Toronto, ON – The historic Thornton-Smith Building today announced the upcoming launch of its new event venue, Aperture Room, located at 340 Yonge Street on the third floor of the prominent downtown property. The renovated loft-like space, set to open on April 30, 2015, reinvigorates the neighbourhood with a dose of forgotten heritage.

“I am so excited about the opening of Aperture Room,” said Ken Rutherford, owner, The Thornton-Smith Building. “We’ve always wanted to transform this space, so rich with Toronto history, into something that would celebrate the legacy of the building’s prominence on Yonge Street. The name is also very close to my heart as it is derived from Toronto Camera, a family business that occupied the building for many years and was once the country’s largest photography store.”

The building was designed in 1922 by architect John M. Lyle for The Thornton-Smith Company, a British antique and interior design firm. Lyle was a champion of the neoclassical beaux arts style, and a prolific contributor to the City Beautiful movement in the early twentieth century. In 1926 he received the first gold medal awarded by the Ontario Association of Architects for his design of the building, and later added Union Station and The Royal Alexandra Theatre to his portfolio of Toronto landmarks.