From the City's report regarding the heritage context of Ossington Avenue:
"The Main Street Commercial Row type most often establishes the predominant main street character of a street, and reflects typical patterns of development along arterial roads in the 19th and through the mid-20th century. They are generally designed to accommodate retail at-grade, with residential or commercial use above and their form is deep (?) and narrow, allowing for a maximization of the number of storefronts on any given block. These buildings were designed in a variety of architectural styles and vernacular interpretations, most typically with brick cladding and more rarely with clapboard siding, various rooflines and heights ranging from 1 to 4 storeys. Individual row buildings may be constructed in isolation or as a part of a larger, contiguous development consisting of multiple row buildings with shared characteristics.
Common Features:
- 1-4 storeys
- Public retail/commercial use at-grade with private/residential uses above
- generally one part of a row of buildings with the same or similar architectural scale, design, proportions and materials
- brick or clapboard cladding
- flat roof with parapet, gable roof, or mansard roof with dormers
- storefronts of varying designs, often with side or centre entrance, display windows,transoms and/or signboard"
