Jen Grantham Photography

Kodak Building #9

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.

Kodak Building #9

Stairs

Curtain Down

Absolutely No Smoking

These signs were everywhere – with a typo: “Absolutily No Smoking”.

Kodak Building #9

look before you go through doorways

The building used to be connected to other buildings. Now all that’s left is doors to nowhere.

Windows

Windy

I was surprised these curtains were still here after all this time.

Stairs

Leaving

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43 responses to “Kodak Building #9”

  1. Rock ‘n Roll Bride · Cherish.

    […] 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 […]

    Reply
  2. AutumnMarie Avatar
    AutumnMarie

    Does this place still exist??

    Reply
  3. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    As far as I know, yes!

    Reply
  4. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    Thanks for the post! (and great photos too).

    Did you run into any security there? / was is it easy to get in?

    Reply
  5. Chrissy Avatar
    Chrissy

    http://www.ontarioabandonedplaces.com/upload/wiki.asp?entry=502

    Reply
  6. james Avatar
    james

    was it warm inside…was there security, there….

    Reply
  7. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    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.

    Reply
  8. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    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.

    Reply
  9. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    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.

    Reply
  10. Harrington Avatar
    Harrington

    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

    Reply
  11. Jordan Avatar
    Jordan

    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.

    Reply
  12. liam Avatar
    liam

    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.”

    Reply
  13. myra Avatar
    myra

    I went there a few weeks ago to take some pictures. Less curtains, more graffiti. It’s absolutely phenomenal though.

    Reply
  14. danny Avatar
    danny

    How did you get in there? Was it hard? And what should I bring? Can’t wait to visit!!!

    Reply
  15. Samy Avatar
    Samy

    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/

    Reply
  16. Stealth Avatar
    Stealth

    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!

    Reply
    1. Anthony Avatar
      Anthony

      hi there i did go in the building today they made it soooooooo. hard to get in now and when dis you work there like what year thanks

      Reply
  17. Ingrid Avatar
    Ingrid

    For many years this Building has been excellent in house learning seminars on many subjects including advanced photography, incredible employee musical productions, energetic sporting events, and some wonderful feasts.

    Yes, I am a past Kodak Canada Employee who has proudly participated in many of the above events.

    I feel nothing but shame and disgust for all of you who have vandalized, graffitied, misused and dishonoured this Building!

    Reply
    1. Jen Avatar
      Jen

      I would just like to be clear that when I photograph a building like this, I make a point of not touching anything – observation and documentation only. I had no part in the vandalism of this building.

      Reply
  18. Maxine Avatar
    Maxine

    OMG!! wow look at the building now can you believe i use to work in there, now it looks like something out of a horror movie. I can’t believe it’s still standing

    Reply
    1. Anthony Avatar
      Anthony

      hi i went in there today it was so hard to get in but i brought bolt cutters and i was wondering what was the stage used for and what was going on inside

      Reply
  19. Peter Gatt Avatar
    Peter Gatt

    Hi Jen

    I like the images that you have taken of the Kodak Building # 9.

    I am sure you are all aware of Metrolinx buying the building and planning to convert it into a LRT Hub, but are you also aware that the Photographic Museum of Ontario is trying to purchase the building from Metrolinx (or work with them) to make this building the new home for the museum?

    The Photographic Museum of Ontario has been trying to speak with Malon Edwards, a spokesperson for Metrolinx and Glen Murry, the minister of Infrastructure (they over look Metrolinx) and neither have been willing to sit down with the museum to at least have a conversation about what is best for the building and the community.

    For more information about the museum, it’s progress of to offer support, please visit:
    http://www.photographicmuseumofontario.org/

    Reply
  20. Murray Johnson Avatar
    Murray Johnson

    I worked at Kodak for 17 years from 1977 to 1994 and spent a lot of time in Building 9. At some point I think I worked in just about every building that once stood there. It was never a job, it was a way of life, I grew up there. Who I am and what I have become is because of that place. To see what has become of the once grand building is very sad to those of us that worked there. Would be nice to see it cleaned up and walk the halls and climb the stairs once more.

    Reply
    1. Anthony Avatar
      Anthony

      wow that is soo cool can you text me at 647 494 2561 please i want to ask you some questions thank you

      Reply
  21. Murray Johnson Avatar
    Murray Johnson

    The basement was a series of classrooms used for training and meetings. I learned much of my professional trade in those basement rooms and still proudly hang my diplomas and certificates in my office. The room at the top of the stairs in the south west corner of the second floor was modified to be a Media room in the mid 80’s. The room was used for corporate announcements, press releases and as one of the first users of that room I had the honor of teaching and certifying over 1,500 employees about WHMIS. That room was state of the art with drop down remote controlled projector screens, a special projector room in the back (you can still see the smaller window at the back of the room), remote lighting and microphones hidden in the ceiling….all very futuristic at the time.

    Stepping out of that room and walking north past the stairway you entered the gym. Twice a year I attended the company blood donor clinic there, every Christmas my kids attended the company party until they were 10 years old and received their camera…sort of a coming of age tradition.

    Above the media room was the managers lunch room. It was quite an honor to be invited to lunch there and once a year the senior management would host a luncheon and serve all of us down in the main floor cafeteria. Behind Building 9 to the north was a lovely lawn bowling green that was always perfectly manicured and awaiting the retiree’s return visits every Wednesday. To the east of the lawn bowing green was a small parkette that tall majestic maple trees, benches and pathways, not very big but somewhat out of place in the middle of an industrial complex…really quite calming.

    enough for now…..

    Reply
  22. Sylvia Avatar
    Sylvia

    My dad worked at Kodak for 34 years and I worked there as a temp for 10 months. I remember building 9 particularly well because we went to the Christmas parties and attended the movie nights. It’s really sad to see what happened to it, but these photos are quite beautiful.

    Reply
  23. Ann Avatar
    Ann

    They have security there now. I got kicked out before I could get into the building 🙁

    Reply
    1. Anthony Avatar
      Anthony

      bro call or text me at (647) 494-2561 i will tell you how you can get in through a sewer right in the basement

      Reply
  24. BET U DIDNT KNOW: BUILDING #9 | Bet you didnt know:

    […] have been smashed and walls vandalized with beautiful graffiti. Urban photographers/bloggers Jen Grantham and Rick McGinnis have ventured into the building to document its […]

    Reply
  25. MYTH Avatar
    MYTH

    Anyone had recent attempts or success in getting into the building? Thinking about going there to photograph late August.

    Reply
  26. Terry Avatar
    Terry

    It’s completely sealed up at the moment. There is a security guard in a car outside of building.

    Reply
  27. franky Avatar
    franky

    So what’s up with now? Is there any way into it anymore? I really want to take some photographs there. Any one know?

    Reply
    1. Jen Avatar
      Jen

      As far as I know, it’s totally boarded up now and they have security.

      Reply
      1. franky Avatar
        franky

        Ok thanks Jen. I guess to many people found out about it. I live closes so I might swing by some time and check it out just to make sure.

        Reply
    2. Anthony Avatar
      Anthony

      text me at (647) 494-2561 and i will explain how to get in

      Reply
  28. Rich Misener Avatar
    Rich Misener

    shot a video there a few years ago

    Reply
  29. Jeff Duncan Avatar
    Jeff Duncan

    Now it is getting restored to be part of the Eglinton crosstown… This has been moved closer to Eglinton

    Reply
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