Balzac's moving into old Toronto Powerhouse Building

To walk by the Powerhouse Building near Davenport and Lansdowne, you wouldn't imagine that at some point it will be a bustling cafe, but that's exactly the plan for this remnant of Edwardian industrial architecture.

Rumours that the heritage building would become a Balzac's Coffee Shop have been whispered for a while, but the company confirmed its plans with a rare interior shot of the building recently. There's a heap of work to be done before the cafe opens, but the glimpse of the space confirms just how unique it's likely to be.

At present, the building is something of a shell, which those passing by can look into via the large gaps where the windows used to be. Davenport Village residents shouldn't expect the imminent arrival of this new cafe (perhaps spring would be realistic), but it's exciting to see that progress is being made.

Balzac's, of course, is no stranger to operating out of restored industrial heritage buildings, having opened its first Toronto location in the Distillery District way back in 2002. If the raw materials are any indication, the Powerhouse cafe could be every bit as stunning.