F. W. Woolworth Building, Commercial building at Queen Street West and Yonge Street, Toronto, Canada.
The F. W. Woolworth Building is a four-story commercial structure at the corner of Queen Street West and Yonge Street in Toronto, with its original facade restored. Modern floors were added above the original structure, and today it houses various commercial tenants.
The building was constructed in 1895 by Curry, Baker and Company Architects, replacing earlier structures that served as a tavern and later as a public hall. The structure underwent significant transformation when Woolworth operated it from 1913 until the late 1960s.
The building shows traces of its years as a Woolworth store from 1913 until the late 1960s, a period when retail shopping transformed downtown Toronto. Visitors can see how this store shaped the urban experience of the neighborhood during its heyday.
The building is located in an active retail district and is easy to reach by public transit. It functions as an active commercial building, so entrances and common areas are accessible during business hours.
During the 2017 restoration, original architectural elements were revealed that had been hidden beneath modern cladding for decades. This discovery shows how differently the building appeared and functioned across different eras.
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