Toronto Power Generating Station
+VG Architects was the design leader for the winning proposal submitted by Pearle Hospitality to Niagara Parks Commission for a transformational $200 million-plus private-sector investment to restore the National Historic Site while creating an unparalleled visitor experience, including the first five-star boutique hotel at the falls, befitting its location overlooking iconic Horseshoe Falls.
Opened in 1906 to supply hydroelectric power to the Toronto market and mothballed since 1974, the palatial powerhouse was designed by Toronto-based architect E. J. Lennox (1854-1933), best-known for Toronto Old City Hall and Casa Loma.
“The sheer scale of Toronto Power is unrivalled by any other Beaux-Arts-style building in Canada other than Union Station,” says Robert G. Hill, author of The Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada: 1800-1950—and Toronto Power boasts finer and more prolific detailing.
The powerhouse redevelopment will provide a world-class visitor experience unlike anything currently offered in the destination or the province, including the first and only five-star boutique accommodation at Niagara Falls, a variety of culinary offerings, multiple indoor and outdoor free public viewing areas, a craft brewery, a wellness and social spa, theatre, museum and art gallery and event space.
LOCATION
Niagara Falls, Ontario
COMPLETED
2027
SIZE
300,000 ft² – 500,000 ft²
SERVICES
Adaptive Reuse
PRESS
The Ventin Group Ltd. to be Prime Consultant for $200 million redevelopment of Toronto Power Generating Station at Niagara Falls
Canadian Architect
Toronto Power Generating Station
Architizer
Reimagine Historic Toronto Power Generating Station
Niagara Parks
Niagara Parks Unveils Groundbreaking Private Sector Revitalization Investment for Toronto Power Generating Station
The Niagara Independent
Pearle Hospitality Awarded Redevelopment of Niagara’s Toronto Power Generation Station
Urban Toronto
Elora Mill owner chosen to redevelop Toronto Power Generating Station
CTV News Kitchener
Niagara Parks Power Station
The Niagara Parks Power Station project is a major adaptive reuse of a century-old hydroelectric facility, transforming it into a vibrant public destination while preserving its industrial heritage.
Following a comprehensive structural assessment in 2017, critical stabilization work was undertaken to address water infiltration and deteriorated infrastructure, ensuring the long-term safety of the building.
Phase 1 construction focused on protecting and revitalizing the 600-foot forebay and generator hall. A portion of the forebay was retained as a dramatic 100-foot water feature, illustrating the original power generation process. New program areas were introduced alongside, including retail, guest services, and future culinary spaces.
Heritage conservation guided all aspects of the project. A strategic plan identified key elements for preservation, including the original generators, governors, and exciter units—carefully restored to reflect their early 20th-century condition. Durable materials such as limestone, granite, brass, and copper were maintained to celebrate the building’s historic character.
The project brought together a large multidisciplinary team, including Niagara Parks staff and specialized trades, to successfully reimagine this iconic infrastructure as an immersive cultural and educational experience along the Niagara River.
LOCATION
Niagara Falls, Ontario
COMPLETED
2021
SERVICES
Adaptive Reuse
AWARDS
2022 Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
2022 Grand Prize Award
Niagara Biennial Awards
PRESS
Industrial Tourism: Two Projects Celebrate the Machine Age
Landscapes/Paysages (CSLQ)
Niagara Region announces 2022 Niagara Biennial Design award winners
Canadian Architect
Niagara Parks Power Station design scoops award
Niagara Falls Review
The Pristine Power Plant
Retrofit Magazine
Niagara Falls Power Station is Now an Education and Entertainment Destination
Metropolis Magazine
Niagara Parks Power Station
Building Magazine
Niagara Falls Power Station is Restored and Repurposed
Treehugger.com
Built by Nikola Tesla, George Westinghouse & JP Morgan, world’s first AC generating plant has been adaptively reused to power economy
Revitalization.org
Niagara Parks Power Station receives Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation
Niagara Falls Review
Power Station Adaptive Reuse Construction
Niagara Parks Commission
Niagara Falls’ newest attraction, Niagara Parks Power Station, offers visitors a closer look at its historical power
The Globe & Mail
Old Don Jail (Bridgepoint Health Administration Centre)
The Old Don Jail (c. 1864) is a landmark Renaissance Revival building distinguished by its buff brick and sandstone construction, limestone base, and richly detailed central entrance.
As part of its transformation for Bridgepoint Health, +VG Architects led the conservation and adaptive reuse of this provincially and municipally designated heritage property.
The project reimagines the former correctional facility as a contemporary administrative and community hub, carefully integrating modern “smart building” systems within a highly constrained historic structure. Significant interior and exterior heritage features were preserved and restored, while strategic interventions opened the rigid cellular plan into flexible, light-filled workspaces and gathering areas.
A key component of the work involved collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, including hospital leadership, heritage authorities, and community groups. +VG prepared comprehensive heritage conservation and interpretation plans, along with detailed documentation to guide the preservation, restoration, and selective salvage of character-defining elements.
Balancing technical performance with heritage integrity, the project demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform a historic institutional building into a vibrant, contemporary environment. The Old Don Jail has received numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture, recognizing its excellence in adaptive reuse and heritage conservation.
LOCATION
Toronto, Ontario
COMPLETED
2013
SIZE
77,000 ft²
SERVICES
Retrofit/Adaptive Re-Use
AWARDS
2016 Governor General’s Medal in Architecture,
Governor General’s Awards
2016 William Greer Award of Excellence,
Heritage Toronto Awards
2014 Cornerstone Award,
Heritage Canada
2014 Best Commercial or Institutional Building of 2014,
The People’s Choice Awards for Architecture
2014 Paul Oberman Award for Adaptive Reuse & Heritage Restoration,
The People’s Choice Awards for Architecture
2014 Award of Excellence,
Canadian Architect Magazine
2014 “Best of the Best Award”,
Toronto Construction Association
PRESS
Historic Don Jail buffed up, refitted for a new purpose
Globe and Mail
Inside the Don Jail: One of Canada’s most harrowing prisons is about to close
Globe and Mail
Niagara Takes Flight Flying Theatre Attraction
Niagara Takes Flight is an immersive flying theatre experience that transforms how visitors engage with the Niagara Region through architecture, storytelling, and advanced media technology.
The attraction unfolds through a curated sequence of four pre-show environments, where audio-visual installations interpret 13,000 years of regional history. A key space, the Ancestors Room, was developed in collaboration with Indigenous communities and features original artwork that highlights foundational cultural narratives.
Visitors transition to the main theatre via an Art Deco-inspired elevator simulating a descent beneath Horseshoe Falls, referencing the site’s hydroelectric heritage. The theatre features gondola-style seating suspended before a 180-degree curved screen, offering a dynamic aerial journey enhanced by synchronized environmental effects such as wind, mist, and scent.
The project required significant structural and systems integration, including demolition of the previous attraction, modifications to base-building mechanical and electrical infrastructure, and the construction of a five-storey theatre volume. A specialized support structure was designed to accommodate the ride system and its unique loading conditions. The result is a highly coordinated, multi-sensory attraction that blends engineering precision with a compelling narrative rooted in place.
LOCATION
Niagara Falls, Ontario
COMPLETED
2025
SIZE
9,160 ft² (Theatre Area)
2,443 ft² (Retail Area)
SERVICES
Renovation/Redevelopment
PHOTOGRAPHY
Wilson Costa
DesignSQ
Architectural Media Studio
PRESS
Niagara Takes Flight: Reimagining the Gateway to the Falls
Fokal Point
Soar Above Niagara Falls with Thrilling New Flight Experience
Good Morning Washington
‘Niagara Takes Flight’: Ontario’s brand-new flying theater ride
yahoo!news
You may have been to Niagara before, but you’ve never seen it quite like this
Globe & Mail
Oakville Museum Coach House
The adaptive reuse of the Oakville Coach House completes +VG Architects’ long-standing work at the Erchless Estate, a designated cultural heritage property overlooking Lake Ontario, Sixteen Mile Creek, and Oakville Harbour.
Reopened in 2022, the project transforms the 1901 Shingle Style building into a vibrant public venue while preserving its architectural character and historic setting.
Designed by Dick and Wickson, the 5,150 ft² Coach House is composed of three linked volumes: former stables and carriage storage, a hayloft, and a two-storey gardener’s cottage. Its distinctive form—defined by steep cross-gables, eyebrow dormers, and a shingled cupola—has been carefully conserved and restored.
The project repositions the building as a multi-purpose assembly space within the Oakville Museum campus. Interventions strengthen physical and visual connections to the surrounding landscape, improve wayfinding, and integrate the Coach House into the broader park setting. The restored gardener’s cottage complements the main facility, supporting expanded programming and public use.
Sensitive interior upgrades accommodate accessibility and life safety requirements while maintaining heritage integrity. The result is a renewed cultural destination that enhances the Erchless Estate and supports community engagement within a significant historic environment.
LOCATION
Oakville, Ontario
COMPLETED
2022
SIZE
5,100 ft²
SERVICES
Adaptive Re-Use
Rosemount Branch Library
+VG Architects’ vision for the rehabilitation and renovation of the Rosemount Branch Library was to deliver an efficient and effective facility to the community and Ottawa Public Library (OPL) staff that would contribute to increased community activity, creative programming, and a socially inclusive and connected community.
The existing library has not undergone any significant renovation since 1982 and as a result the layout of the library does not properly support its current programs and activities. +VG addressed the many functional and operation deficiencies of the library through an economical, sustainable, historically respectful renovation and rehabilitation plan.
Our firm leveraged our previous experience on similar library projects to derive a new functional program for the Rosemount Library through comprehensive consultation with all project stakeholders, including City of Ottawa and Ottawa Public Library staff, citizens, and community groups. This project presented an opportunity to rehabilitate and renovate Ottawa’s only Carnegie Library in its centennial year, as well as to transform a historic and beloved public institution into a more legible reflection of the past and a beacon for the future.
LOCATION
Ottawa, Ontario
COMPLETED
2020
SIZE
6,089 ft²
SERVICES
Rehabilitation / Renovation
PRESS
A Small Carnegie Library Finds More Space via Innovative Design Strategies
Retrofit Magazine
Ottawa Public Library’s Rosemount branch closing for renos starting June 3
Global News
St. Lawrence College Library
+VG was retained to complete a design and contract administration for design services for renovations and upgrades to the St. Lawrence College Brockville Campus Library.
Improvements included interior design, ceiling and lighting replacement and energy efficiency upgrades. The space was expanded and the layout reconfigured to a more efficient use of the library. The high ceiling space allowed for the creation of new clerestory windows which provide natural light.
The new design of the library divides spaces into quiet and collaborative group spaces, improves barrier free accessibility and front desk reception space. The modernized library creates an improved experience for the students of the college.
LOCATION
Brockville, Ontario
COMPLETED
2018
SIZE
4,426 ft²
SERVICES
Renovation
Peterborough Public Library
The project is an addition and complete refresh to the Peterborough Main Public Library, located on Aylmer Street, west of the City centre.
The facility was opened in 1978 and was designed by Moriyama Architects. It is a two-storey brick building with curving clerestory flood- ing the interior collections space with light. The exterior stairs lead up to a compressed lobby entrance that connects to the open main collection area. The lower level has a community space, auditorium, a suite of administration offices, and a large storage and processing area.
The focus of the expansion is to have a strong street presence; be open, inviting, and transparent; and provide an accessible entrance, while increasing the amount of flexible community spaces. The existing facility will be transformed to be open, airy, and day-lit.
The layout will be reconfigured to increase public space in the lower level which will host the Children’s Library. A large opening will be provided in the floor above, allowing natural light and a feature stair to connect the collections. The view to the exterior court from the Children’s Library will be enhanced by landscaping the hillside.
More public computers, a lap top café, casual seating areas, study areas, and seminar rooms will be available.
LOCATION
Peterborough, Ontario
COMPLETED
2018
SIZE
45,000 ft²
SERVICES
Renovation & Addition
PRESS
+VG Architects Renovates the Peterborough Public Library
Canadian Architect
Peterborough Public Library sculpture taking shape
Peterborough Examiner
Fire hall foundation unearthed during Peterborough Public Library renovations
Peterborough Examiner
