62 – 64 Charles Street was designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in 2014. It is located on the north side of Charles Street East, west of Church Street. The Thomas Smith and Arthur Coleman Houses (completed 1885) are 2½-storey semi-detached buildings. The properties were listed on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties in 1974. The buildings are Victorian-era examples of late 19th century semi-detached residences with Second Empire features. The houses are distinguished by the surviving contrasting buff brick detailing on the red brick surfaces. They stand as significant reminders of the elegant architecture introduced to the Church Street neighbourhood as it developed in the 19th century.

As heritage consultants ERA strived to protect the value, significance and integrity of the heritage assets. The scope of conservation work required the full retention and rehabilitation of the buildings, except for the rear one-storey addition, which has been demolished and included the rarely-seen process of tuckpointing for which awrad-winning Tuckpointer Antoni Pijaca (from Melbourne, Australia and recognised as one of only 100 experts in his field) was hired to rehabilitate the masonry and share the secrets of his trade.

Daniel Lewis

Barkley Hunt