Contract Magazine - April 2018 - 47

PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVEN EVANS (THIS PAGE, BOTTOM LEFT); ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF WORKER BEE SUPPLY

walls and riotous floral patterns, a bright and buzzy cafe with a
marble raw bar, a sprawling rooftop terrace, and a private dining room
set inside a tower. The icing on the cake is the 58 bright guestrooms
featuring custom furnishings from local firm DesignAgency, which
handled the hotel's interiors. "The restaurant references some
midcentury touches, while the guestrooms have touches of Victorian,
such as matching upholstery and wallcovering from the House of
Hackney," says principal Matt Davis. "And, there are a few naughty
nods to the building's last incarnation."
First, the building had to be primed. When Toronto-based ERA
Architects arrived on the scene, it was "looking a little rough," according
to heritage architect and principal Andrew Pruss. "It was pretty much
gutted and it was shored up like a construction site," he says. As ERA
repaired and cleaned the exterior, they were able to get a closer look
at the "pretty unique" 10-by-2-foot allegorical terra cotta panels that

ornament the facade. "Rather than being refined and coming from
molds, these are rough sculptures," Pruss says.
And though the historically listed building, situated on a
prominent corner in a re-emerging neighborhood, had always stood
out as a stellar example of Victorian architecture, not much is known
about the people who designed it. "This is a spectacular landmark but
we're still searching for the architect," Pruss says. "I have my suspicions
that it might have been Robert Ogilvie, who worked in that period and
designed for the family that built the Broadview."
Salvaging elements and creating engaging spaces
While working on the exterior, Pruss and his team removed the iron
fire escape, a classic piece of urban fabric that grabbed Davis's
attention. "The owners gave us the side eye when we suggested that
we might be able to use it as a sculptural element," he says. "But it was
such a dominant feature of the architecture that it seemed a shame
to totally scrap it, and the artist loved the process of deconstructing
it and wrapping it over the elevator core."
Not much else from the 19th century was salvageable, although
the designers did come across some original scraps of wallpaper once
they began peeling back layers. They re-created its design-a classic
repeat pattern in light green-in the cafe. Above the oval marble bar,
they suspended a pink neon light fixture in the shape of a woman's face.
Another of Davis's naughty nods shows up in guestrooms in the form
of a brass utility rod that references a stripper pole and holds a shelf and
a mirror. Outfitted in floor-to-ceiling crushed red velvet drapes, padded
headboards, and bold floral accents, the rooms come equipped with
wet bars and record players.
The main dining room, the Civic, uses the same crimson shade
(in the banquettes) as a jumping-off point for a boudoir-like material
palette that includes walnut millwork, leather seating, and flocked wallpaper. An expansive rooftop experience-with indoor/outdoor bars and
lounge areas, along with the dramatic "Hogwartsian" witch's hat event
space-completes the array of public spaces that lie at the heart of the
project. "Streetcar was really invested in the idea that this be a community
hub for the neighborhood," Davis says. "They wanted to help launch it
into its next phase by offering the first boutique hotel to go along with
all of the new galleries, shops, and food and beverage options." c

Years of restoration and
renovation transformed
a circa-1891 building into the
58-room hotel (right) full of
communal areas, including
an airy cafe (opposite, bottom).
The seventh floor houses
the Rooftop (above), a lounge
and bar set in a glass box
adjoining the roof terrace and
historic tower (left). A private
dining room (opposite, top) in
the old tower comes complete
with a vaulted ceiling and
ornate chandeliers.

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Contract Magazine - April 2018

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