Whitney Block
| Whitney Block | |
|---|---|
 View of Whitney Block from Queen's Park | |
 | |
| Former names | East Block |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Modern Gothic/Art Deco |
| Address | 99 Wellesley Street West |
| Town or city | Toronto, Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
| Current tenants | Government of Ontario |
| Named for | James Whitney |
| Completed | 1926 |
| Renovated | 1932 (tower constructed) |
| Owner | The Crown in Right of Ontario |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Francis R. Heakes |
The Whitney Block is a
At its completion it was one of the tallest buildings in Toronto. It was originally known as the East Block, but it is now known as the Whitney Block in honour of former
While no longer used for office space, the tower remains as a distinctive feature of the building and contains one of the few operational hand-cranked elevators remaining in Toronto. The building also once contained a bowling alley and a section set aside for live domestic and farm animals.
Being one of Ontario’s oldest government buildings, Whitney Block went under a rehabilitation project contracted by Brown Daniel Associates. Starting in January 2018 and completing in August of 2023, it received new HVAC systems, modernized office spaces, new windows and frames with some that feature Ontario’s trillium symbols and much more.
The Ministries of Natural Resources and Forestry, Government and Consumer Services, and Northern Development and Mines are located at Whitney Block.
Other government buildings nearby include:
- Mowat Block
- Macdonald Block
- Ontario Power Building
- Hearst Block
- Frost Building
References
- ISBN 0-88902-732-3.
- ISBN 9781550416190.
External links
