News & Insights

Today, Fengate Asset Management (“Fengate”) celebrated the groundbreaking of The Benjamin, a new purpose-built rental community located at 355 Adelaide Street West, in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District. 

The Benjamin is a LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada (“LPFCEC”) project, developed in partnership with Fengate and the Hi-Rise Group. A flagship project, The Benjamin is among Fengate's first developments to be centrally located in Toronto's downtown core offering premium amenities, suites and programming. 

The 58-storey development will deliver 528 new rental homes, including 10 affordable units, along with ground-floor retail and new pedestrian access from Adelaide Street to Oxley Street. Currently home to a six-storey building designed in the early twentieth century by architect Benjamin Brown, the site will carry forward his name along with the character and craftsmanship that defined the former Garment District. The heritage building will be preserved as part of the new development, integrating the site’s architectural history into its future. 

At the centre of the Entertainment District, The Benjamin places residents steps from some of Toronto's best restaurants, theatres and entertainment venues, including Rogers Centre, and Toronto’s Financial District. With the Spadina Avenue and King Street streetcars at its doorstep and the future Ontario Line close by, residents will have seamless transit connectivity across the city. 

The event featured comments from Chris Glover, Member of Provincial Parliament, Spadina-Fort York, Joseph Mancinelli, Chair of LPFCEC, LiUNA International Vice President and Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Canada, Jaime McKenna, President, Fengate Real Estate, and Bareket Kezwer, community artist and muralist.

“LiUNA’s legacy is deeply connected to building up communities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, creating good union jobs and investing in the places our members call home,” said Joseph Mancinelli, Chair of LPFCEC, LiUNA International Vice President and Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Canada. “The Benjamin continues that proud history and amplifies LiUNA’s impact in Toronto. We are not only delivering homes, jobs and value for the economy, we are preserving an important piece of the city’s architectural heritage while helping build a new community for generations to come.” 

Once complete, The Benjamin will offer a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, including a collection of soft loft units within the original Benjamin Brown building and corner-view studios designed for urban professionals. Residents will have access to a full suite of amenities including a coworking space, theatre, games room, pet wash, indoor and outdoor amenity space on the seventh floor and additional amenity space on the 58^th floor including a fitness and wellness centre, offering sweeping 360-degree views of the city. 

“The Benjamin is a landmark site for Fengate in the heart of downtown Toronto where we remain focused on growing our impact through transformative developments,” said Jaime McKenna, President, Fengate Real Estate. “We are proud to bring together expert teams who share Fengate’s commitment to advancing housing in our city. Once complete, The Benjamin will honour the legacy of Benjamin Brown while creating a connected, vibrant community for the people who will call it home.”

The Benjamin's construction hoarding will feature the installation Circling, a collage by Toronto-based muralist and community artist Bareket Kezwer. Blending archival photographs with contemporary imagery, the work explores the neighbourhood’s legacy of creativity, architecture and reinvention. 

The Benjamin brings together a leading team, including SG Constructors, WZMH Architects, ERA Architects, Honeycomb, Blackjet and DesignAgency, each helping to balance the site's heritage preservation with contemporary design. 

The Benjamin is expected to welcome its first residents in 2030.