City TV Building

299 Queen West………what stories this upside-down wedding cake could tell.

When the Methodist Church was seeking a new home for its administrative offices, presses and book rooms in 1913, it decided to build on the property bound by Queen, Richmond and John Streets.

They acquired the land and raised the Wesley Building. It was designed to resemble a Gothic cathedral, and certainly is an impressive edifice.

The Churches' printing operation was called The Ryerson Press, which became a self-supporting and profitable business very quickly.

In the 1960's, when the Ryerson Press experienced financial difficulties, McGraw Hill bought Ryerson Press, and the Church put the building up for sale.

The new owners leased their premises to galleries, studios, as well as the offices of radical magazines, such as The Body Politic.

Queen Street West was a popular artists’ and musicians’ haunt until the 80’s.

In 1985, CHUM Radio/City TV purchased the Wesley Building, and restored this Gothic structure, with its terra cotta cladding and images.

Today the Chum City Building remains the finest example of Industrial Gothic Architecture in Toronto and is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.

Queen Street West is still a vibrant avenue for Torontonians and visitors alike, but it does not have the bohemian atmosphere of the 60's and 70's; it's more like a trip to a large outdoor mall.