48 Abell Street - by Jonathan Friedman, Intern Architect

A few thoughts before a more academic plee.

I came here by chance, by fate . . . and it changed my life.
The first person I met was Vincent, the caretaker. It was because of him I decided to live here.
The pipes are my church bells, they remind me of Rome. They are music to my ears.
The lot behind the building used to be filled with trees.
I trust the people on my floor even though I have never met all of them.
My studio inspires and allows me to create - to think, to design, to paint and to build
It is my home.

I have lived at 48 Abell Street for over 3 years now. It is my home in every sense of the word. It is scheduled to be demolished, and this is a mistake.
My interest in the building is not only personal, but also from a professional point of view. I am a young design professional working as an intern architect. And hopefully like many of you reading this, share a strong public conscience. Like you I am concerned about the current state of Toronto’s buildings and public spaces, and strongly feel we need more thoughtful,
responsible, vibrant and eloquent buildings and spaces. And Abell Street is without a doubt such a unique and rewarding place.

For years artists, musicians, photographers, architects, carpenters (etc. have inhabited these live/work loft spaces, energizing and engaging the neighbourhood and
in fact (ironically) spurring much of the recent development. The buildings have developed as part of Toronto's art/music/film/architecture scene as vibrant
places of collective talent and interaction. Consequently, Abell Street is an essentyial part of the Queen West Neighbourhood, and thus the larger Toronto community. PLEASE realize that spaces like these need to remain and be
built upon/with, and as such we cannot afford to lose them. Abell Street is a model of integration between people from all ages, incomes, backgrounds and walks of life.
In these simple brick walls is a center of cultural and artistic symbiosis.

Moreover, my studio, as with many others, is a unique and important part of my career - I gutted it and modified it when I moved in. I have used it to test architectural ideas, build furniture, construct art pieces for local exhibtion, and use it for photo-shoots. The open-ness, lighting and old texture cannot be recreated. More importantly, this is one of the few remaining authentic, inspring and affordable spaces for young artists and designers in this city and it must be protected and nurtured, not torn down and replaced.

I am certainly in favour of development and construction, but to make a succesful city, care and thought must be taken. And when something as unique and special as 48 Abell Street already exists, great care should be taken to preserve it and work with it, rather than razing it.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Friedman (30)
Intern Architect
48 Abell Street, Unit 224
Toronto, ON