Toronto’s iconic Keg Mansion could be up for commercial redevelopment in coming years, as the site was listed under the rentals section on the Farhi Holdings Corporation website.
The London, Ontario-based property owner posted two separate listings for 515 and 519 Jarvis St., which are home to the landmark Keg Mansion Restaurant as well as the Massey Family Mansion.
The prices of the rentals were not listed, but reports suggest that two development concepts were included in the listings. Option one proposes the development of a high-rise building with a floor plate of 8000 square feet behind Massey Mansion, which would preserve the heritage feel of the Jarvis streetscape. Option two proposes a high-rise between Massey Mansion and Euclid Hall, which would cantilever to the north and south over the existing heritage buildings.
The good news is that since the Keg Mansion site received heritage status in 1975 — it wouldn’t be demolished in case commercial redevelopment occurs.
The Keg Mansion currently leases the property at 515 Jarvis St., located within the Euclid Hall heritage building. It was built in 1867 for A.M. McMaster and has been home to several famous Canadians, including Hart Massey (founder of Massey Ferguson farm machinery) and his son, legendary Canadian actor Raymond Massey. The site sits alongside Massey Mansion (519 Jarvis St.), which was built in 1887 by architect E.J. Lennox and renovated in 1907.
“At approximately 1.17 acres of land area (~51,000 square feet), the Property [at 515-519 Jarvis] is highly efficient for high rise redevelopment with 250 feet of frontage along Jarvis Street and a depth of 200 feet,” Farhi Holdings notes on their website, adding that the site is in close proximity to world-class retail, restaurants, entertainment, and hospital and university networks in downtown Toronto.
“In terms of transit connectivity, the TTC Wellesley Subway Station on the Yonge-University Subway Line is situated just two blocks to the west of the property and there is near-direct access to the 94 Wellesley bus provided along Wellesley Street East, at Jarvis Street.”