Inside Totem’s historic headquarters

Beardmore Building

BEAUTY & THE BEARDMORE: The stunning structure that Totem calls home

Along with the iconic Gooderham Building, the yellow-and-red-brick Perkins Building and the cast-iron façade of the Commercial Building in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood, the Beardmore Building is an indelible part of downtown Toronto’s history and charm.

It’s also the place Totem has called home for more than 10 years. And whether you’re a Totem staffer, a visiting client or a Front Street shopper who has confused our entrance with Winners next door, the ornately detailed frontage and the “Beardmore Building” inscription above the doorway are hard to miss.

You may have even asked yourself a few questions. What was the building originally used for? What’s this about a ghost on the fourth floor? And who’s this Beardmore guy anyway? Here are some answers.

George Beardmore

BY GEORGE: Leather legend George Lissant Beardmore, circa 1880

THE MAN
The building’s namesake is George Lissant Beardmore (1818-1893). While he may not be famous today, in his time he was a renowned Liverpool-born leather merchant who moved to Canada in the mid-1800s to set up shop, lured by the promise of the vibrant new Town of York (now the city of Toronto). He commissioned the construction of the Beardmore Building, completed in 1872, to house his growing company.

The building once backed on to Browne’s Wharf, before the waterfront was extended, and some of the best saddles and harnesses in the country were produced in Beardmore’s factory.

Thankfully, this isn’t the only Beardmore landmark in Toronto still standing. His impressive private residence at 136 Beverly Avenue sits across from the Art Gallery of Ontario and today houses the Italian Consulate.

THE STYLE
The Beardmore Building has something in common with the Louvre—its Second Empire style of architecture. Popular from 1860 to 1890, the style was inspired by Napoleon’s reign and French civic planner Baron Haussmann’s additions to the Louvre and the Paris Opera House. And there’s no better example of Second Empire architecture in Toronto than the four-storey, 50,000-square-foot Beardmore Building, built by Toronto architect David Roberts.

Some telltale details of the style:

Second Empire

SECOND EMPIRE STATE OF MIND: How to spot Second Empire style

• a distinctive mansard roof, featuring four steep sides, each with a double slope
• decorative metal cresting, still gloriously intact on the Beardmore
• dormer windows, usually in various shapes with ornate embellishments
• molded cornices, typically found above and below the lower level of the roof

These unique characteristics can be seen on other examples of Second Empire style in Toronto—the Irish Embassy Pub on Yonge Street and—believe it or not—the former Big Bop club at Queen and Bathurst streets, currently under renovation to prepare it for its next incarnation as a Crate & Barrel store.

THE RESTORATION
We all need a little maintenance from time to time, and the Beardmore is no exception. Over the years, the building had fallen into disrepair, with its once impressive façade marred by cracked paint and crumbling bricks.

But in the early 1980s, it was restored to its former splendor with a $5.8-million renovation by Toronto-based property management firm Property Services Inc. overseen by the Toronto Heritage Society.

The building’s foundation was originally built underwater, on hollow subterranean cribs. As part of the restoration, the cribs were filled in with stones and concrete to give the structure a more solid base. The interior was entirely redesigned and rebuilt to be more accommodating to office and retail space, while the façade was restored using historically accurate paint colours.

Designated a heritage building by the Toronto Heritage Society, today’s Beardmore is a protected landmark. This gives city council the power to refuse any application for construction or renovations that will adversely affect the property’s heritage attributes.

BEARDMORE & THE MOVIES
The Beardmore is always ready for its close-up! Given its striking interior and exterior, it’s no surprise that the site is a favourite Toronto shooting location for commercials, television and film. It was featured in the 1988 Tom Cruise classic Cocktail. And it played, natch, a magazine-publishing company in both the Heather Graham rom-com Cake and the made-for-television Martha Stewart biopic Martha, Inc., starring Cybill Shepherd.

Cake

ICING ON THE CAKE: The Beardmore gets glam for the big screen

THE GHOST?
And speaking of film, the Beardmore could be the inspiration for its own horror movie. Rumour has it a ghost has been heard, and perhaps even seen, on the fourth floor.

Totem Accountant Caroline (who, along with her team, lovingly dubbed the ghost “Edna”) often heard the sound of typing, while working late nights on the fourth floor, only to find she was alone.

Aeroplan Arrival magazine’s Art Director Jason Kang was also alone when he heard what sounded like a stack of paper being slammed to the floor, only to find nothing amiss. Even the interior design team hired when Totem first moved into the building refused to go to the fourth floor after some similarly disconcerting experiences.

The most convincing evidence: while reviewing security footage from the fourth floor, Vice President of HR Theresa O’Connell noticed something unusual. Since security cameras and lights turn on at night only when they detect significant motion, she was surprised and unsettled to see footage from one night in particular.

The lights came on, detecting the presence of someone… or something. Then a foggy apparition moved along the hallway in front of the elevators. It drifted off screen and moments later the footage went black. An insignificant technical glitch? Or evidence of something more sinister roaming Totem’s halls?

THE FINALE
From renowned leather production house to headquarters for one of North America’s leading branded-content agencies, the Beardmore Building has accumulated 150 years worth of history and reputation. Its story is as fascinating as the ones we at Totem pride ourselves on telling.

Had your own experience with Edna, the Beardmore Ghost, or other memories and experiences in the Beardmore Building?
Tell us your stories in the Comments section below.

Jun 3 2010 • Andrew Brudz • architecture • movies • toronto • totem history • No Comment • ShareShare this

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