Local projects win Heritage Toronto honours

The McGregor Hosiery Mills project at  401 Wellington Street West received an honourable mention for the William Greer Architectural Conservation and Craftsmanship category at the 2009 Heritage Toronto Awards on Oct. 14.

The award, which honours projects that have restored or adapted buildings or structures that have been in existence for forty years or more, gave a nod to Stantec Architecture Ltd. and Stantec Consulting Ltd. and GovanBrown Construction Managers for their work on the site.

In addition to the quality of craftsmanship, appropriateness of materials, and the use of sound conservation principles, the jury agreed that the project meets current needs while maintaining the integrity of the original design vision.

Built in 1905 at the corner of Spadina and Wellington, the former hosiery mill is now home to architectural offices.

Despite its transformation from industrial to office space, the awards program notes, “the original interior design was respected with the placement of systems under the floor to leave the original wood deck ceiling exposed and uncluttered.

“New walls were positioned so that they did not obstruct the original columns.”

Distillery author Sally Gibson’s book Toronto’s Distillery District: History by the Lake was given the award of merit in the book category, which recognizes excellent non-fiction books published in 2008 that explore Toronto’s archaeological, built, cultural and/or natural heritage and history.

The awards program adds, “This is the first book to chronicle the history of the site that houses some of the finest Victorian industrial architecture in Canada. Some 45 eclectic articles investigate the people, events, buildings, industrial artifacts, and processes” that made the district an important part of Toronto’s history.