Heritage Toronto | arts richmond toronto architecture

Etching of the MacDonald Manufacturing Company building, 401 Richmond Street West, c. 1900.

Sales and office staff, Macdonald Manufacturing Company, 1900s. Courtesy of 401 Richmond

Former MacDonald Manufacturing Co. warehouse, 401 Richmond Street, Toronto, 2011. Image: 401 Richmond

Interior, west lobby, 401 Richmond Street, Toronto, ON. Courtesy of 401 Richmond.

401 Richmond Street

Developer & Architects: Margaret Zeidler, Urbanspace Property Group

Built between 1899 and 1923, the building complex at 401 Richmond Street West was once the home for the Macdonald Manufacturing Company, makers of tin lithographs. After a period owned by the Continental Can Company from 1944-1967, the buildings at 401 Richmond were left neglected.

1 / 2 (use arrows at bottom right to navigate)
401 Richmond Street

In 1994, Margaret Zeidler and the Urbanspace Property Group purchased the former factory and spearheaded its rehabilitation. Years of work went into lifting zoning restrictions to allow small organizations and creative companies to become tenants of the space. In 2007, 401 Richmond Street West was added to the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties. Noteworthy features included the buildings’ decorative brick and stone, the addition of the rooftop garden, and its large brick smokestack.

The restoration project, which turned the former factory into a community-oriented commercial space, won a Heritage Toronto Award of Merit in 1999. The Zeidler Family also won a Heritage Toronto Special Achievement Award in 2007. The building is now home to numerous artists and non-for-profit organizations and is a prime creative workspace in the city.

2 / 2 (use arrows at bottom right to navigate)

Next Slide

Previous Slide