Building Conservation

Originally constructed in 1922, Fire Hall No. 30 was part of a wave of fire halls that were built in response to Toronto’s rapid growth and the development of its eastern waterfront industrial district. It is a notable example of the Edwardian Classical style that characterized the early institutional buildings along Toronto’s waterfront. Fire Hall...

The Westinghouse Building at 355 King Street West is a robust and carefully articulated example of early 20th-century commercial architecture in Toronto. Originally designed and constructed in the late 1920s by Bernard H. Prack as the Toronto district office of the Canadian Westinghouse Company, the building was later enlarged in the early 1930s by Prack...

Located in the historic centre of the Town of Aurora, the former Church Street School (built 1885-86) is a two-storey yellow brick school building designed by architect Thomas Kennedy. The schoolhouse, one of the finest remaining examples of a High Victorian-designed public school in Ontario, is a dominant landmark structure in the community that contributes to Aurora’s period streetscape and the neighbourhood character. As part...

Snider House, originally built in 1828, is the oldest surviving building in North Toronto and was designated a heritage property in 1979. Over nearly two centuries, the one-and-a-half-storey brick cottage has undergone numerous alterations, gradually evolving alongside its surroundings, from rural to urban. The most recent renovation was carefully designed by GPA, with ERA advising...

In collaboration with Tricon, ERA has completed its redevelopment with an innovative approach that conserves and reintegrates the historic south façade of 6–8 Gloucester into a new mixed-use development. The semi-detached Victorian building was constructed in 1869, nearly two decades before the iconic Gloucester Mews (originally the Masonic Hall Buildings) were built just to the...

The Royal Hotel has been a landmark in Picton since 1881, a Victorian-era hub for travellers and community life in Prince Edward County. After decades of decline, the building faced significant degradation, threatening its historic presence on Main Street. The revitalization project aimed to rehabilitate the three-story heritage building while adapting it for contemporary use....

In 2010, ERA’s heritage planning services were engaged for the redevelopment of 15–35 Mercer Street, a downtown site of three heritage buildings that housed the Pilkington Glass Company from 1895 to 1969. Following a lengthy approvals process, the final plan included the partial retention and adaptive reuse of all three heritage buildings, integrating them into...

Constructed between 1942 and 1946, the Drug Trading Company office building at 25 Ontario Street features a brick and stone façade designed by Margison and Babcock Engineers. Their façade design reflects both Art Deco and Streamline Moderne influences. In 2011, ERA was engaged to oversee the heritage planning and approvals process for the building’s adaptive...

The Pickering Museum Village is one of Ontario’s largest community museums, featuring 19 heritage structures spread across 25 acres along Duffins Creek in the city’s east end. Between 2023-2024, ERA, working with Tacoma Engineering and B.A. Construction, undertook the rehabilitation of two heritage buildings, which had been previously relocated to the site: the Log Barn,...

The Deer Park Presbyterian Church building was designed by Sharp and Brown Architects and completed in 1912, with later additions in 1931 and 1961. The congregation vacated and deconsecrated the church in 2008, and a redevelopment process was initiated in 2010, with approval in 2015. Designated under part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act in...

The revitalization of the University College Quadrangle updated the 1964 Michael Hough-designed courtyard to expand its use and create a more inclusive space for students. ERA worked closely with the project’s landscape architect to ensure intervention strategies for the important campus landmark were sensitive and complementary to the heritage context. A main priority was improving...

The Chapel of St. James-the-Less, situated within the grounds of St. James’ Cemetery, is a significant example of Gothic Revival architecture. Designed by the notable architectural firm Cumberland and Storm in 1857, it was designated a National Historic Site in 1990 because of its architectural quality and siting. The chapel underwent a significant adaptation in...