2 Queen Street West

2 Queen Street West has served shoppers on the corner of Yonge and Queen since its construction in 1895. Designed in the Renaissance Revival style in a rare partnership between Samuel Curry and Francis S. Baker, the building first opened as the P. Jamieson Clothier Outfitter. It was eventually surrounded by the rise of the department store, with two competing retail giants, Eaton’s and Simpsons, located adjacent to and beside the three-storey store. The building has been continually altered to serve new owners, going from a bank branch to a record store, and then an outdoor store. Its most notable tenant was the flagship Woolworth’s Store, which occupied the building from 1913 until the 1960s.

The building has undergone a significant facelift as part of a larger revitalization as an upscale retail location connected to the Eaton Centre and featuring a three-storey glass addition for office and restaurant use. Working with Zeidler Architects, ERA undertook the restoration of the terracotta and masonry façade, much of which fell victim to changing times — sandblasting the bricks in the 1960s and white metal overcladding to suit the retail aesthetic of the 1970s. The 1980s saw the heritage conservation efforts of architect Lloyd Alter result in the cladding being removed in some sections to reveal the exposed brick underneath. However, parts remained covered by contemporary green aluminum siding due to the condition of the building and the extensive modifications that were evident.

With a single 1897 photograph as a guide, the current restoration recreates almost the entire exterior layer of the façade. The size and shape of the original bricks were replicated as was new terracotta detailing and new stone arches that once flanked the building at street level will be installed. The original building footprint was conserved due to the significance of the corner within the surrounding context of the site. Contemporary techniques and materials were used to create a faithful rebuild of the original. The only remaining exterior detail is the gilded signage band with its original lettering intact, harkening back to the days of this prominent retail corner as a bustling outfitters post.