Home of historic Toronto strip club could get heritage recognition
Considered a historic pillar on Toronto’s Yonge Street since the 1950s, a building housing one of the city’s oldest strip clubs could soon receive heritage recognition for its support in maintaining the character of an area once known as the “Sin Strip.”
The Toronto Preservation Board is recommending the City’s Planning and Housing Committee designate the properties at 699 and 707 Yonge Street — including the entrance address at 701 Yonge Street — under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Located on the east side of Yonge Street south of Hayden Street, the properties contain a three-storey brick row building constructed in 1887 and include the strip club now known as the Brass Rail Tavern.
Founded in 1948 as a family-friendly restaurant, the Brass Rail Tavern eventually evolved into a full-time adult entertainment venue in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The venue was fundamental in earning Yonge Street the nickname “Sin Strip” due to the high prevalence of strip clubs and body rub parlous in the area, perceived to be indecent by the general public.
The subject properties were listed on the Heritage Register in March 2016 and included in the Historic Yonge Heritage Conservation District, which is currently under appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
Popular Toronto strip club could be replaced by a huge condo tower https://t.co/Jxc7hzjQ0s #Toronto #RealEstate
— blogTO (@blogTO) May 5, 2023
In September 2022, the City of Toronto received applications related to the proposed redevelopment of the properties, which would retain and restore the three-storey brick façade of the building corresponding to entrances at 699-705 Yonge Street.
The L-shaped site is home to five low-rise properties, which also include an H-Mart grocery store and a Pizzaiolo location.
Current development plans for the site by Concord outline a proposal to level half of the block extending south from Yonge and Hayden streets and to construct a 64-storey condominium tower, bringing 514 residential units to the neighbourhood.
The proposal has yet to begin community consultations or receive approval from city council as of late 2023.
“It is too early in the development plans as to whether Brass Rail will be a part of the future development,” Gabriel Leung, vice president of development at Concord, told The Star.
The Toronto Preservation Board’s recommendation will be reviewed by the city’s planning committee at their meeting on November 30.
blogTO reached out to the Brass Rail Tavern but did not receive a response in time for this article’s publication.
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