About The Broadview Hotel

An East End Icon Since 1891

From its beginnings as a commercial hub and gathering place for Toronto’s high society to its later years as home to some of the city’s more colourful characters, The Broadview Hotel has played an enduring role in shaping Toronto’s east end.

Built in 1891 by entrepreneur Archibald Dingman, the building originally known as Dingman Hall was conceived during a period of tremendous growth in Toronto. Having amassed considerable wealth through the soap trade, Dingman sought a worthy investment at a time when the city was rapidly expanding eastward. The recently annexed Riverside neighbourhood was thriving, and the intersection of Queen and Broadview sat at the centre of this momentum. Recognizing the opportunity, Dingman commissioned a landmark building that would bear his name.

Constructed at a cost of $25,000, Dingman Hall was designed as a commercial and social centre and quickly became an east-end icon. As the tallest building east of the Don River, its striking Romanesque architecture and elegant upper assembly halls established it as one of Toronto’s premier gathering places. Politicians, athletic clubs, community organizations, and members of the Canadian Order of Odd Fellows all passed through its doors, cementing its place in the social fabric of the city.

Never one to remain still for long, Dingman left Toronto in 1902 after helping operate one of the city’s earliest electric streetcar companies. He moved west to Alberta, where he would later finance Canada’s first commercial oil well. In 1907, he sold the property to T.J. Edwards, who transformed the building into The New Broadview Hotel, offering rooms for $1.50 a night.

Over the decades, the building changed hands and identities many times. During the 1930s it operated as the Lincoln Hotel, before eventually reclaiming its original name. By the 1970s, it had become a boarding house and the home of Jilly’s, the east end’s most notorious nightclub and strip club. For nearly three decades, Jilly’s became a local legend, giving rise to countless stories and myths, including one involving a live tiger sharing the stage with a performer.

As Toronto’s east end evolved, its industrial and working-class roots gave way to vibrant restaurants, independent shops, galleries, and creative spaces. Following an extensive restoration, The Broadview Hotel reopened in 2017, thoughtfully reimagined for a new generation while preserving the character and history that made it a landmark.

Today, The Broadview Hotel continues to serve as a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. Proudly overseen by Archive Hospitality and Dream, the hotel honours its storied past while embracing the energy, creativity, and culture of Toronto’s east end.