Pinnacle on Adelaide

Known as the Richard West house, the two-storey 1870s building was once part of a row of Georgian-style residential buildings—a building type that was common in this area then known as “New Toronto,” but now, all but lost by urban development. For decades, the former house was used by various restaurants, resulting in the removal of all original interior architectural features along with a number of additions on the rear. With the entire 6-acre block, in the heart of Toronto’s “Entertainment District,” bounded by John Street, Adelaide Street, Widmer Street and King Street, undergoing a massive transformation, beginning with the TIFF Bell Lightbox, the only way to preserve the modest, low-rise heritage building was to relocate it elsewhere on the large development site.

The building was moved in August 2011 to a temporary location across the street from the development and following completion of the new tower, moved back to the west side of John Street, just south of its original site.