The historic building at 197–199 Yonge Street was formerly a four-floor

Canadian Bank of Commerce The Canadian Bank of Commerce was a Canadian bank which was founded in 1867, and had hundreds of branches throughout Canada. It merged in 1961 with the Imperial Bank of Canada to form the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. History In 1866 a ...

building built in 1905 by architects

Darling and Pearson Darling and Pearson was an architecture, architectural firm based in Toronto from 1895 through 1937. The firm was prolific and produced consistently fine work though the patronage of Byron Edmund Walker, notable figures of the Canadian establishment ...

and declared as a historical property by the City of

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Ontario, Canada in 1974. The bank left the building in 1987. The bank address was 199 Yonge Street, the numbers still showing above the entrance. Next door at

205 Yonge Street 205 Yonge Street was formerly a four-story Bank of Toronto building built in 1905 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was designated under the ''Ontario Heritage Act'' in 1975. The E. J. Lennox-designed structure has a domed roof and Corinthian column ...

is another historic site. The gap between the two sites was once the

Colonial Tavern The Colonial Tavern was one of the most famous jazz venues in Canada from the 1950s till its closure in the late 1970s. It was located at 201–203 Yonge Street in Toronto, Ontario (now an open lot between 197 Yonge Street and 205 Yonge Street) w ...

, demolished in the 20th century. It has been refurbished with of space. 197 Yonge Street will be preserved and become part of the

Massey Tower Massey Tower is a new complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, being built spanning the block below Shuter Street, between Yonge and Victoria streets. The Northeast corner of the complex will add much needed backstage space to historic Massey Hall. ...

project.

References

External links

Heritage Property Detail: 197 Yonge Street

Canadian Bank of Commerce
Buildings and structures in Toronto Darling and Pearson buildings Neoclassical architecture in Canada Historic bank buildings in Canada Commercial buildings completed in 1905 1905 establishments in Ontario {{Toronto-stub