Anchoring the northwest corner of Yonge Street and Queen Street West and surrounded by the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, 2 Queen West is a surviving example of late 19th century commercial building design. The restoration will bring this historic 1896 Philip Jamieson Building back to its original prominence.
Since its construction, multiple alterations and renovations have each contributed to the building’s decline. The façade has been covered with cladding, arches have been removed, and its heritage features have been obscured. With each alteration, key features were lost leaving much of the original façade deteriorated to the point where it couldn’t be saved. Working with heritage architects ERA Architects and heritage contractor Clifford Restoration, we are carefully conserving its heritage attributes by rebuilding the façade with more than 4,0000 replica bricks, stone, and terra cotta pieces.
Considerable attention has been given to maintain and elevate the heritage aspects of the site, while providing more accessible, flexible space for new retail, hospitality, and corporate tenants. The design includes a three-storey addition resulting in a seven-storey structure. The ground and second levels will provide retail space as part of the Eaton Centre, while the third to sixth levels will be fit for commercial office tenants. The seventh level is proposed as a restaurant space with a wraparound terrace overlooking Yonge and Queen Street West.