An exploration of the past, present and future of a Toronto landmark

AboutIn 2030, College Park will celebrate a century since it first opened its doors as a beacon of Art Moderne architecture and Art Deco interior design in Toronto.

In anticipation of this major milestone, GWL Realty Advisors (GWLRA) has launched College Park 100 – a website and event series dedicated to mining the rich history of the property as we propose what a reimagined, revitalized College Park could look like over the next century. Since its inception in 1930, College Park has stood as an architectural icon, designed by the renowned Montreal architects Ross and Macdonald. College Park 100 aims to revisit the original vision of Ross and Macdonald and explore the best ways to ensure College Park becomes the vital cultural destination it was originally intended to be.

Central to College Park 100 is fostering public participation. This website is intended to keep visitors informed with project updates and key details, as well as presentations sharing our latest thinking. An event series featuring lectures, open houses and town halls will be launched to gather input and ideas, while sharing our own. Check back for updates, posts and videos as this process evolves.

Let’s shape the next century of an iconic Toronto landmark together.

HistoryThe history of College Park is a story of grand ambitions and unrealized potential.

Archives of Ontario

Archives of Ontario

Archives of Ontario

Archives of Ontario

Archives of Ontario

Archives of Ontario

100 YEARS 1930 – 2030

An icon of Art Moderne architecture and Art Deco interior design since 1930, College Park was originally conceived as an opulent, 38-storey retail landmark. The Great Depression forced Eaton’s to scale back renowned architects Ross and Macdonald’s original wedding cake design, but it was nonetheless the second-largest department store in North America at the time.

The Tyndall Stone building was known as Eaton’s College Street until 1977 when The Eaton Centre opened at Yonge and Dundas. The retailer abandoned the building to a mishmash of uses and the building’s crown jewel, the seventh-floor Eaton Auditorium, fell into disrepair. Designed by Jacques Carlu, it hosted renowned performers such as Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington. When GWLRA took over College Park in 2000, the seventh floor was restored to its former glory and reopened in 2003 as The Carlu.

The first public event in GWL Realty Advisors’ College Park 100 series, entitled Restoring the Lost Vision of College Park: An Architectural Icon That Changed Toronto, took place on March 17 at The Carlu’s Round Room. The heritage talk was hosted by ERA Architects Principal Scott Weir, along with special guest Morgan Cameron Ross (@oldtoronto).

The presentation focused on the original unrealized plans for College Park, and the role heritage architecture will play in bringing new life to Yonge and College Streets.

The Proposal

Reimagining an Architectural Icon

GWLRA’s proposal for College Park involves a precedent-setting heritage restoration, a three-tower mixed-use complex and a reimagined public realm. The redevelopment of this unfinished icon will transform the intersection of Yonge and College into an essential retail and cultural hub as the building marks its centennial in 2030.

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