National Hotel, Toronto

The National Hotel was a hotel built on the southeast corner of King and Sherbourne streets, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1][2] Under pressure for condominium apartment redevelopment, the City of Toronto attempted to preserve the building, designating it a heritage site in 2009, but the building was eventually torn down in 2013. The hotel's north and west facades were preserved as part of the new condominium development, examples of "facadism" in Toronto.[3]

For other uses, see National Hotel.

The National Hotel in 1945.

The hotel was originally called the "British Exchange Inn" when it was run by its first proprietor George Ross. The hotel was listed in the 1856 Boulton Atlas. In 1861, tax records show it was a three-story brick building.

In 1868, the hotel was rebuilt and renamed the Grand Central Hotel and was managed by a William Burke, who expanded the building east – "likely in response to legislation enacted under pressure from the temperance movement".[2] Hotels needed to offer a certain number of rooms to rent before they were entitled to a liquor license. Charles Brewer, the owner in 1905, further expanded the structure to the south.[2] The architect responsible for the 1905 expansion was Henry Simpson, a protege of E.J. Lennox, whose design was in the Richardsonian Romanesque style.[4] The "Terry Museum", one of Toronto's first museums, was housed in the hotel from 1874 to 1878.[2]

The property was listed on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties in 1973. Despite this, in 2009 Ram's Head Development, the building's owners, announced plans to replace the building with an 18-storey high-rise.[2] The plan stirred controversy and the City of Toronto applied to have the property designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.[4] The building was protected under the heritage act on October 27, 2009.[5][6][7] This was appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). The OMB ordered the City of Toronto to approve the development with the retention of the north and west facades. Demolition proceeded in 2013. The "King+" condominium development opened in 2015.

See also

References
  1. Patty Wimsa (January 6, 2009). "Shedding new light on Old Town". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2015. Even now, a proposal to build a condo tower at the corner of Sherbourne St. and King St. E. threatens an 1857 building called the National Hotel, situated within the original 10 blocks of the old town.
  2. "Former National Hotel in peril" (PDF). Better Planning for All. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2013.
  3. Dave LeBlanc (September 15, 2016). "Façadism isn't a necessary evil; sometimes it's just the right choice". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 15, 2017. And what of the two condo towers at the corner of King and Sherbourne? On the southeast corner, the old National Hotel, which dates to the 1850s, has been subsumed by a new condominium tower; on the northeast, Darling and Pearson's 1908 Imperial Bank "suffers" the same fate.
  4. "Reasons for Designation (Statement of Significance)-- 251 King Street East: National Hotel" (PDF). City of Toronto government. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2013.
  5. "Heritage Property Detail -- Address: 251 King St E". City of Toronto government. October 27, 2009. Archived from the original on November 28, 2012. Grand Central Hotel, 1868; later National Hotel & Tavern; alt. 1905, Henry Simpson -adopted by City Council on June 20, 1973. Designation By-law 1086-2009 enacted October 27, 2009.
  6. "Wrecking crews clearing sites for Casa 2, King+ and King Charlotte condo tower construction". The Toronto Blog. October 26, 2012. Archived from the original on November 21, 2012. March 5, 2009: The designated heritage building at 251 King East was constructed in 1868 as the Grand Central Hotel; it later became the National Hotel & Tavern. Designed by Henry Simpson, it received heritage designation in 2009.
  7. Catherine Nasmith (November 18, 2009). "National Hotel Reprieve". Built Heritage News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Councillor Pam McConnell stepped out of the chair to move motions to receive the TPB motion, to support the staff advice and refuse permission to demolish the building. In addition her motions asked for a peer review of the advice of E.R.A and Morden Yolles recommending the demolish and rebuild approach. They all passed with an overwhelming majority.

43.6512°N 79.3680°W / 43.6512; -79.3680

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