Bank on One King West

Written by Jennifer Hartley, October 7, 2011

Next time you are heading to the Big Smoke and need a place to hang your hat, be sure to check out the digs at the übercool, perfectly located One King West Hotel & Residence. At King and Bay, you just can’t get more downtown Toronto than here and the subway is literally outside your door. While One King West is slick, hip, has everything you could possibly need (for business or pleasure) and is ultra modern, the building itself is steeped in history.  And that makes it particularly special and intriguing for history buffs.

One King West’s story began back in the mid 1800s. It was first home to a grocer and wine merchant.  Then, in 1879, the location changed owners to become home to the head office of The Dominion Bank (now TD Canada Trust). That lasted an incredible 126 years.

However, the bank’s incredible growth at the turn of the last century resulted in the need for more space.  This led to the construction of one of Toronto’s first skyscrapers. Beaux-Arts in style with Renaissance Revival detailing, the building was a major work of Darling and Pearson, Architects (You have seen their handiwork a bit closer to home. In fact, look no further than Parliament Hill. They are the architects who designed Centre Block.)

A bank remained on site until 1999. Then it was redesigned and a second tower, adjacent to the old building was built. By 2006, the transformation was finally complete, resulting in One King West Hotel & Residence. (If you want to learn more about the history of the place, the hotel has panels on the walls with interesting details.) Throughout all of the changes, (including this spring’s $2 million revitalization to common areas and meeting rooms) the building has retained all of its majestic beauty. In fact, it was designated a Heritage Building years ago.

One incredible feature of the hotel is the bank vault. At the time of its construction, it was considered the largest and best equipped bank vault in Canada. It is approximately 33 feet square by 25 feet high and is divided into two floors. It is so impressive that it has been used in numerous movie scenes, including the movie Jumper, Max Payne, Red (with Bruce Willis). No surprise, the hotel is a popular location for Hollywood shoots and other movies. And the stars love to actually stay here too. It is particularly busy during the Toronto International Film Festival and the hotel is the official host hotel for the Battle of the Blades.