the house is to be torn down, so someone can build themselves a new house with an indoor pool :(

    July 2012
    CFN: 47500 - Application #: 0444/12/TOR
    Report Prepared by: Nicole Moxley, extension 5284
    For information contact: Steve Heuchert, extension 5311
    Date: July 30, 2012
    EX10.32 2621 LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD WEST
    To construct, reconstruct, erect or place a building or structure, change a
    building or structure so that it alters its use or potential use, increases its size or
    increases the number of dwelling units, site grade and temporarily or
    permanently place, dump or remove any material, originating on the site or
    elsewhere on Block D, Plan M-328, (2621 Lake Shore Boulevard West), in the
    City of Toronto (Etobicoke York Community Council Area), Waterfront
    Watershed. The purpose is to construct a new two-storey single family
    detached dwelling with integral garage, indoor pool, basement walkout, and
    rear deck at 2621 Lake Shore Boulevard West in the City of Toronto (Etobicoke
    York Community Council Area). The existing dwelling and detached garage are to be demolished.

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  2. Sadly the house has in fact been demolished. I drove yesterday and to my horror noticed it was gone..vanished..no more signs of it left. Truly a shame.

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  3. Unfortunately the house has in reality been obliterated. I drove yesterday and to my frightfulness saw it was gone..vanished..no more indications of it left. Genuinely a disgrace.

    Toronto Website

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  4. Mrs Mercer was my grandmother and we have a boatload of memories of this house. In her later age, she was unable to maintain it to the degree it warranted, but our hope was always that someone would realize it’s potential and restore it to its former glory. It was an astounding house, even more so inside!

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