Housing

Regent Park Revitalization Phases 4 and 5 represent the final chapter in the comprehensive revitalization of Regent Park, Canada’s oldest and largest social housing community. Originally constructed in the late 1940s and influenced by garden city planning principles, Regent Park was conceived as a collection of low-rise buildings set within open lawns and pedestrian pathways....

The transformative rehabilitation and retrofit project of 504–508 Parliament Street adapts Second Empire-style townhouses into supportive housing for individuals experiencing homelessness. This initiative, led by Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services in collaboration with Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) and the City of Toronto, provides dignified, supportive housing within a heritage context. The project includes 31 rooms with...

The comprehensive renovation of 41 Rose Avenue transformed a vacant building into a vibrant multi-unit rooming house within the Cabbagetown Northwest Area Heritage Conservation District. This initiative, led by Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services in collaboration with Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) and the City of Toronto, provides seven self-contained rooms, each equipped with a private washroom...

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...

The Ray McCleary Towers, located at 444 Logan Avenue, opened in 1967 as the first housing initiative from WoodGreen Community Services. Named for Reverend Ray McCleary (1907–1967), WoodGreen’s founder and a respected community figure, the building honours his legacy of charity in Toronto’s Riverdale neighbourhood. The 444 Logan project, led by WoodGreen Community Housing and...

Set in a forested neighbourhood enclave where vintage homes meet modern retreats, this striking chalet blends traditional Austrian alpine architecture with a contemporary edge. Located in the Georgian Bay community of The Blue Mountains, just minutes from winter’s snow-covered ski slopes, ERA was engaged to design a new winter family getaway intended to embrace its...

Located on an outer island within the Georgian Bay Archipelago, ERA was tasked with developing a small-scale master plan for this undeveloped five-acre island to evoke a sense of togetherness while offering distinctly private accommodations for visiting guests. The family compound includes a 3,000 square-foot main cottage, serving as the central hub and reception space...

Pinewood Cottage, located on Ojibway Island, represents a respectful reimagining of a site with a rich history. The only remaining feature of the original cottage was a tall, free-standing fieldstone chimney and fireplace from a previous structure —  a compact three-bedroom cottage that had burned down in the early 80s. The ERA team took on...

ERA was the Architect of Record for a multi-phase modernization project at the St. Hilda’s Towers in partnership with the City of Toronto and WoodGreen. St. Hilda’s has been a cornerstone of its community for the past 40 years, providing affordable housing for seniors at the heart of the new Eglinton LRT corridor. Made possible...

The landmark Victorian-era clock tower located on Yonge Street, just north of College Street, has a multi-layered history that links many communities and generations. First built in 1872 as Toronto’s Fire Hall No.3, it was an impressive early punctuation on Yonge Street due to its imposing height and rich architectural detailing. By the 1950s the...

ERA is collaborating with Partisans and H&R REIT to envision the reinvention of the 1913 heritage-designated Canadian Pacific Railway Building at 69 Yonge Street, part of Toronto’s first skyscraper ensemble at the corner of King and Yonge streets. Designed by the renowned architects Darling & Pearson, the building housed company offices, a topmost telegraphy floor,...

Underneath layers of siding, on what appeared as a forgotten agricultural outbuilding, hid a 150-year-old log cabin. ERA was hired to assess the viability of restoring the existing structure and reimagine it into a private artist studio hideaway nestled into a rustic landscape estate. To better understand the heritage of the site and the structure...