Architect：Diamond Schmitt;Steven Fong Architect;ERA architects

Location：499 Richmond St W, Toronto, ON, Canada; | ;View Map

Project Year：2024

Category：Bars;Restaurants

One of Toronto’s most anticipated developments, Waterworks Food Hall (499 Richmond St. W.), will open this June, celebrating the best of the city’s dynamic culinary scene housed within a beautifully restored heritage industrial building. Situated in the heart of the King West neighbourhood and opening directly onto the recently revived, historic St. Andrew’s Playground Park, the soaring 55,000 sq. ft. space has been painstakingly repurposed as a European-style food hall by Woodcliffe Landmark Properties, in collaboration with award-winning architectural firms Diamond Schmitt, ERA Architects and Steven Fong Architects, and as a part of the larger Waterworks mixed-use development in partnership with MOD Developments. Waterworks will host more than 20 different food stalls offering carefully curated culinary favourites from around the world, like Aburi Sushi, Harry’s Charbroiled and Musoshin Ramen, beverage offerings from Grape Witches, Civil Works and Boxcar Social, 12,000 sq. ft. of private event spaces, and two stand-alone spaces: Lee Restaurant from iconic chef Susur Lee, and SOBR Market, downtown Toronto’s first non-alcoholic bottle shop. The interiors were given new life through designs by award-winning firms Cecconi Simone, Design Agency and Futurestudio, while original artwork curated by Studio Ninth fills the space, creating a feast for the eyes from top to bottom. 

“We are committed to preserving and revitalizing architectural landmarks that enhance the attraction and livability of Toronto’s neighbourhoods, and we are so pleased to be opening the Waterworks Food Hall in the King West community. This project has been a true labour of love for us, and we are so proud of how it turned out,” said Eve Lewis, President and CEO of Woodcliffe Landmark Properties. “We believe beautiful, heritage-designed spaces can transform the neighbourhoods they are a part of and elevate our city. Every detail in the hall, from the hidden courtyard and soaring ceilings, to the beautifully restored mezzanine event spaces and the floor-to-ceiling, south-facing windows, has been meticulously executed to reflect our vision of creating an experience unlike anything else in Toronto. We hope that Waterworks Food Hall becomes a community gathering spot that is the heart and soul of King West for decades to come.” 

The European-inspired food hall features restored historic architectural features, such as the original pitched roof with oversized skylights.

After eight years of extensive research and travel, Waterworks Food Hall has gathered inspiration from some of the world’s best culinary destinations. Lewis, her partners from MOD Development and their extended team visited renowned food halls in London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Madrid, New York, and beyond to ensure they were creating something more richly layered than simply a collection of restaurants and food stalls. Waterworks Food Hall offers a multifaceted dining experience in a beautiful heritage space, fulfilling a mission to create a landmark cultural destination in Toronto.

Currently, vendors include Aburi Sushi, a new flame-seared Temaki (hand-roll) sushi concept from founder Seigo Nakamura of Aburi Restaurants (Michelin-starred Aburi Hana, Michelin-recommended Miku Vancouver); handmade Jewish deli and barbecue favourites from Dave’s Genuine Deli; gourmet flame-grilled burgers from Harry’s Charbroiled (Michelin-starred Quetzal, Bar Isabel, Bar Raval); traditional Turkish coffee and treats from Liu Loqum; hearty handmade ramen from Kyoto-founded Musoshin Ramen; Mississauga favourite Karak, with one-of-a-kind Pakistani fusion; The Arepa Republic offering Venezuelan dishes; and unique artisanal ice cream from Scooped by Demetres. Boxcar Social will operate the main bar, offering perfectly executed coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages, including a Waterworks x Burdock beer, while Grape Witches will helm a natural wine bar and bottle shop, offering a signature selection of approachable, biodynamic wines. Civil Works (from Nick Kennedy of Civil Liberties, recently named one of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2024 by The World’s 50 Best) will create innovative cocktails from the mezzanine cocktail bar. Lee Restaurant, by renowned chef Susur Lee, and SOBR Market are currently open, rounding out the Waterworks offerings with stand-alone concepts as a part of the building. Additional vendors to be shared soon.

“We took a very personalized approach to building Waterworks, and the calibre and diversity of our vendors was our top priority. Over the past eight years, we have travelled to more than 50 global food halls and have personally tried every interested vendor’s menu to bring the best to Waterworks and reflect Toronto’s world-renowned food scene and multiculturalism," shared Stratton Townley, Director of Development at Woodcliffe Landmark Properties. ”Whether a vendor is a Michelin-starred chef, a family-run restaurant, or one of the city's top sommeliers and mixologists, every visit to Waterworks promises a best-in-class experience.” 

Attention to creating an exceptional experience extends beyond the interior design and food: 75 underground parking spaces beneath the building make visiting with a car hassle-free, while an innovative ordering platform allows guests to order seamlessly from multiple vendors during a single transaction, receiving an alert when dishes are ready for pickup, while drinks are delivered directly to them. 

The restoration of the original 1932 “Great Hall'' resulted in a remarkable adaptive reuse of the former machine shop, which was acquired in a state of disrepair. Renowned firm Diamond Schmitt, heritage restoration experts ERA Architects and Steven Fong Architects were tasked with sensitively transforming the space, preserving many original historical and Art Deco details. The massive original pitched ceiling embedded with oversized skylights and new 29-foot tall windows flood the space with natural light, recalling its industrial origins. Reclaimed wood from the original floor was used to create a mosaic spanning the height of the main stairwell wall. The sprawling interior mezzanines, event spaces, and food kiosks designed by Futurestudio, Design Agency, and Cecconi Simone layer individual identity within the visually cohesive hall. Perhaps most impressive is the 15-foot deep, 14,000 sf basement excavation beneath the building to house all back-of-house amenities, washrooms, delivery, dish, storage and garbage areas, tucked discreetly out of sight. The Food Hall sits within the larger Waterworks building, a mixed-use development including a 60,000 s.f. YMCA opening this fall, and 290 condominiums, including affordable housing units. 

Woodcliffe and MOD worked closely with the City of Toronto to redevelop St. Andrew's Playground Park, adding permanent outdoor seating, an expanded off-leash dog park and an expansive playground area. Waterworks Food Hall opens directly onto the park through several entrances, seamlessly integrating into the vibrant King West community.

Developer: Woodcliffe Landmark Properties

Architects: Diamond Schmitt, ERA Architects and Steven Fong Architects

Photo Credits: Steven Evans, Doublespace Photography, Kayla Rocca

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