Here you will find preserved historic manufacturing warehouses converted into beautiful office lofts and artist studios. Today, this area is known for its vibrant nightlife and as it evolves new condos continue to grow this area's residential population.
Learn More
Home to world class theatres, performing arts centres and the Toronto International Film Festival Headquarters, the theatre area has something for everyone. Make sure to also check out the great dining options along this dynamic stretch of King Street.
Learn More
This area is known for its beautiful office towers, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and one of Canada’s major broadcast facilities - here you will also find some of the world's prestige hotel brands.
Learn More
We host five major league sports teams at their home venues, not to mention the destination for many world concert tours. Here you can find an array of cultural and family attractions year round.
Learn More
With the first passenger trains received and dispatched on August 11, 1927 – today it is one of the busiest rail passenger transportation facilities in Canada. Union Station serves approximately a quarter of a million passengers each day!
Learn More
a brief history
At the turn of the 20th century, the 401 Richmond building was occupied by the Macdonald Manufacturing Company, which operated a factory producing the finest lithography on tinware in Canada. They were the first manufacturer to lithograph on metal. The original building, which began construction in 1899, was followed by four four-storey expansions between 1903 and 1923 to the west, north, and northeast. From the sky, 401 Richmond looks like a capital "A" with a crosswalk or bridge (what we now call the skywalk) connecting the north and south buildings.
The Macdonald Manufacturing Company was purchased in 1944 by Continental Can of Canada who then occupied the premises until 1967. Over the next twenty-five years the building fell into the hands of several owners, and by 1994, was bankrupt and ready for the wrecker's ball. That same year the building was purchased by the Zeidler Family and Margaret Zeidler took over as President. Today 401 Richmond is a vibrant mixed-use building with a focus on the arts.
In 1920, the Capital building at 366 Adelaide St. W. was completed and was one of the 10 largest loft buildings ever constructed in Canada. 90% of the walls are glass, it was built in 78 days, one of the fastest construction periods on record.
The Commodore Building, 317-325 Adelaide St. W. was completed in 1929. The scale of the individual windows was that of the worker inside; the base story that of the pedestrian on the street. Designed by Benjamin Brown, a graduate of the University of Toronto in 1913, designed many of the loft buildings in this area.
Another loft by Brown includes the Balfour Building at 119-121 Spadina Ave., 12 stories high with geometric zigzags and lettering of the Art Deco vocabulary. This building was named to honour British Prime Minister Arthur James, the Earl of Balfour, who in 1917 pledged his government's support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
This area was one of the City's main manufacturing and industrial core areas. However, due to changes in manufacturing processes, increasing liberalization of global markets and the associated competitive pressures on local manufacturing firms, the area fell into a long period of decline as many companies shifted operations offshore or to new suburban facilities or, in some cases, simply succumbed to growing market pressures. The decline in the manufacturing sector, combined with the subsequent recession in the early 1990s, resulted in the area no longer being relevant as a viable manufacturing district.
today
This area is defined by a concentration of mid-rise ‘brick and beam' structures, many of which have historic and architectural significance. The Warehouse Area contains a broad mix of uses, including office, commercial, restaurants, bars and night clubs, pockets of Victorian house forms book-ended with high density residential spaces.
Richmond and Adelaide Streets are the main streets for this area and function as the hub for our popular night clubs.
The area is currently in transition, in scale and character between the newer large scaled developments and the Financial District to the south and east, and the low-rise adjacent Queen Street West Heritage Conservation District and neighborhoods to the north.
Sources: King - Spadina Secondary Plan Review, http://www.401richmond.net/building
a brief history
This area was developed in the early 19th Century as the location of fine residences, churches, the province's Third Parliament Buildings and the original home of Upper Canada College, the private boys' school. As a result, the intersection of King and Simcoe was dubbed "Legislation, Education, Salvation and Damnation" - the latter for a former corner tavern.
The character of the area changed after the Great Fire of 1904 destroyed the nearby industrial district, which relocated here. As a result, the elegant Royal Alexandra Theatre ended up sharing the block with a series of warehouses. The 1960s revitalization of the neighbourhood began with entrepreneur "Honest Ed" Mirvish's purchase and reopening of the Royal Alexandra theatre and the conversion of the adjoining buildings for shops and restaurants.
buildings that can still be seen today include:
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (1875) and Manse (1873) located at 73 Simcoe Street/189 King Street West. St. Andrew's was designed in the "Scottish Baronial" style, identified by its ornamental square tower. Its complementary manse adjoins "Symphony Place", one of the first residential condominiums introduced in the city's downtown core.
Royal Alexandra Theatre (1907) located at 260 King Street West was financed by Cawthra Mulock, touted as Toronto's "youngest millionaire". Designed as an elegant Beaux-Arts jewel box, its interior boasts an elaborate mural painted by Toronto artist, Frederick Challener.
Reid Building (1904) located at 266 King Street West directly west of the Royal Alexandra Theatre, is one of a series of buildings along this stretch of King Street that were built as industrial warehouses in the early 20th Century. The Reid Building was one of the first "reclaimed" by merchant and theatre impressario Ed Mirvish in the 1960s.
Roy Thomson Hall (1982) located at 60 Simcoe Street was designed by Vancouver-based architect Arthur Erickson. Roy Thomson Hall is home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Set apart by its unique shape and moat, the performance venue is the "youngest" structure to be recognized as a "heritage" building by the City of Toronto.
King Street was also the home of 12 Fever sheds for the Irish immigrants fleeing disease and poverty due to the failure of the potato crop. Over 100,000 Irish immigrants arrived in Canada in 1847. Of these, nearly 40,000 passed through Toronto, a city of some 20,000. While thousands died in the journey from Ireland, in the summer of 1847, 863 Irish immigrants died of typhus in the fever sheds erected by the Toronto Board of Health at the northwest corner of King and John Streets.
today
The Theatre area is defined by the animated and dynamic King Street corridor with pockets of historically significant buildings along with many contemporary structures.
Visitors to this area will discover that there is a fine-grained rhythm of street-oriented shops and restaurants, as well as hotels, world class theatres, performing arts centres and cultural attractions.
One of our newer additions in this area is the headquarters for the Toronto International Film Festival, the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
Straddling the transition line between the Financial District and Warehouse Area, the area is in the midst of transforming from a traditional ‘main street' to an environment that includes larger scaled and taller buildings.
David Pecaut Square to the south of King, is a fantastic public space that serves as a venue for some of our most attended annual festivals and local community events.
Source : City of Toronto Heritage Conservation District Plan
a brief history
Built in 1918 as an industrial building, the property of 144-146 Front Street West is one of the few remaining buildings remaining from the early 20th century. In this era, business functions were located on King Street west of Yonge, while the area of Front between York and Simcoe was predominantly industrial. The industrial area was associated with the rail yards north of Front Street that stretched from Simcoe to John Street. The building is sited on the north-west intersection of Front Street and University.
Currently the building is host to office and retail tenants. Its character is more in keeping with the Entertainment District, showcasing many restaurant patios and tourist services at grade. The building acts as a transition point between the financial centre of Toronto and the hospitality and convention area to the west.
City of Toronto Heritage Property Inventory, 2005.
today
This area is known for its' contemporary and large-scaled buildings and formats.
While the major large-scaled office, prestige brand hotels and convention facilities define the areas to east adjacent to the Financial District, a notable high-density residential character is emerging in the west part of this area.
Front Street is the primary street with the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to the south and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to the north. Newer developments in this area include the RBC Center (open in June 2009) noted for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold NC standard, as defined by The Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC).
The Ritz-Carlton®- just one block north on Wellington Street opened February 2011. This is the only Canadian property of The Ritz-Carlton® Hotel Company L.L.C., the 53-storey Ritz-Carlton®, Toronto, features 267 guestrooms including 56 Corner suites, 2 Deluxe Suites and The Ritz-Carlton® Suite at over 2,400 square feet.
Source : City of Toronto Heritage Property Inventory, 2005.
a brief history
The property at 40 Bay Street was the Postal Delivery Building, constructed in 1939-40. The building served as the central mail distribution centre in Toronto for the Canadian Postal Service.
Set on an irregular site at the intersection of Bay Street and Lake Shore Boulevard West, the elevations are treated in similar manner. In the centre of each wall, multiple fenestration is inset between stone piers, while the rounded corners of the building feature two bands of wraparound metal windows. The principal entrances flank the southeast corner. Attention is focused on the east elevation with the name band and the bronze Canadian coat-of-arms. The stylized sculptural program reflects the history of communication and transportation in Canada through a progressive series of corner panels.
In 1996 a major renovation was undertaken by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment in the construction of the Air Canada Centre (ACC). Today, the building functions as a sports arena and office tower. Adjacent to the building are retail outlets, restaurants, bars and a hotel in the newly created Maple Leaf Square.
Also of importance to the area is the John Street Roundhouse, built in 1929 with subsequent additions, including the machine shop, built throughout the 1930s. The complex is located in the railway lands, bounded by Lower Simcoe to the east and Bremner Boulevard to the north. It sits in the centre of the newly created Roundhouse Park.
Originally known as the CPR John Street Roundhouse, the building functioned as a multipurpose steam locomotive servicing centre used for maintenance, inspection and storage for trains.
This is the only structure of this kind left in Toronto after the demolition of the Spadina Roundhouse for development of the Skydome (Rogers Centre). The Toronto Historical Board identifies the roundhouse as being "architecturally and historically important, surviving as a reminder of steam technology and the role of rail transportation in the City of Toronto".
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. Agenda Paper: Canadian Pacific John Street Roundhouse, Toronto, Ontario and the Canadian National Roundhouse, Jasper, Alberta. 1990
The CN Tower, completed in 1976, has stood as the world's tallest building and free standing structure since its completion. At 553 metres, the CN Tower is currently considered one of the world's largest freestanding structures.
The CN Tower began as the communication tower component of the massive railway lands development project known as the Metro Centre, proposed by CN/CP railways in 1968.
CN railways, took an opportunity to make the tower an urban entertainment destination, international landmark, and symbol of the success of Canadian industry.
today
The Events area is known as the home to major landmarks and attractions as well as home to five major league sports teams.
Not to be missed is the Steam Whistle Brewery in the former John Street Roundhouse to the south of Bremner Blvd., a popular attraction for both locals and tourists.
A concentration of high-rise residential uses exists to the west, while the balance of the area is comprised of large scale public uses.
One of our newest public spaces, Maple Leaf Square next to the Air Canada Centre, is expected to be an excellent venue for both sports enthusiasts and tourists alike.
Our newest attraction the Ripley's Aquarium is scheduled to open in 2013 next to the CN Tower!
Source : City of Toronto Heritage Conservation District Plan
a brief history
In 1851 construction began on Toronto's first railway. The sod was turned by Lady Elgin, wife of Canada's Governor General, at a location on Front Street between Simcoe and John streets, in front of what was then the Parliament of Upper Canada.
Angus MacMurchy, Our Royal Town of York: Historical and Romantic Associations of Downtown Toronto and the Site of the Royal York Hotel, 1860-1931. (Toronto: 1930), 18.
At the beginning of Toronto's rail age, Union Station was situated in a peripheral location west of what was the commercial centre of Toronto at Jarvis and King Streets, east of the city's institutional heart at Front and John. This administrative centre at Front and John Streets contained the Parliament, Government House and Upper Canada College, all built in the 1830s.
Union Station was built between 1914 and 1927, as a joint venture between the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Grand Trunk Railway (now the Canadian National Railway) to consolidate their railway services into one facility.
Union Station was conceived as part of a large redesign of central Toronto in a plan drafted by John Lyle. The plan called for the creation of a new north/south street called ‘Federal Avenue', which was to run from Queen to Front Streets, between Bay and York. It was to terminate on axis with the centre of the station. The plan called for the creation of large limestone buildings in the Beaux-Arts style to run along Federal Avenue and Front Street. While Federal Avenue was never developed, The Royal York Hotel and the Dominion Public Building were conceived and built according to these plans.
The Royal York Hotel was completed in 1929 in anticipation of the completion of Union Station. It opened as the flagship of the Canadian Pacific Railway chain of hotels and was the largest hotel in North America, as well as the tallest building in the British Empire. The hotel also included an underground connection to Union Station, marking an early beginning to the PATH system.
The interior spaces of Union Station are of particular value. According to the Union Station Heritage Guidelines Report:
"The most significant part of the head house and one of the most important interiors in Canada is the ticket lobby located behind the entrance colonnade. Due to its unusually large proportions and the excellence of its design this area is called the ‘Great Hall.' The vaulted and tiled roof of this room spans a length of 260 feet and a width of 85 feet. Natural light falls from the clerestory windows to bathe the immense volume of the interior. It illuminates the neutral surfaces of the walls, ceiling and floors and imparts a quiet sense of grandeur that is unparalleled in any other room in Canada. The intended use of this room has not altered from the original design intent; it continues to function as a ticket lobby and to signify the importance of one's arrival in the city" (E.R.A. Architects Inc., Union Station Heritage Guidelines. 2001.)
today
Union station continues to be our key Commuter hub with The Fairmont Royal York and the Financial District to the north.
The planned refurbishment of Union Station is underway to replace the existing roof with a new steel roof and a glass atrium that reaches 50 feet above the platform level. Fifty new stair access points and nine new passenger elevators will be built to help move passengers from the existing concourse level to the newly-refurbished platforms.
The existing station will undergo preservation and restoration to reinstate it to its original condition wherever possible. The refurbishment is scheduled for completion in November of 2014.
Source: City of Toronto Heritage Conservation District Plan