Description:

520-522 Queen Street West is a 2-to-2.5 storey building located at the northeast corner of Queen Street West and Ryerson Avenue in the Alexandra Park - Queen Street West neighbourhood of Toronto. 520-522 Queen Street West was constructed between 1850 and 1856 and is in a Georgian Revival style.  The building is a designated heritage building within the Queen Street West Heritage Conservation District. 

Constructed between 1850 and 1856, 520-522 Queen Street West is representative of the early development of this section of Queen Street West. 520-522 Queen Street West is one of the oldest surviving buildings on Queen Street West. 

520-522 Queen Street West was originally a residential property. Light commercial uses emerged during the late 1850s and early 1860s. The storefronts appear to have been added during the mid-1860s.

520-522 Queen Street West presently contains two ground floor storefront units and upstairs residential space(s). Historically, there has been various iterations of storefronts - including two storefronts, three storefronts, and a consolidated storefront. 

Historical photographs indicate that 520-522 Queen Street West was originally of a roughcast construction. This roughcast construction may be extant underneath the siding. A rear addition was added after 1858.

520-522 Queen Street West was historically known as 408-410 Queen Street West (pre-1872); 456 Queen Street West (1872); and 482-484 Queen Street West (1873-1889). The present day address of 520-522 Queen Street West has been used since 1890. 

Adjacent Ryerson Avenue has historically been known as Eliza Street, Soho Street, Maria Street, and Hackney Street. Historical map and photograph data indicates the street was widened in the early 20th century and that 520-522 Queen Street West survived the widening. The present-day name — Ryerson Avenue — has been used since the 1910s. 

Early Occupants and Uses:

1855/1856:

520 Queen Street West: John Nash — a pensioner. 

522 Queen Street West: William McLane — an engineer.

1858/1859:

520 Queen Street West:  James Beaty — a labourer.

522 Queen Street West: Fanny Armstrong — a dressmaker.

1860/1861:

520 Queen Street West: James Beaty — a labourer.

522 Queen Street West: Isaac Smith — a gunsmith.

1863/1864:

520 Queen Street West: Eleanor Collins and Joseph Collins. Joseph Collins was a labourer.

522 Queen Street West: James J. Knight — a civil engineer.

1865/1866:

520 Queen Street West:  Samuel Stanley — a boot and shoe maker.

522 Queen Street West: William Mitchell — a grocer.

Later Occupants and Uses:

Please note the following list of occupants and uses is not exhaustive of all former occupants and uses and aims to provide a general overview. Dates are also approximate.

1869/1870:

520 Queen Street West: James Kelley —a newsdealer.

522 Queen Street West: Mrs. A. Mitchell — a grocer. 

1874/1875:

520 Queen Street West: Joseph Brown — fruit store.

522 Queen Street West: William Mitchell — dry goods.

1879/1880:

520 Queen Street West: Henry Carter —  druggist.

522 Queen Street West: William Watson — dry goods.

1884/1885:

520 Queen Street West: J. R. O'Neill — provisions.

522 Queen Street West: William Watson — dry goods.

1889/1890:

520 Queen Street West: Thomas P. O'Neill — provisions.

522 Queen Street West: Vacant Store.

1894/1895:

520 Queen Street West: J. P. O'Neill — provisions.

522 Queen Street West: A & W Allan — millinery. 

1899/1900:

520 Queen Street West: J. P. O'Neill — Provisions.

522 Queen Street West: A. J. Mahaffy — Fancy Goods. 

1904/1905:

520 Queen Street West: J. P. O'Neill — Provisions.

522 Queen Street West: Branch A of the  Home Savings and Loan Company Ltd and the Home Bank of Canada.

1909/1910:

520-522 Queen Street West: The Alexandra Company — a millinery. 

1919/1920:

520 Queen Street West: Jacob Isaacs — milliner.

520A Queen Street West: Percy B. Katz — dry goods.

522 Queen Street West: Anna English - milliner. 

1929/1930:

520 Queen Street West: Morris Rubinoff — butcher.

522 Queen Street West: Harry Fouracres — butcher.

522A Queen Street West: The Toronto Stores — grocer.

1939/1940:

520 Queen Street West: Mason Jewelers and Saul Mason.

522 Queen Street West: Cut-Rate Meat Market, Toronto Stores, and John Yarmolick.

1949/1950:

520 Queen Street West: Mason Jewelers and Saul Mason.

522 Queen Street West: Joseph Friesner — ladies' wear. 

1959/1960:

520-522 Queen Street West: Marshall's Ladies Wear. 

1968/1969:

520-522 Queen Street West: Johnson Furniture and Appliances. 

Present Day (2021):

520 Queen Street West: 520 Queen Street West was most recently home to New York Sub and Burritos. New York Sub and Burritos closed in late 2021.

522 Queen Street West: 522 Queen Street West is presently home to Forever Young Ink — a tattoo parlour.  

Recent Sale:

In the summer of 2021, 520-522 Queen Street West was sold after several months of being on the market. The real estate listing noted that the property was "ideal for end user or developer." The asking price was $6 950 000.

Illegal Demolition: 

Between October 2022 and May 2023, 520-522 Queen Street West was demolished piecemeal. 

On 24 May 2023, Toronto Buildings issued ___ which identified the demolition of the heritage building was done illegally. 

(Research by Adam Wynne)