Institutional

St. James’ Parish House, as it was originally known, is an important piece of the St. James’ Cathedral campus, one of the defining historical properties of Toronto’s old town. The Parish House, completed in 1909, was designed by well-known Toronto architects Darling and Pearson, and is an excellent example of Neo-Gothic style. The Diocesan Centre, adjoined...

The Downtown Built Heritage Inventory (DBHI) is a pilot project that proposes a new, Hamilton-specific methodology to understand, characterize, and map Hamilton’s downtown heritage resources. Inspired by emerging international best practices in heritage planning, this methodology aligns with the Ontario Heritage Act and Planning Act, but also utilizes other strategies for evaluating historic resources, such...

This monumental building in Old Montreal, completed in 1926, was designed by Ernest Cormier, Louis-Auguste Amos, and Charles J. Saxe. Cormier, known for his fine design work and decidedly modern approach to architecture, also designed l’Université de Montréal; St. Michael’s College School, Toronto; the Supreme Court of Canada, Ottawa; and Cormier House, which served fo several...

ERA was engaged to develop a new access ramp for Casey House: 9 Huntley St., to replace a previous ramp that was deteriorating, difficult to use, and which did not satisfy new Ontario Building Code regulations. Our challenge was to provide a design as light and unobtrusive as possible, while still accommodating the gentle slope...

This building, sited on the east bank of Toronto’s Don River, was constructed in 1885 for John F. Taylor, founder of the Don Valley Brick Works. The building was designed in the Queen Anne style by architect D.B. Dick, and is constructed from local brick on a stone base. Over many years of use, the...

Formerly in operation as Division 11 of the Toronto Police Services, this 1960s building is being considered for the site of a new community hub in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood. A working group of local residents has proposed to transform the space into a new centre that will provide a range of programs and services to...

Located in downtown Toronto, St. James’ Cathedral is the city’s oldest Anglican church and a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture. The main body of the Church was completed in 1856 to the designs of Fredrick Cumberland; the porches and tower spire were added by William Storm in 1875, and were designed to compliment the...

The Toronto Island Ferry Terminal was recently renamed in honour of the late Jack Layton. As part of needed modernization to the facilities, the City of Toronto also built a new ticket pavilion. It needed a sign. ERA was invited to propose signage options that would lend a friendly tone to the park, and one...

Unlike many small Ontario towns, Picton maintains a compact townscape with discreet edges surrounded by countryside. Historically, settlement was centred around Picton Harbour, with waterways serving as a connection point to industry, agriculture, and transportation routes between Kingston and Toronto. While development has naturally been shaped by the local topography of hills, valleys, and shorelines,...

In 2009 the City of Kingston engaged a consultant team to undertake the Kingston Community Cultural Policy Plan as part of the recognition that culture and creativity are major drivers of the local economy. The aim of the study was to articulate a sustainable and long-term vision for cultural vitality in Kingston, and to identify...

As part of a long-term planning strategy to rejuvenate downtown Windsor, several heritage buildings have been adapted to house the facilities for a new downtown campus of the University of Windsor including the copper and stone-clad Windsor Star building and the art-moderne Greyhound Bus Depot. The Windsor Armouries was chosen as the site for the...

As part of a long-term planning strategy to rejuvenate the city’s downtown, several heritage buildings are being adapted to house the facilities for a new downtown campus of the University of Windsor. The Windsor Star building is a finely crafted example of Beaux-Arts design with details in copper and carved stone. ERA is working with...