News & Reviews News Wire Historic Canadian Pacific headquarters could become residential units

Historic Canadian Pacific headquarters could become residential units

By Trains Staff | December 14, 2021

| Last updated on April 1, 2024


Owner proposes converting Toronto building from office space

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Black and white photo of ornate 15-story building
The Canadian Pacific Building, circa 1913. The former railroad headquarters could be converted to residences under a new proposal. (Toronto Public Library, Baldwin Collection of Canadiana)

TORONTO — The landmark Canadian Pacific Building, once the headquarters of what was billed as “The World’s Greatest Transportation System” and the tallest building in Canada upon its completion in 1913, could be converted to residences under a plan filed with the City of Toronto by the current owners.

The website Daily Hive reports that H&R Development, which bought the building from CP in 1988, would convert the office space on floors 2-15 into 67 one- and two-bedroom residential  units. The ground floor — once a CP ticket office and currently a drug store — would remain unchanged, while the currently unused basement would become a restaurant.

The building at 69 Yonge Street received historic status in 1990 under the Ontario Heritage Act, so its exterior cannot be changed. But the inside can be modified. Toronto’s City Council will have to approve the project before construction can begin.

8 thoughts on “Historic Canadian Pacific headquarters could become residential units

  1. Soo Line’s form HQ in Minneapolis has been turned into apartments/condos nice bldg, small sq ft in apts though & high priced!

    1. Grand Trunk Railway System (CV, DWP, GT, GTW) had two different HQ in Detroit, first in the financial district, then moved into a new building east of Downtown. I assume but don’t know that there’s no longer any Detroit office.

    1. That is what I have always thought. CPR’s headquarters were in the headhouse of Windsor Station in Montreal until they were moved to Calgary in the 80s or 90s. This building must have been the Toronto offices not the headquarters.

  2. While plans have been submitted to have Canadian Pacific’s headquarters be turned into residential apartments when those know the building is declared historical status as the exterior can’t be altered in any way when the interior can be reconfigured when those know based on the age of the building had contractors take into account asbestos abatement in their bid.

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