Visiting the Dineen Building, Toronto, Ontario: Renaissance Revival Structure By F. H. Herbert, Dating From 1897
Tasteful detailing at a late Victorian structure
Known as the Dineen Building, 140 Yonge Street, at the corner of Temperance Street, this elegant structure in Toronto, Ontario was designed by F. H. Herbert (1), and built in 1897 (2).
Executed in yellow brick with some stone facing, the building exhibits Renaissance Revival style, features of which include Syrian arching and a prominent cornice.
Some of the brickwork is noticeably ornate, perhaps a tribute to the late Victorian era from which it dates.
In recent years, the building has undergone more than one program or restoration; a recent project added an extra glass storey to the existing four storeys.
The original occupant was the W. & F. Dineen Company, a prominent hat and fur manufacturer, for which the building provided office space, a showroom and a workshop. An interesting original feature was the inclusion of a Sprague electric elevator, the first of its kind outside the State of New York. (It is thus interesting to reflect on just how long such elevators have been in common use.)
The City of Toronto has designated the Dineen Building to be of heritage status under the Heritage Act of Ontario. In 2013, the restored Dineen Building earned theArchitectural Conservancy of Ontario’s James D. Strachan Award for Craftsmanship (1).
May 6, 2019
Notes
(1) Other work by Architect Herbert included the former Arena Gardens, which dated from 1912, and was the largest arena in Canada.
(2) See also: http://commergroup.com/properties/140-yonge/ This link includes a 'slide show' which includes an early photo of the Dineen Building.
Some sourcing: Wikipedia
Also worth seeing
The Downtown Toronto area is particularly worth exploring by foot, with many fine, historic buildings, a few of which include the following:
In Downtown Toronto , impressive ecclesiastical architecture includes that of three close neighbours: the United Metropolitan Church , St Michael's Roman Catholic Cathedral and St James's Anglican Cathedral , the second and third of which have tall spires which are local landmarks. Almost opposite St Michael's Cathedral on Bond Street is Mackenzie House , former home of William Lyon Mackenzie, at #82, now a museum. On Queen Street East, and adjacent to the Eaton Centre renowned among shoppers, is Old City Hall , dating from 1899. On Queen Street West are the imposing Osgoode Hall and the historic Campbell House . The CN Tower , off Front Street, is naturally a must-see attraction which receives very large numbers of visitors.
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How to get there: Air Canada, flies to Toronto Pearson Airport, with wide North American and other connections, from where car rental is available. However, visitors to Downtown Toronto will find many visitor attractions to be easily walkable. Queen Subway (Line 1) is situated a convenient distance from 140 Yonge Street, Toronto. Please note that some facilities may be withdrawn without notice. Please check with the airline or your travel agent for up to date information. Please refer to appropriate consular sources for any special border crossing arrangements which may apply to citizens of certain nationalities.
MJFenn is an independent travel writer based in Ontario, Canada.
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