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The work of reconstituting heritage walls recently came out from hiding after scaffolds were disassembled at Choice Properties' West Block Est. 1928 retail and office complex at the intersection of Bathurst and Lake Shore. The redevelopment in Toronto's Fort York area sees the 1928-built Loblaws Groceterias warehouse looking crisper and cleaner than it has in decades; it had sat in disuse since its last tenant vacated in 2000.
Beginning in 2016, a three year restoration process overseen by heritage experts ERA Architects saw the dismantling of the façade entirely, then the cleaning of the bricks, and then finally the return of the individual elements for reassembly around a newly-constructed core. This approach was required due to the original warehouse's deteriorating mortar and structure, which would have put too much uncertainty into a restoration in-situ process. The dissasemble-reassemble strategy was previously used to great results at Oxford Properties' EY Tower in 2016, reconstituting the Art Deco Concourse Building, also built in 1928, in a heralded facsimile.
The rebuilt façade features limestone stone at grade, and larger windows than were originally there and which will let plenty of light into the retail spaces now set for the space. Cleaned multi-tonal brick rises an additional three storeys to the limestone Art Deco detailing topping off the walls, to be highlighted at night by newly installed decorative lighting.
Framed by the brick, new windows maintaining the "divided lights" of the original warehouse aesthetic have been installed on the upper levels of the heritage façade, retaining the historic feel across the entire store. Above, the architectsAlliance-designed office structure floats atop the warehouse, stepped back from the heritage walls by a few metres, with a contrasting modern facade characterized by sleek reflective curtainwall and metal fins. With the office component terminating at 9 storeys, the complex climbs skyward at its northern end, with two IBI Group-designed condo towers developed by Concord Adex.
Additional information and images can be found in our database file for West Block Est. 1928, linked below, and you can get involved in the discussion in our associated Forum thread.
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