This past Sunday, my friend Jon and I went to the abandoned Kodak plant to take pictures. We ran into a group of guys who asked us if we were “urban explorers”. I guess we are now! It was a lot of fun and I definitely want to do more things like this in the future. I felt like I was playing Fallout 3 in real life.
Thanks to advances in digital photography, the Kodak manufacturing plant at Eglinton West and Black Creek Drive in Toronto closed its doors in 2005. The only building that currently remains is Building #9, or what used to be the employees’ building. As far as I know, the land has been purchased but no decision has been made yet about what to do with the lot.
You can view the full set of pictures on Flickr.
These signs were everywhere – with a typo: “Absolutily No Smoking”.
The building used to be connected to other buildings. Now all that’s left is doors to nowhere.
I was surprised these curtains were still here after all this time.
[...] Toronto. The location of the shoot is pretty awesome huh? The shoot took place in the abandoned Kodak building which is now apparantly a very popular shoot zone for local [...]
Does this place still exist??
As far as I know, yes!
Thanks for the post! (and great photos too).
Did you run into any security there? / was is it easy to get in?
http://www.ontarioabandonedplaces.com/upload/wiki.asp?entry=502
was it warm inside…was there security, there….
Was it warm when I went last April? Yes. There was no security and it was easy to get in. I don’t know what it’s like almost a year later.
Easy to get in. No security. Very popular for photographers tho.. when I went in to do some shots, there was another group doing nude shoots, and another group doing video filming from York U.
Very cold, very dirty, very dark.
I was in there today and the roof in the gym was kinda falling apart. and people were setting fires in there. I think they should make it a youth place and fix it up. I also heard that in the basement there is a table and its a sayonce table. But we were too chicken to go in the basement. I think we should call the city and clean it up and make it a place agian.
Hey I was thinking about checking this building out and I was just wondering: is there a lot of asbestos inside? Like I know it’s pretty old so I thought I should be careful of something like that. Thanks
Was there a couple times last year. Have gone in through side windows and through the basement. If going the basement route, flashlights are a MUST, it is so dark down there. Went in a group of 8, and we explored everywhere except the basement. The thick damp smell of mold was just too overpowering once you wondered away from the stairwell/exit.
It’s an amazing building to explore. And it just keeps going (especially behind/above the stage and gym.
Will be going back again soon with more people next week. Getting up at 5am to get there for sunrise, but it was worth it.
To Harrington, I don’t think there was must asbestos. The building’s been abandonned for less than half a decade, so it was probably cleaned up before the end.
yas is lduz still stad tall il was in it to day
Admin Translation: “Yes, it’s still standing tall. I was in it today.”
I went there a few weeks ago to take some pictures. Less curtains, more graffiti. It’s absolutely phenomenal though.
How did you get in there? Was it hard? And what should I bring? Can’t wait to visit!!!
Jen,
I *LOVE* your second last shot (blue walls & stairway). I wonder if the “urban explorers” you met were from the meetup groups – There are two meetup groups in Toronto that explore urban places -
http://www.meetup.com/themetropolitaninvestigators/
http://www.meetup.com/Exploring-Photography-Toronto/
I was there this past weekend, let me tell ya a lot has changed since your post. Lots more “wall art” but also Lots more fire damage as well. All the exterior doors are boarded and reinforced in and out!