development
835-839 Yonge Street heritage alteration and demolition approved with conservation easement
The Toronto Preservation Board recommended approval for alterations and demolition of heritage attributes at the former Grand Central Market site, now owned by Canadian Tire, to permit a 41- and 49-storey mixed-use development. The recommendation includes retention of the original west and south facades, restoration of a missing architectural bay, reconstruction of the pyramidal roof, and a heritage easement agreement to ensure long-term conservation.
From the floor
“This scheme is a good conservation strategy. It retains most of all the original fabric of the former Grand Central Market building of what remains. It also restores the original storefront and window detailing with some programmatic purposes which will be introduced. In addition, the original bay on the north side will be restored as it was removed in the 1980s.”City of Toronto Heritage Planning
“It's intended to be functional. So it would be a continuation of the existing. We've got good documentation of what the appearance was and there's a lot of extent fabric on the site so we can get appropriate material and color matching so we're confident that it will have a functional use and we can also reinstate historically appropriate windows there and storefronts.”ERA Architects, heritage consultant on the project
“On our panel, our only thought about this design was that we feel that the canty levered portion is a bit looming over the original market part. Would there be any possibility to make that less abrupt?”An accountability officer
“Originally the initial submission had a much larger cantilever. This has been stepped back significantly. This is still at the zoning level so the architectural design hasn't really developed as it moves forward through the site plan process. I think there would be refinement to the material, the appearance and as much as possible reduce the visual impact of the cantilever.”ERA Architects, heritage consultant on the project
Also in this item
• The former Grand Central Market building (1935, Spanish Colonial Revival style) survives only as west and south facades after 1980s alterations; the development will reconstruct the missing north bay and pyramidal roof for the first time in over 40 years
• A heritage easement agreement will be required to ensure long-term conservation, binding future uses of the property to heritage protections
• Heritage staff required an interpretation plan to educate the public about the building's complex history as a market, Canadian Tire headquarters, and gas bar
The journey
Decision
Approved: alterations and demolition of heritage attributes under Sections 33 and 34(1)1 of the Ontario Heritage Act, and authority to enter into a heritage easement agreement. The conservation strategy retains the west and south facades of the former Grand Central Market building in-situ within the new podium; removes and reinstates the non-original pyramidal and tiled roofs in the Spanish Colonial Revival style; restores the third (northern) architectural bay that was removed in the 1980s; removes the drive aisle in two bays and reinstates storefronts based on archival documentation; and replaces second-storey windows with historically appropriate ones. New construction is stepped back 5.4 metres behind the heritage facades, with an additional 8.2-metre setback at ground level. An interpretation plan is required.
On video
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