Toronto building damaged by huge fire was completely revamped and is going for $6M

If you've ever walked along Queen West in Parkdale, you've probably passed 1320 Queen St. W. without realizing just how much history is packed into that one address.

Because while it's now being marketed as a sleek, turnkey investment property, this building has lived a lot of lives.

Originally built in 1887 in an Italianate style, the three-storey structure has served as everything from a church to a fire station to municipal offices to a restaurant over its nearly 140-year history.

The exterior of the building. 

Most famously, it housed the beloved French restaurant Chantecler. Unfortunately, in 2019, a fire tore through the building, and crews battled the blaze for nearly four hours before bringing it under control.

The kitchen in one of the units with exposed brick walls. 

Chantecler has since relocated to Bloor St. W, but 1320 Queen St. W is back, and you'd never know it was completely gutted by a fire.

Wood panelled ceilings add warmth to the unit. 

The property has been completely rebuilt into a brand-new (2024) mixed-use building that leans hard into modern, income-generating potential.

The living room in one of the units. 

Sitting on the north side of Queen Street West, right in the middle of one of Toronto's most consistently in-demand neighbourhoods, the new version of 1320 Queen St. W is less about history and more about cash flow.

The view from the the front entrance of one of the apartments. 

Inside, the building combines ground-floor retail space, which has been home to fast-food chain Mary Brown's Chicken, with six residential units above.

Open concept living and dining areas.

The units are all designed to attract tenants willing to pay a premium.

A bedroom with exposed brick walls. 

The unit mix includes a studio, a one-bedroom, and four two-bedroom suites — each with its own in-suite laundry and contemporary finishes that feel more boutique condo than typical rental.

Big windows and high ceilings are featured in the units. 

And unlike many investment properties that still need some work (or a lot of optimism), this one is being pitched as fully turnkey.

Another unit. 

Currently, it's fully tenanted, meaning the income starts on day one, not "eventually once you find renters."

The ground-floor unit walks out to a back patio. 

And based on past rental listings, units could be generating somewhere between $5,500 a month and $7,500 a month. 

The contemporary kitchen in one of the units. 

But what really makes this listing a catch is the flexibility. Thanks to zoning that allows for short-term rentals, there's room here for multiple income strategies — whether that's sticking with long-term tenants for stable cash flow or leaning into Airbnb-style rentals to potentially boost returns.

The units have tons of character and lean into the hard loft vibes. 

Of course, none of this comes as a surprise given the location. Parkdale has spent the last decade cementing itself as one of Toronto's most dynamic west-end neighbourhoods — the kind of place where independent shops, restaurants, and creative spaces thrive, and where demand for housing rarely dips for long.

The back patio of 1320 Queen St. W. 

So while 1320 Queen St. W. might look like a shiny new investment on paper, it's also a bit of a phoenix story — a building that's been through just about everything, from civic service to fine dining to a devastating fire, and somehow keeps reinventing itself for the next chapter.

The back of the building. 

And now, that next chapter just happens to come with six rental units and a retail storefront. It is currently listed for $5,999,999.