THE NORTH YORK Hydro Building on Yonge Street is poised to get its place in history. North York councillors voted May 14 to list the 80-year-old, two-storey building at 5151 Yonge St. as a heritage property.
“This was the first commercial building right in the heart of North York,” said Coun. David Shiner, who said he helped save the building 10 years ago. “There’s no need to tear it down.”
Built in 1929, the red-brick building is the only survivor of an enclave of early 20th-century municipal buildings that were placed on Yonge Empress Avenue. Both the township’s first purpose-built municipal building and the fire hall adjacent to the Hydro Building were demolished.
If council approves the decision on May 25, it will be entered into the city’s inventory of heritage properties. Listing a property on the inventory of heritage properties allows heritage preservation services to review development and building applications affecting those properties, said Barbara Holt of heritage preservation services.
However, heritage designation on does not permanently protect the building.