Crosse & Blackwell Building Heritage Property Plaque, 2018.
Resource ID
6406
Access
Open
Address
545 Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1A3
Credit Line
Heritage Toronto
Date of Creation
2018
Historical Themes
Architectural Heritage, Business History, Food and Drink, Industrial Heritage
Keywords
Harbourfront
Program Category
Historical Plaques
Rights
Heritage Toronto
Time Period
1900-1953
Caption
Crosse & Blackwell Building Heritage Property Plaque, 2018.
Description
This former factory complex was built by the Canadian branch of the English food company Crosse & Blackwell. Designed by the architecture firm Chapman & Oxley, it was celebrated as an innovative example of site planning and building layout. The hexagonal entrance pavilion featured a stained-glass lantern and ornate stone details such as the company initials above the entrance. Crosse & Blackwell produced jams, pickles, and sauces, and had its offices here until 1937, when it closed down. Various businesses occupied the building until Loblaws bought it in 1950. In the 1970s, the Harbourfront Corporation, owned by the federal government, took over this and many other buildings on the waterfront, creating a cultural and residential district on the former industrial land. In 1979, the Crosse & Blackwell building was restored for use by Multilingual Television, which became Omni in 2002.
Marker lat / long: 43.636613, -79.398691 (WGS84)