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UER Forum > Canada: Ontario > Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.? (Viewed 4558 times)
theninjalobster 


Location: Toronto, ON
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 252 likes




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Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< on 9/12/2017 2:14 AM >
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This place has always fascinated me. My face would be pressed against the window as my parents merged onto the DVP from the Gardiner, heading north to my grandparents. Huge billboard, giant chimney, dozens of cars in the parking lots but oddly enough no activity was to be seen through the windows.



One of my favorite pass times involves going on Google Maps and combing through the city looking for things to climb and places to explore. Possibly abandoned place over here, never-been-done-before rooftop over here...

While mulling over whether or not I should make the voyage over to this east end beauty, my mom called from behind me and said, "Hey! That's where your uncle used to work making detergents. It's the Lever building!" That pretty much sealed the deal, now I had to uncover this mystery of a building.

Finding a way in took a solid hour of trespassing on half a dozen properties, biking around in circles, bush wacking, barbed wire hopping, wire untangling and security dodging. If I were to have been caught all at once, I think I would've been jumped on by the railway security, clubbed by the mod, handcuffed by the cops and verbally abused by like 3 different security companies

The main building takes awhile to explore fully. Most floors are simply vacant, with paint peeling off the ceiling. However as you move up the staircase, you'll find that there are "half-floors" where these huge vats or mixing tanks are held. The upper floors are really interesting, as you'll find that typical factory fun vertical playground of see through grates running up and down the side of the old production lines.

In addition to the big one, there are also two or three accompanying faculties that are pretty interesting and extremely photogenic. I recommend thoroughly exploring them as well!

Getting in here was lots of fun, and discovering that the place was indeed abandoned was also rewarding enough. However as I'm writing this, I do remember talking to Freaktography awhile back. So, despite me forgetting who planted the idea in my head, thanks for giving me the heads up on this place!

Definitely worth the trip, please feel free to make your way to the photos now, this next section is going to go through the history of this place.

In 1872, Antoon Jurgens, founded the first margarine factory in the world in Oss, Netherlands. Then, in 1888, Samuel van den Bergh, also from Oss, opened his margarine factory in Kleve. These two companies merged in 1927 to form Margarine Unie.

On the other side of the English Channel, the Lever Brothers began producing a new successful form of soap in 1885 named "Sunlight Soap". In 1930 they merged with the Dutch company, Margarine Unie, to form Unilever (according to one source the first modern multinational company).

Due to the second world war, the business was forced to grow overseas rather than in Europe.

Apparently in 1890, a factory was built along the Don Valley River here in Toronto. Mainly soap and detergent products were made, including companies such as Dove and Sunlight. In 2002 Unilever sold the factory to Pensler Capital Corp, who then froze the workers wages and took away their pensions. This was the cause for the strikes in 2008 which inevitably led to the closing of the factory in August 2009, when the newly named Korex Don Valley declared bankruptcy.

The building is currently making revenue by the adds on its huge billboard on the roof and by occasionally being used as a movie set (Suicide Squad). In 2012, First Gulf Corp bought the property and is now planning to refurbish it into a 225, 000 square foot factory building for offices and lease out the 200, 000 square foot warehouse for warehouse use. They hope to create 4000 jobs.

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All info found on Wikipedia and the National Post.




[last edit 9/12/2017 11:06 AM by theninjalobster - edited 2 times]

Into the Fray. https://www.ninjalobster.com/
Freaktography 


Location: Burlington Ontario
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 1879 likes


Freaktography

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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 1 on 9/12/2017 2:53 AM >
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One of the best sets I have seen from here in a very long time! Great work man




http://www.freaktography.com
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RamZQQ 


Total Likes: 6 likes




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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 2 on 9/12/2017 3:26 AM >
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Damn! Sick shots, even sicker spot! Is the building still standing? I used to go by it every weekend when going home, haven't been near that area in a while but this might merit a visit.




Simsyb 


Location: Toronto, Ontario
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 16 likes




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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 3 on 9/12/2017 3:46 AM >
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You never disappoint with your right-ups man! Keep up with the great quality posts, thoroughly enjoyed everything you have posted!!



[last edit 9/12/2017 3:47 AM by Simsyb - edited 2 times]

Do what makes you happy. Life is to short
Ricecracker 


Location: Toronto
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 7 likes




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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 4 on 9/12/2017 4:05 AM >
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Good to see more pics coming from here again! Great set, as always.

Also exciting: Edit will be held here in a few weeks!




Ground State 


Location: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 5 on 9/12/2017 10:40 AM >
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Some exceptionally good photographic sights in this set, as always: the stretched caution tape close-up / background combo in #3, the laser-straightness of #7, and the stark spaceship quality to #2 in the 2nd set. I'm half expecting to turn the corner in that photo and see Han Solo being pressed down on the Cloud City torture bed!



[last edit 9/12/2017 10:40 AM by Ground State - edited 1 times]

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Jono 


Total Likes: 292 likes


civilly disobedient.

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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 6 on 9/12/2017 1:30 PM >
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Great photos !

This site is the venue for the up-coming DX 'EDIT festival':

http://editdx.org/home

There'll even be a panel discussing the abandoned Hearn installations by Luminato last summer:

http://editdx.org/...o-the-culture-cave

J->





www.sacramentalperception.com : www.jonathancastellino.com
MonkeyLunk 


Gender: Male
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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 7 on 9/12/2017 6:43 PM >
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We cleaned up the floor on #1 to do a stunt in there. Nice to see its still looking shiny haha.




.Kyle 


Location: Guelph/Burlington, Ontario
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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 8 on 9/13/2017 12:32 AM >
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Great set of an old location and a great write up, I'd love to head back there someday, maybe I'll check out edit festival or go sometime afterwards.
Thanks for sharing!




Tralalalalalalala
Skye_Ann 


Location: Kitchener, Ontario
Gender: Female
Total Likes: 631 likes


I seem to have Irritable Owl Syndrome...

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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 9 on 9/13/2017 8:54 PM >
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Ugh your posts are always stunning. Great job here!




My Blog; https://historyindecay.blogspot.com/
theninjalobster 


Location: Toronto, ON
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 252 likes




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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 10 on 9/20/2017 3:49 PM >
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Posted by Ground State
Some exceptionally good photographic sights in this set, as always: the stretched caution tape close-up / background combo in #3, the laser-straightness of #7, and the stark spaceship quality to #2 in the 2nd set. I'm half expecting to turn the corner in that photo and see Han Solo being pressed down on the Cloud City torture bed!



Thanks a bunch! Haha now that you mention it, the Cloud City vibe is exactly what I was thinking of as I was taking the shots!




Into the Fray. https://www.ninjalobster.com/
theninjalobster 


Location: Toronto, ON
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 252 likes




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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 11 on 9/20/2017 3:51 PM >
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Posted by Jono
Great photos !

This site is the venue for the up-coming DX 'EDIT festival'




Thank you! Tom did mention that to me as well, I was actually considering going this year.




Into the Fray. https://www.ninjalobster.com/
theninjalobster 


Location: Toronto, ON
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 252 likes




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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 12 on 9/20/2017 3:51 PM >
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Thanks for the kind words everyone!




Into the Fray. https://www.ninjalobster.com/
Muskoka 


Location: Toronto
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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 13 on 11/25/2017 3:02 AM >
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The BMW dealership to the north used to be the administration offices for the Lever plant. They did a full gut & reno to get it looking like it does now from its previous 9-storey utilitarian life as office space.




bandi 

Lippy Mechanic Bastard


Location: Trent Hills, ON
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Total Likes: 731 likes


A liminal mind is all I've ever known.

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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 14 on 11/28/2017 5:58 PM >
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Awesome work as usual. I also used to love staring at this place as a kid from the GO train and the DVP.

I have an aunt who worked here in the early 80s.




hi i like cars
fluffy_bunnies 


Location: Toronto, ON
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Total Likes: 16 likes




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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 15 on 11/28/2017 11:42 PM >
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Awesome post and information! Very informative indeed.

Thanks for posting!




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\=\ ^u^ /=/
GutOfBrick 


Location: Cambridge, ON
Total Likes: 13 likes




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Re: Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.?
< Reply # 16 on 12/14/2017 2:02 AM >
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Looks like a great spot, sick pics man!




You always find something if you look, it's just not always quite what you were looking for
UER Forum > Canada: Ontario > Lever Brothers, Unilever, Korex, Gulf Corp.? (Viewed 4558 times)


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