137 Yonge Street, Toronto

137 Yonge Street is a 300,000 square foot mixed-use building built in 1968. With most of the office space leased to the federal government, the building suffered from consistent vacancy in its lower level and at-grade retail spaces under the former ownership. These two floors were connected by escalators, as well as joined by a pedestrian connection between Yonge Street and Victoria Street. The lower level had been previously occupied by a major food retailer but sat vacant for nearly 20 years following their departure. A complete re-imagination of both floors was necessary, leading to a substantial refurbishment that allowed Goodlife Fitness to open its flagship Toronto location over both floors. The escalators, still functioning and properly serviced over the years, were integrated into the design. Unique at the time, an LED illumination by Canadian artist Katharine Harvey was installed on the facade above Goodlife Fitness' main entrance, finally giving 137 Yonge Street the high-quality street animation that its vibrant location deserved.