Market Street LCBO

GBCA was retained as heritage consultant for the adaptive reuse of this historic structure located in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood. This wood frame building with brick bearing walls has been a notable feature on Market Street since its erection in 1881, serving a number of uses, ranging from hotel to restaurant.

GBCA prepared a Heritage Impact Assessment for the building in its context on Market Street. The owner, Woodcliffe Corporation, assisted by Taylor Smyth Architects, devised a plan to integrate this two-storey structure with the neighbouring heritage buildings—the three-and-one-half storey brick building on the corner of Front Street, and the six-storey brick building to the south. The interior was modernized and redesigned by Taylor Smyth Architects, allowing for the expansion of the LCBO location on Front Street, while maintaining the historic form and scale of 10-12 Market Street. A new building on the corner of Esplanade completes the development. Read more about that here: http://www.taylorsmyth.com/portfolio/commercial/market-street/#

Heritage expertise was directed at the stabilization of the façade during construction, masonry repairs, and the design of appropriate windows and replacement cornice based on historical documentation. GBCA assisted with municipal heritage approvals and provided on-site review of conservation techniques. The work was undertaken by Historic Restoration Inc. The extent of the building’s decay prior to this renovation project is clearly apparent in the “before” images – a fire and lack of maintenance had damaged much of the interior. The “after” images reveal the possibilities for rejuvenating even the most derelict of buildings.

You can read more about the plans for Market Street here: http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/09/should_toronto_rename_market_street/