85 Richmond Street West

The Federal Building at 85 Richmond Street West is an eleven-storey, heritage-designated office building and one of Toronto’s last remaining first-generation “skyscrapers.”

Designed by C. Howard Crane and completed in 1923, the building reflects Beaux-Arts principles and early high-rise construction methods, including a reinforced concrete frame. At the time of its completion, it was both Toronto’s tallest office building and the largest fireproof office building in Canada.

As part of Oxford Properties’ revitalization of the Richmond-Adelaide Centre, the building was carefully restored and integrated with the adjacent EY Tower development. The project introduced modern, energy-efficient office space while preserving and enhancing the building’s character-defining features. Interventions included upgrades to the building envelope, new mechanical and electrical systems, improved PATH connectivity, and the insertion of a contemporary addition within the original lightwell.

+VG Architects led the heritage conservation scope, highlighted by the reinstatement of the building’s 303-foot-long pressed metal cornice. Originally removed in the 1950s, the new cornice was reconstructed using lead-coated copper based on limited archival documentation. The design required close collaboration with fabricators to achieve both historical accuracy and cost efficiency.

Additional work included masonry restoration, window rehabilitation, lobby restoration, and the reintroduction of decorative metal elements. The result is a carefully balanced project that reinforces the building’s architectural presence while supporting its continued evolution as a major downtown workplace.