The sun was actually shining for more than three minutes last weekend, so I set out for another photowalk in the city. It had been a few years since I’d walked along Richmond Street East, so I thought I’d give that street a try with my trusty camera in tow.

Richmond Street East runs from Yonge Street to just east of Parliament Street, where it crosses the Don River and becomes known as Eastern Avenue. As you walk along Richmond Street East, you can tell its had a long history of hard labour and warehouses. In the 20th century, the area saw the rise of large-scale warehouses, factories, and office buildings, many of which replaced earlier low-rise structures.

These days Richmond Street East is definitely – and literally – on the rise: there are condo projects everywhere you look. The street is a vibrant part of Toronto’s downtown core, with a mix of commercial, residential, and entertainment spaces.

Walking from the start of the street at Yonge, and finishing at Parliament, here’s a bit of what I encountered:

The Confederation Life Building, a seven-floor Romanesque Revival office building, is a historic structure in Toronto. Completed in 1892, it was designated a historic property by the City of Toronto under the Ontario Heritage Act on November 26, 1975.
Condos everywhere! Looking upwards from the corner of Richmond Street East and Yonge Street.
This is currently a fully tenanted office building owned by the City of Toronto. In future it may be required for the Toronto Parking Authority.
Toronto EMS Station #40, located at 58 Richmond Street East
This is a housing co-op located at 60 Richmond Street East. It was designed by Teeple Architects and completed in March 2010. This 11-story, 85-unit mixed use building is among the first new housing co-ops to be built in Toronto in recent years. It won the Ontario Association of Architects Design Excellence Award (2010) and the Canadian Architect Award of Excellence (2007).
Another Wild Wing location meets a sad end. Located at 107 Church Street, northeast corner of Richmond Street East and Church Street.
Dwarfed and surrounded by highrise condos, McVeigh’s Irish Pub looks very out of place. The pub was founded in 1962.
The Canadian Venture Building, 82 Richmond Street East. This company provides outfitted office spaces for daily, weekly, monthly or long-term occupancy.
Mural in Green P parking lot #219, at 99 Richmond Street East
Lots of colour on the Tangerine bikes, 99 Richmond Street East
The George Street Diner, 129 George Street, northeast corner of George Street and Richmond Street East. Comfort food at a classic diner.
At 121 George Street, Alterra’s Celeste Condominiums are currently under construction. That company recently collaborated with J. Hutton, a Toronto-based multimedia artist and musician, who has brought the construction hoarding to life. Inspired by vintage cinematography and live music, his mural “Ballet & Granite”, invites the viewer to appreciate the beauty of movement, the skill of the performers, and the ephemeral nature of artistic expression. It celebrates the universal language of dance and encourages viewers to reflect on the fleeting moments that make up the tapestry of life and art.
354 Richmond Street East is the former home of the Downtown Ford Service Centre. It looks like it’s now slated for condo conversion.
384 Richmond Street East. The City of Toronto has passed a by-law designating this building as being of cultural heritage value or interest. This is the site of a future, massive condo development. The upcoming project will retain facades from the buildings at 263-265 Queen Street East, 90 Ontario Street, 410 Richmond Street, and 384 Richmond Street. All of these buildings are listed on the City of Toronto’s Heritage Registry.
The Turco-Persian Rug Co. at 354 Richmond Street East looks quite out of place amongst all the upcoming condos in the area.
These painted curbs are a nice diversion from the somewhat dreary neighbourhood. The painted curbs, seen in several areas of downtown Toronto, are an initiative of the City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto program. The program aims to make streets more vibrant, animate the paths, and showcase the work of diverse Toronto Artists.
The end of Richmond Street East. Beyond this Parliament Street intersection, the one-way Richmond Street East passes over the Don River and becomes Eastern Avenue.