Over 180-year-old British military building in Toronto sits empty awaiting new life

One of Toronto’s few remaining buildings from the mid-1800s has remarkably just come up for lease on local real estate websites, offering an extremely unique opportunity for the right person or business looking to embrace some rich history.

The Stanley Barracks, a vast landmark of a structure erected near the city’s waterfront all the way back in 1841, is now up for grabs for just $30 a square foot, which is quite the bargain for any type of space in downtown Toronto, let alone one with such historical significance.

Realtors are appropriately boasting the property as “an unparalleled leasing opportunity for hospitality, destination commercial or experiential retail,” touting its proximity to “prestigious, high-traffic” attractions like BMO Field, Budweiser Stage, Hotel X, the Enercare Centre and the rest of Exhibition Place.

And, it has indeed been used for a variety of purposes in recent years, from night markets to seances, the latter of which are far more fitting to the edifice’s past.

The military post, which replaced the old Fort York as the primary base for the city, was used by the British and Canadian military for living and training in, and for the internment of prisoners of war.

The building for lease, once the Officers’ Quarters, is the last remnant of a larger complex at the location, much of which was used for public housing during its final years before being demolished in the 1950s.

It eventually spent a brief stint as a museum or two, and now, is open to whatever ideas a paying renter may have in mind for the structure and its well-manicured lawns at 115 Princes’ Boulevard.

Those ideas had better be profitable ones, though, because, given the barracks’ immense size of 13,190 square feet (not including basement space), the price will quickly add up to an enormous $395,700 per month in rent alone.

Add to that taxes, maintenance, insurance and utilities (though the listing notes you also get full reign of an additional 6,595 square feet in the basement at no extra cost), and you’ve got what may be one of the costliest leases in the city — for a space that’s allegedly haunted by multiple characters, too.