Allied Properties REIT's inventory of heritage structures in Toronto continues to expand. Acquired by Allied in 2016, a four-storey brick and beam office building at 642 King Street West, originally constructed in 1894, is now in the process of being restored through a plan by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc. Located on the north side of King, between Portland and Bathurst Streets, the building houses a total 29,833 ft² of leasable space, consisting of 28,551 ft² of office space, and 1,282 ft² of ground level retail space.

Facing north towards 642 King West, image via CBRE

The restoration of the heritage structure will include some significant changes to the way the building interacts with King Street, including a redesigned lobby and a reimagining of the existing laneway along its east side to integrate new retail. The conversion of four street-level windows into two larger windows will help to enhance 642 King's 63 feet of retail frontage.

Retail laneway at 642 King West, image via CBRE

Upstairs, restored office interiors will feature finishes that speak to the history of the building, with interior office spaces boasting new sandblasted brick, exposed ceilings, and the original hardwood floors refinished. These aesthetic improvements will be accompanied by technology upgrades such as new elevators, HVAC, and mechanical systems.

The laneway improvements will dovetail with the developer's other current job on the same block at 620 King West, a joint venture with RioCan a few doors to the east now dubbed the King Portland Centre. The Hariri Pontarini Architects-designed building will house 15 storeys of residential space at the north end of the site, and 13 storeys of commercial space to the south. That building is the lynchpin in a new mid-block pedestrian network of lanes, of which the retail-improved laneway at 642 King West will become an important part.

King Portland Centre rising, image by Forum contributor Red Mars