Manulife Centre
Encyclopedia
The Manulife Centre is located on the southeast corner of Bay
and Bloor
streets, adjacent to the southern edge of the Yorkville
district of Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. It consists of a 51-story 800-suite luxury residential tower at 44 Charles Street and a shorter tower at 55 Bloor Street West, connected by a retail complex on the main floor and basement.
, the current owners.
Early retail tenants at the Manulife Centre included Bretton's department Store (60,000 square feet), Creed's (38,000 Square feet), Harridge's, and other luxury tenants. Over time, these three large retailers went bankrupt and closed.
, Chanel
, Christian Dior
, Emanuel Ungaro
, and Sonia Rykiel
. The original location opened in 1916; the Manulife Centre location closed with the firm's bankruptcy in 1990.
, Indigo Books
, and William Ashley fine china. An underground tunnel connects the basement level of the shopping concourse to Holt Renfrew
at 50 Bloor St West on the north side of Bloor.
The tower is served by Bay Station
on the TTC's
Bloor-Danforth line. Underground tunnels from the Manulife Centre provide access to Toronto's busiest subway station Bloor and Yonge
.
Bay Street
Bay Street, originally known as Bear Street, is a major thoroughfare in Downtown Toronto. It is the centre of Toronto's Financial District and is often used by metonymy to refer to Canada's financial industry since succeeding Montreal's St. James Street in that role in the 1970s...
and Bloor
Bloor Street
Bloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct westward into Mississauga, where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the viaduct, Danforth Avenue continues along the same...
streets, adjacent to the southern edge of the Yorkville
Yorkville, Toronto
Yorkville is a district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, well known for its shopping. It is a former village, annexed by the City of Toronto. It is roughly bounded by Bloor Street to the south, Davenport Road to the north, Yonge Street to the east and Avenue Road to the west, and is considered part of...
district of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It consists of a 51-story 800-suite luxury residential tower at 44 Charles Street and a shorter tower at 55 Bloor Street West, connected by a retail complex on the main floor and basement.
History
Construction began in 1972 and was completed in 1974. It was developed and built for Manulife FinancialManulife Financial
Manulife Financial Corporation , is a Canadian insurance company and financial services provider. Manulife Financial's global head office is located in Toronto, Canada and the Company has operations in 21 countries and territories worldwide.The Company operates in Canada and Asia through the brand...
, the current owners.
Early retail tenants at the Manulife Centre included Bretton's department Store (60,000 square feet), Creed's (38,000 Square feet), Harridge's, and other luxury tenants. Over time, these three large retailers went bankrupt and closed.
Creeds
Creeds was the finest women's specialty store in Canada specializing in furs, designer fashions and accessories, jewellery (Beni Sung), cosmetics (Borghese, Chanel, Clarins, Clinique, Estée Lauder, Lancôme), fragrances, and gifts (including fine chocolate, men's ties, and Sable & Rosenfeld gourmet foods). The 38000 square feet (3,530.3 m²) store spanned two floors and featured boutiques for Yves Saint LaurentYves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent may refer to:* Yves Saint Laurent , French fashion designer* Yves Saint Laurent , a luxury fashion house founded by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé...
, Chanel
Chanel
Chanel S.A. is a French fashion house founded by the couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, well established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods . She gained the name "Coco" while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France...
, Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
, Emanuel Ungaro
Emanuel Ungaro
Emanuel Ungaro is a French fashion designer.-Early life:Ungaro's Italian father fled to France from Francavilla Fontana of Brindisi province because of the fascist uprising in Italy...
, and Sonia Rykiel
Sonia Rykiel
Sonia Rykiel née Flis is a French fashion designer.Ethnically a Polish-Romanian Jew, Sonia Rykiel was born in Neuilly a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France, the eldest of five daughters of a Polish mother and a Romanian father. At the age of 17, she was employed to dress the window...
. The original location opened in 1916; the Manulife Centre location closed with the firm's bankruptcy in 1990.
Today
Today the retail portion of Manulife Centre serves the local population, and includes BirksHenry Birks
Henry Birks was a Canadian businessman and founder of Henry Birks and Sons, a chain of high-end Canadian jewellery stores....
, Indigo Books
Indigo Books and Music
Indigo Books & Music Inc. is a Canadian retail bookstore chain. The company was founded in 1996 by CEO Heather Reisman, wife of Gerry Schwartz, majority owner and CEO of Onex Corporation....
, and William Ashley fine china. An underground tunnel connects the basement level of the shopping concourse to Holt Renfrew
Holt Renfrew
Holt Renfrew is a chain of high-end Canadian department stores. It is comparable to Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue in the United States, and to two other upmarket chains owned by the same family, Britain's Selfridges and Ireland's Brown Thomas...
at 50 Bloor St West on the north side of Bloor.
The tower is served by Bay Station
Bay (TTC)
Bay is a station on the Bloor–Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. It is located at 64 Bloor Street West at Bay Street.One major amenity of this station is the Toronto Transit Commission's Lost articles office, where objects lost on TTC property are kept.-History:Bay Station was...
on the TTC's
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
Bloor-Danforth line. Underground tunnels from the Manulife Centre provide access to Toronto's busiest subway station Bloor and Yonge
Bloor-Yonge (TTC)
Bloor-Yonge is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina and the Bloor–Danforth subway lines operated by the Toronto Transit Commission in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 733 Yonge Street at Bloor Street West/East...
.
See also
- Panorama LoungePanorama LoungePanorama Lounge & Restaurant is the highest outdoor patio in Toronto, Canada. It is on the 51st floor of the Manulife Centre on Bloor Street.-External links:*...
which is on the top of the Manulife Centre. - List of tallest buildings in Toronto