What the Toronto Eaton Centre looked like when it was under construction

The CF Toronto Eaton Centre might be the place where you now shop for holiday gifts, back-to-school sales, and vacation outfits, but what many people don't know is the complex history behind its construction. 

Before it became Canada's busiest mall, the Eaton Centre was actually the focus of contentious public debates, major architectural innovation and a dramatic transformation of downtown Toronto's streetscape in the 1970s. 

The shopping centre occupies land once owned almost entirely by the Eaton's department chain, which had revolutionized the Canadian retail industry after its founding by Timothy Eaton in the 19th century. 

View of the Eaton Centre construction in 1975. Photo: City of Toronto Archives.

By the mid-20th century, Eaton's owned most of the land bounded by Yonge, Queen, Bay and Dundas streets, excluding Old City Hall and the Church of the Holy Trinity. 

However, as operations continued to move to suburban locations in the 1960s, Eaton's sought to make better use of its optimal downtown land by constructing a massive new flagship store and retail-office complex. 

View of Eaton Centre construction, partial view of Yonge Street in 1975. Photo: City of Toronto Archives.

In the mid-1960s, Eaton's proposed demolishing several blocks of downtown Toronto, including the aforementioned Church of the Holy Trinity and much of Old City Hall, leaving only its clock tower and cenotaph. As expected, this bold vision quickly drew opposition, and by 1967, Eaton's paused its plans. 

However, in 1971, the project reemerged with several major changes. For one, Old City Hall would be preserved, and the Church of the Holy Trinity was saved after its parishioners fought not only for the building's survival, but also for continued sunlight access. 

View of the west side of the Eaton Centre boarded up in 1977. Photo: City of Toronto Archives.

As a result, Eaton's new flagship store was moved north to Dundas Street, the office tower component was scaled back, and the overall complex shifted east toward Yonge Street. 

Construction began shortly after, in partnership with Cadillac Fairview and the Toronto-Dominion Bank. Architects Eberhard Zeidler and Bregman + Hamann designed the mall with a vaulted glass ceiling inspired by Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. 

Close view of the steel archway piece for south Eaton Centre in 1978. Photo: City of Toronto Archives.

The first phase opened in 1977, featuring a nine-storey, 1,000,000-square-foot Eaton's store. When the original main store on Queen Street was demolished, the south half of the mall opened in 1979. 

During construction, numerous streets were either eliminated or altered, including Terauley Street, Louisa Street, Albert Lane, and Downey's Lane, which disappeared entirely.

Albert and James Streets were retained only in part, curving around Old City Hall, and Trinity Square became a pedestrian-only space, losing its original Yonge Street access. 

View of the construction of south Eaton Centre in 1978. Photo: City of Toronto Archives.

Over the years, several office towers were added to the complex, including One Dundas West in 1977, Cadillac Fairview Tower in 1982, 250 Yonge Street (formerly Eaton Tower) in 1992, and Simpson Tower, which was incorporated into the centre in 2014. 

According to Zeidler Architecture, the mall's galleria, which is 900 feet long and 60 feet wide, was designed as an "internal urban street within the grid pattern of Toronto, knitting it into the overall city fabric without a break."

View of Eaton Centre construction along Yonge Street in 1977. Photo: City of Toronto Archives.

Since the shopping centre opened its doors, it has witnessed multiple renovations and revitalization plans in an effort to modernize it. 

In June 2010, Cadillac Fairview announced a massive two-year, $120 million renovation plan for the shopping centre, which included new flooring, the redevelopment of the shopping centre's two existing food courts, upgrades to washrooms, lighting improvements, new railings and new entry doors.

Then, in January 2022, Cadillac Fairview launched a $60 million project to refurbish the Galleria's skylight roof, with the upgrade replacing the glass with energy-efficient materials. At the same time, CF pledged $17 million to enhance accessibility and movement, with three new staircases in the south court/Urban eatery and elevator movements.

Long view of the construction of south Eaton Centre from James at Queen Street in 1978. Photo: City of Toronto Archives.

Since 2010, CF has invested over $1.6 billion in upgrades, including expansions of the former Hudson's Bay block and the Queen Street pedestrian bridge.

Today, the CF Toronto Eaton Centre boasts over 200 stores and welcomes millions of visitors from all around the globe.