ArtinFact • Vid Ingelevics

Economies of Scale: Hallam St. is a project that began in 2008. It was initiated as a way to explore in more depth a question that arose for me every time I drove or cycled along Toronto’s Hallam St. A relatively short east-west street, running nine blocks from Dufferin St. to Shaw St., it was striking that at almost every intersection, with the notable exception of Dovercourt Rd., were small stores now mostly closed and being used for residential purposes.

 

What happened to undermine what clearly was the once-thriving economy of this former high street? Of at least thirty stores along Hallam that had once been active, less than 10 were still functioning as such. As well, the street seemed just a little too wide for its current residential status. These observations pointed to a different past life for this street.