James Cooper Mansion

Since 2004, GBCA has been involved in the restoration and adaptive reuse of the James Cooper Mansion, located on Sherbourne Street, just south of Bloor Street. Initially retained by the long-time owners, the Knights of Columbus, to prepare a condition report and building assessment, GBCA went on to become the heritage consultant for the redevelopment of the site by Tridel.

Designed in the fashionable Second Empire style, this impressive 1881 mansion was once the home of James Cooper, a successful shoe manufacturer. The red brick building with patterned slate mansard roof is trimmed with the more expensive Ohio sandstone, which lent the building an air of opulence and spoke to the stature of its occupant. Inside the mansion was organized around a classic centre hall plan with formal rooms accented with rich mahogany mouldings, and a grand stair rising three floors.

Over the years the building was renovated in order to accommodate the needs of the Knights of Columbus who took possession of the house in 1910, yet many of the original architectural features (both inside and out) were retained. The Knights sold the property in 2005 and the current development includes the retention of the existing heritage building, minus the large auditorium/bingo hall addition to the rear. Following relocation on the site in order to accommodate the new residential tower, the James Cooper Mansion has been adaptively reused as the amenity space for the condominium. For more images of the project, see:
http://tridel.com/communities/jcm/image-gallery/?id=29

GBCA was also the consulting heritage architect on the newsworthy move of the Cooper Mansion. On September 25, 2008 the James Cooper Mansion made Canadian history as the heaviest building ever moved in its entirety. Estimated at well over 900 tonnes, the 126-year-old building was moved 20 feet to the east to make way for the excavation of the parking garage and the Mansion’s permanent foundation slab. The second move, shifting the building 5 feet to the south, took place on December 11, 2008.