Beard Building

The Beard Building was a seven-storey, 25.38 m (83.3 ft) Richardsonian Romanesque highrise in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that is considered to be Toronto's first skyscraper.[1] Designed by E. J. Lennox and completed in 1894, initial plans were for a nine-storey, iron-framed structure, but a more traditional wood-brick combination with seven storeys was settled upon.[3]

Beard Building
General information
Status	Demolished
Type	Commercial offices Hotel
Architectural style	Romanesque Revival
Location	163 King Street East Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates	43.650366°N 79.371587°W / 43.650366; -79.371587
Completed	1893 – 1894
Demolished	1935
Cost	$60,000[1]
Height
Roof	25.8 m (85 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	7 1 below ground
Design and construction
Architect(s)	E. J. Lennox
References
[2]

The Beard Building consisted of a bank at street level, a commercial and office tower, and a hotel. A branch of The Bank of Commerce occupied the building's main space on its ground floor.[1] Above that, the hotel never opened because of the design of the building.[1][4] However, the space above the ground floor was leased to businesses as office space.[1] The building was named after George T. Beard, the original landowner of the site.[3]

The Beard Building was demolished in 1935[5][3] and was replaced by a gas station a few years later.[1]