F. W. Woolworth Building (Toronto)

Jamieson Building

Industry	Retail (historical)
Predecessor	Philip Jamieson Clothing Company
Founded	1895
Founder	Philip Jamieson
Defunct	1976 (as Woolworth's tenant)
Fate	Renovated and repurposed for retail and office use
Successor	Various tenants including Apparel Clearance Centre, RBC bank branch, Tower Records Superstore, Sport Chek, GoodLife Fitness gym
Headquarters	Toronto , Canada
Area served	Downtown Toronto
Key people	Philip Jamieson (founder)
Products	Clothing and outfitting (originally)
Owner	Cadillac Fairview (as of 2018 renovation)

Woolworth's located on the left corner during the 1930s.

Constructed in 1895, the Jamieson Building—also referred to as the Woolworth building—stands at the northwest intersection of Queen Street West and Yonge Street in Toronto’s downtown core. It is situated adjacent to the Toronto Eaton Centre. A hallmark of this structure is its rounded corner façade. During restoration efforts, architects designated the building by its address: 2 Queen West.

History

The former Woolworth Building as seen in 2012

The site at the northwest corner of Queen and Yonge Streets has a layered history, initially occupied by Elliot Thomas' Sun Tavern from 1830 to 1850, followed by Agricultural Hall between 1850 and 1890. Subsequently, Philip Jamieson, a retailer specializing in clothing and outfitting, established his store there. In March 1895, a fire originating at Simpson's store across Queen Street spread to Jamieson's premises, destroying both establishments. That same year, Jamieson enlisted architects Samuel Curry and Francis Baker to design and erect the current building. The Jamieson Building became well known for its "Rounded Corner," a feature prominently highlighted in all store advertisements. Philip Jamieson retained ownership of the building until his passing in 1909.

By 1912, Naomi Bilton held ownership of the land beneath the building. Due to disagreements with the Eaton family, Bilton transferred ownership to the University of Toronto under the stipulation that no member of the Eaton family would ever possess it. This condition excluded the property from inclusion in the Eaton Centre development during the 1970s.

From 1910 to 1913, S.H. Knox and Company, an American five-and-dime retailer, occupied this location. Frank and Charles Woolworth later merged their enterprise with their cousin Knox’s company to establish F.W. Woolworth.

The building was home to F.W. Woolworth, an American retail chain, from 1913 until 1976. Upon Woolworth's takeover, the original Philip Jamieson Clothing Company inscription etched into the brickwork was obscured. In the late 1960s, Woolworth’s significantly transformed the structure by enveloping it in white cladding that concealed much of its original architectural character.

Following an interior renovation, Apparel Clearance Centre took occupancy in 1980. Five years later, Guaranty Realty Investments and Karas Corp acquired the property jointly and commissioned Alter & Ireland architects to partially restore the façade. During this restoration, the white cladding from the 1960s was removed and replaced in part with gray panels, revealing sections of the original brickwork once again.

Over time, tenants have included a now-defunct RBC bank branch, Tower Records Superstore (no longer operating), sporting goods retailer Sport Chek (initially Coast Mountain Sports before rebranding as Atmosphere), as well as a GoodLife Fitness gym.

In 2018, ownership by Cadillac Fairview led to commissioning of Zeidler Partnership Architects alongside ERA Architects for further renovation work on the building.

Restoration

Jamieson Building restored to closely match its 1895 design

The restoration process began in 2018 when ERA Architects undertook the project to return the structure to its original late Victorian style. Due to extensive deterioration, much of the original façade was beyond repair. Consequently, reconstruction required the use of over 40,000 custom-made bricks, stones, and terra cotta elements. The terra cotta components were crafted by Boston Valley Terra Cotta in Orchard Park, New York, based on a salvaged original fragment. Historical photographs guided the accurate recreation of the metal cornice crowning the fourth-floor exterior. Additionally, a gilded signage band above the ground-level windows was reinstated, displaying "P JAMIESON CLOTHIER OUTFITTER" as it appeared historically.

The architectural firm Zeidler Partnership Architects designed an addition of three new floors atop the existing four-storey structure, culminating in a seven-storey building. This expansion delivers approximately 2,151 m² (23,150 sq ft) designated for office use and about 2,044.9 m² (22,011 sq ft) allocated for retail and storage purposes. The two lowest levels are planned for retail operations and will integrate with the Eaton Centre. Levels three through six will serve as commercial office spaces, while the seventh floor is intended to house a restaurant featuring a terrace with views of the Yonge and Queen intersection. Notably, the fifth and sixth floors are recessed by one metre from the perimeter of the original building’s façade.

See also

• List of oldest buildings and structures in Toronto
• List of Woolworth buildings
• Historic Woolworth's in Wilmington, Delaware
• Dominion Hotel, another heritage restoration project in Toronto completed by ERA Architects