Union Bank Building - Mimico Branch - 86 Mimico Avenue/3 Station Road

Union Bank of Canada Building - Mimico Branch
Google streetview

This impressive building at the north east corner of Mimico Avenue and Station Road was built in 1924 as the Mimico branch of the Union Bank of Canada.

The Union Bank of Canada first established itself in Mimico in 1910 on Cavell Avenue (then Southampton Street).  It stayed in this location until about 1916 when it relocated to the Lake Shore Road but in December 1923 the bank bought this lot on Mimico Avenue for $3,135 from Stephen Francis and Beddway Francis (Lebanese merchants who lived and had a store at 100 Mimico Avenue) and built its first purpose built branch on the site in 1924.  The following year the Union Bank merged with the Royal Bank of Canada.  

Royal Bank of Canada - Mimico Branch - 86 Mimico Avenue in 1933

courtesy Toronto Public Library Digital Archive

Presently the architect is unknown but in 1919 Norman McNabb Moffatt was appointed as the staff architect for the Union Bank of Canada and so he is most likely the creator of this lovely building.

The bank was a location of some excitement in 1933 when it was robbed.  The headline in the Toronto Star on June 16, 1933 was "Two Armed Thugs Rob Mimico of $2,325."

The bank appears to have closed the branch in 1936 after which the building remained vacant until 1939 when it was sold to Charles Grossi for $2 and a mortgage of $3,750.  Grossi sold the north end of the lot to the Silverwood Dairy just down the street but retained the building.  However it appears as vacant in the Toronto City Directories until 1942 when John Lavelle who had a butter and egg business is listed as living there.  Grossi died about 1953 and his estate sold the building to Florence Weber for $2 subject to the existing mortgage.  

Update - January 18, 2024

Today the Toronto Preservation Board recommended designation of the property under the Ontario Heritage Act along with the properties at 78 and 80 Mimico Avenue.  The recommendation will proceed to Toronto City Council for a decision.  The city staff report on this item can be found here.

Update - February 6, 2024

The item was deferred to the March Toronto City Council meeting.