Location: 69 Yonge Street, Toronto
Developer: Primaris REIT
Architect: Partisans
Near downtown Toronto’s King and Yonge streets intersection, a century-old commercial and office building could be revamped to accommodate more than 60 new condo units.
In early November, a site plan control application was filed to the City of Toronto to convert 14 floors of the Canadian Pacific Building into residential uses.
The 15-storey L-shaped building, located at 69-71 Yonge Street and 1-3 King Street East, is designated on the City of Toronto’s heritage register based on its historical and architectural features. The tower was constructed from 1911 to 1913 as the head of the Montreal-based Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPR), which was established in 1872 and completed Canada’s first transcontinental railroad to the Pacific coast, according to the application’s planning rationale. The CPR has not occupied the
building since 1988.
Toronto-based architectural firm Darling and Pearson, Architects designed the Beaux-Arts Renaissance Revival-style building, which has a fire-proof steel skeleton. Originally, the tower was covered with smooth granite and glazed white terra cotta, later replaced by Indiana Limestone and grey brick in 1930.
“The Canadian Pacific Building has design and physical value as a rare and early skyscraper and for its high degree of artistic merit and technical achievement,” explains the application’s Heritage Impact Statement by ERA Architects Inc. “Its historical and associative value lies in its associations with both the Canadian Pacific Railway and Darling & Pearson, Architects.”
In its current state, 69 Yonge Street encompasses 9,140 square metres. The ground floor and mezzanine levels are occupied by a Shoppers Drug Mart, with the remainder of the tower used as office space. The main entrance to the office floors is positioned at the south end of the building off of Yonge Street.
If approved, the application would convert the existing office uses inside the building into residential space from floors two to 15. The ground and mezzanine levels would still be used for retail space, while the sub-basement level that is currently unused would be transformed into a restaurant.
While the existing pedestrian entrances to the building would remain in place, two existing doors on the building’s south facade would be consolidated and a new entrance created near Yonge Street that would provide entry to an elevator leading to the new restaurant space. The existing granite and limestone exterior would be retained and repaired or cleaned where needed.
Of the 67 condo units proposed for the tower conversion, two suites would be located on the second floor, and five units on each floor from levels three to 15. The breakdown of condo units would include 36 one-bedroom, two one-bedroom-plus-den, 25 two-bedroom and four two-bedroom-plus-den suites.
Sixty-eight spaces for long- and short-term bicycle parking would be incorporated on the mezzanine level, and approximately 209 square metres dedicated to amenity space on the second floor. Due to site constraints, no new parking is proposed for the project.
In the neighbourhood, three penthouse suites remain available at 88 Scott, while sales and construction continue at The Saint.
