Seven-year itch: the Drake Hotel announces plans for expansion
Since the day its current incarnation opened—Valentine’s Day, 2004—the Drake Hotel has been the restless centre of West Queen West. Unable to remain contained in its original building, the self-proclaimed “hotbed for culture” spread east, spawning a retail shop and barbecue joint. And now, as part of its seventh anniversary celebration, the Drake has announced that it will be expanding yet again. The plan is to provide additional rooms, new menu items, and enhanced performance and exhibit spaces for artists.
“We’ve been thinking about the expansion for quite a while now; it’s sort of been in fruition almost since the opening,” Ana Yuristy, director of hotel operations, told us, adding that the new guest rooms will be just east of the main hotel. Owner Jeff Stober purchased the buildings next door early on—those that house the Drake General Store and Drake BBQ—and it’s the space above these that will be filled in with additional rooms.
The Drake has partnered with local architecture firm ERA Architects Inc. on the expansion, along with a yet-to-be-announced international design firm. ERA’s portfolio reveals the firm’s familiarity with iconic Toronto buildings, including helping to restore the Distillery District and adapt Maple Leaf Gardens for reuse. “We’ve moved very slowly and very cautiously just to make sure that it’s really clear how committed we are to the neighbourhood and especially to the scale of the neighbourhood,” says Yuristy. “It’s gone through a lot of change, so [we wanted] to find a plan that will be exciting and appropriate for all the stakeholders in the area.”
While it’s much too early to have a new menu set, Yuristy says ventures—such as the pop-up ice cream shop this past summer and the Drake BBQ—are part of trying out new ideas for the future: “We’ve been playing with different food concepts over the past couple of summers…to experiment with what kind of food concepts we might further develop for the expansion.” Like the Drake’s current food offerings, the updated menu is sure to carry the fresh and local ethos dear to the heart of executive chef Anthony Rose. The expansion will also allow the Drake to extend visual and performance art platforms that Yuristy hopes will attract even higher calibre shows and performances.
In a press release, Stober said he’s thankful for the Drake’s success so far and excited about what the future holds for the hotel: “Being a Toronto-founded company, we are very proud of the outstanding community support we’ve received…. We now look to growth as a means of further developing our lifestyle brand and enhancing our hotel.” Yuristy echoed Stober’s sentiments, admitting that although many details about the expansions have yet to be finalized, the team couldn’t wait to let the cat out of the bag. While no clear timeline has been announced, more details will come in early spring. Stay tuned.
(Image: café light, Gary J. Wood)
The Drake does not pay artists. Their “curator” reacts angrily when payment from artists is requested. Their “artist’s residency” looks like a flop house. It is entirely disheveled and has paint peeling from the walls.
They have built upon the cache of the artists. They do not compensate them. Artists are professionals. Pay your artists Drake. If the public could see the apartment you put them in you would surely be ashamed.
“Artists are professionals” – um, no they ain’t.
Let’s ask GDownie, NYoung or JMitchell whether they were living it up back in the day.
I’m sure they’d tell you to fack off.
I’m sure the Dears are being paid a mint to do a free-show on Tuesday night. Ask them yourself, dip-shit.
Joe, that was quite an idiotic comment. If you bring customers to the Drake, you should be compensated adequately. That’s capitalism – so is shameless exploitation, unfortunately.
I wonder whom Elee meant by “curator”. I believe the art curator does dole out fine sums for the visual art hanging in many spaces throughout their building. The music programmers and special events coordinators, I’m sure, work on a case-by-case basis, and any musician or musical act that does bring people into the venue is likely dealing with their own promotion company already anyway, who would set the compensation themselves.
An “artist residency” is playing regular shows across a set period of time, and not a physical thing. The hotel used to be a “flophouse”, historically, so I guess what you’re saying is that they have retained authenticity toward its heritage. And the “disheveled” hallway leading into the artist apartments isn’t as well kept up as the apartments themselves, which you would know if you had– oh wait, are you that street lady that tried to sneak in and sleep on the couch in the hallway?
The Drake is not in any sense the centre of the neighbourhood. The community survives in spite of places like this, and increasingly becomes banal and forced. No one around here except condo sales men and publicity types – and Toronto Life, who originated it, of course – even use the term ‘West Queen West.’ Perhaps this is inevitable. But I wish the whole place would move to the suburbs so their customers would not need to commute so far.
Francois,
Typically comment from a Quebecker. Always wanting a goddman handout.
The Drake is doing these artists a big favour by inviting them to play in their venue.
The exposure is payment enough.
Now get back to your trough.
A few years back my work’s X-mas party was at the Drake. We roasted marshmallows over a fire on the patio and had delicious finger food by the upstairs bar.
I’ve also been to many good gigs in the Drake’s basement.
I really like this hotel and the staff always provide top notch hospitality.
Hugs, kisses, and all the BEST wishes!
:)