Toronto Ontario – Canada – Bank of Commerce – 1927 – Architecture Art Deco – Observation Deck
Image by Bill Badzo
Toronto’s architectural gems—the Bank of Commerce (CIBC) on King Street
Although the Art-Deco Bank of Commerce building in Commerce Court is no longer the tallest structure in Toronto, it remains one of the most impressive buildings in the city and deserves recognition for its architectural excellence. Plans to erect it commenced in 1927, amid the optimism that dominated the Roaring Twenties. In that era, economic horizons appeared limitless, and the Bank of Commerce, as it was then called, wanted a headquarters that reflected its financial importance in the community. They hired the architectural firm of Darling and Pearson, assisted by the firm of York and Sawyer of New York City. Darling and Pearson also designed the Summerhill Train Station that is today an LCBO outlet.
The site of the bank tower, at 25 King Street West, was at the corner of King and Jordon Streets
