Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto and the Toronto Catholic District School Board have proposed redeveloping the St. Michael’s Choir School into a new six-story structure, combining heritage elements from the existing building with modernized learning spaces.
Urban Toronto reports that the redeveloped site 56-66 Bond St. will become an integrated all-boys elementary and secondary school. The structure will include classrooms, musical spaces, a gymnasium and a rooftop playground.
KPMB and +VG Architects are working as a joint venture as they did between 2010 and 2020 on the rehabilitation of the St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, adjacent to the school near St. Michael’s Hospital.
“The current 2 1/2 storey 66 Bond St. building was designed in a gothic revival, collegiate style and finished in red brick with grey Indiana limestone detailing.” DataBid says in a recent weekly eleltter. “Its main facade has a central clock tower. The facade and the clock tower will be conserved and incorporated into the new design.”
The new 7,230 sq. m. building will be the home for the 300 pupil boys’ school and a choral institute of music for grades 3 to 12.
“Physical and cultural heritage associations of the site and its surroundings have been central to the conceptual design and organization of the new building,” the filing’s Heritage Assessment says.
“Visual and spatial connections are created to reinforce the associative links between the school and St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica on the other side of the street, and throughout the new building, views of the Cathedral are framed. By maintaining this continuity of use, conserving the most valuable elements of the existing structure and incorporating them into the new building, the proposed development will promote and enhance the heritage value of the site as it relates to the Cathedral, and within the wider context of Bond Street.”
