224 Adelaide Street West is a 1.5 storey Ontario Gothic Revival cottage located on the north side of Adelaide Street West approximately midblock between Duncan Street and Simcoe Street in the Entertainment District of Toronto. 224 Adelaide Street West was constructed in 1872/1873.



This cottage — first home to James Hickman, a shipbroker — is the last surviving Ontario Gothic Revival Cottage (Ontario House) and Workers Cottage in the Entertainment District neighbourhood of Toronto. 


224 Adelaide Street West is representative of the early residential development of the Entertainment District, prior to it being converted to an industrial and commercial district in the 20th century. This neighbourhood evolution was reflected with the addition of a storefront to the cottage (note the large Burrito Boyz sign is presently obscuring part of the building).


During the 1980s, 224 Adelaide Street West was home to theatre companies, including the NDWT Theatre Company and the Toronto Theatre Alliance.


224 Adelaide Street West was also featured in Full Frontal T. O.: Exploring Toronto's Architectural Vernacular (2012) by Patrick Cummins and Shawn Micallef, accompanied by photographs of the building's evolution over time from the 1980s to 2010. The caption in Full Frontal T. O. is as follows "224 Adelaide Street West — a rare Gothic cottage survivor in Clubland. Residential homes in this loud part of town continue to exist even as 50 000 or more partiers descend on the area every Friday and Saturday night, though generally, as here, these homes were converted to commercial uses" (page 55). This is also available online on the Full Frontal TO website: https://fullfrontalto.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/224-adelaide-street-west/


 224 Adelaide Street West has been identified as a contributing heritage property in the King-Spadina Heritage Conservation District and has subsequently been listed on the heritage register. 

In December 2020, a redevelopment application was submitted for a 68-storey condominium tower at 224-240 Adelaide Street West. This redevelopment application proposes the demolition of 224 Adelaide Street West. 

(Research by Adam Wynne)