Everyone in Lakeshore Village knows that building on Birmingham near Eighth Street, long abandoned but still regal against its surrounding vacant lot.
But did you know that building was designed by one of Toronto’s foremost architects, Edward James Lennox?
The son of Irish immigrants, Lennox designed over 70 buildings during his architectural career, which spanned from 1881 until 1917. Several are now considered Toronto landmarks, including Casa Loma and Old City Hall.
The New Toronto Hydro Substation at 124 Birmingham Street was one of Lennox's last built works. Completed in 1917, it housed electrical equipment that powered the then-booming industrial suburb of New Toronto.
The building was added to the City of Toronto’s Heritage Register in 2006, but it seems that it hasn't yet received official designation as a protected heritage site. Shouldn’t it?
You can read more about 124 Birmingham Street on the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario’s website, and about its architect in the Canadian Encyclopedia.
