The property at 1032-1034 Queen St West was originally two properties owned by Robert Vogan. In 1886 Vogan built a three-storey, commercial block containing his bakery and confectionary store on the north-west corner of Queen St W and Brookfield Avenue and a second store, at 1034 Queen St W., initially rented to Alex Bourdon, who operated a hat store. The upper two floors contained residential accommodation. In 2007, the then owner of the property undertook substantial restoration along with extensions of the property.
The Robert Vogan block has design value as an exceptional example of a late-19th century commercial corner-block building designed with a high degree of craftsmanship in the Second Empire Style. The design value is evident in the chamfered corner, the octagonal spire roof, and the exuberant variety of forms, materials, patterns and details typical of a High-Victorian sensibility seen in the patterned slate of the mansard roof, the red and buff brick patterning and the variety of window types.
The Vogan block has historical value through its association with the beginning of the late 19th-century transformation of the Park Lot estates north of Queen Street, here the Brookfield estate, from large single-family land holdings to dense residential neighbourhoods with a vibrant commercial street. Through its history, the Vogan block accommodated a wide variety of uses from bakery and hat shop to theatre, a place of worship identified with the Polish community, a union hall, Royal Canadian Legion hall, theatre centre and a night club representing the dynamic and evolving social history of the neighbourhood.
Contextually, the Vogan block is important for maintaining the late 19th-century scale and character of the West Queen West neighbourhood. As a well-preserved example with its distinctive spire, the Vogan block is is an important local landmark contributing to the vitality of the local community.
Part IV Heritage Designation:
In 2017, Heritage Planning Staff wrote a report recommending Toronto City Council designate the property, along with the adjacent properties at 1036-1046 Queen St W. known as the Samuel S. Mutton block, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. The properties were also listed on the City's Heritage Register.
Part V Heritage Designation:
The property is part of the West Queen West Heritage Conservation District.
Report and City Council Decision:
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2017.MM27.46City of Toronto By-Law 1215-2017
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/bylaws/2017/law1215.pdfSee attached sources below for more information.
