Huge tower could soon transform 138-year-old Toronto landmark

A significant vertical presence could soon loom over a former Toronto church dating back to the 19th century.

A 40-storey rental tower has been proposed for the site of the Randolph Theatre at 736 Bathurst St., a 518-seat performing arts centre housed within the 1888-built former Bathurst Street Methodist Church.

The towering new addition would be a sharp modern contrast against the Victorian-era building, whose cornerstone was laid by Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister.

Previous owner ONE Development acquired the property in 2010, but after almost a decade and a half, the company put the heritage building and adjacent properties on Markham Street on the market in 2024.

And after almost two years of radio silence, a new owner is moving forward with a bold vision for the site.

A planning application was filed in July on behalf of a partnership between MOD Development and Montez Corporation, seeking rezoning to permit a 40-storey tower designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, with a sleek design and base sculpted away to frame the retained church building.

And, while the church building will be retained as a performance venue, some changes are indeed on the way should the proposal move forward.

Planners for the project argue that while "the former church building [...] is certainly a structure with cultural heritage value, [...] its current condition is compromised, and it is in desperate need of significant capital investment to ensure its longevity."

Due to the existing building's historic value, a preservation plan from heritage specialists GBCA would see the church building "fully conserved in form and scale, including substantial conservation of the main interior spatial configuration." 

Portions of the building would indeed require demolition to allow the tower footprint, including the 1910 Sunday School building, which will be largely removed except for a portion along Lennox Street.

The proposal would introduce 386 purpose-built rental apartments to the block just south of the new Mirvish Village development, itself home to several newly occupied high-rise rental towers.

Municipal and provincial planning policies will likely back up additional residential density just blocks south of Bathurst station on the Line 2 Bloor-Danforth subway, as well as along the 511 Bathurst streetcar route. 

However, with the tallest building in the Mirvish Village community maxing out at 26 storeys, the height sought in this rezoning might not be met as smoothly with local residents.