In pictures: A look inside 10 Toronto St.
Tucked away near the intersection of King and Yonge Streets in Toronto, the home of Morgan Meighen & Associates is an unassuming three-storey stone building that, thanks to former tenant Conrad Black, has a colourful history.
The neo-classical building at 10 Toronto dates back to 1853 when it was built to house a Toronto post office. It was later occupied by Revenue Canada and the Bank of Canada. Canadian financier E.P. Taylor acquired the building in 1959 for the headquarters of the legendary conglomerate Argus Corp.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
The new look of the corner office once occupied by Conrad Black. Following an extensive renovation, its new owners Morgan Meighen lifted ceilings, shrank the offices and eliminated what was once Lord Black's private washroom.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Michael Smedley, Morgan Meighen's chief portfolio officer, stands in the renovated boardroom at 10 Toronto Street. All that remains of the grand room are the original table and chairs. Oil paintings of former proprieters such as E.P. Taylor and Bud McDougald have been auctioned. In their place hang portraits of former Morgan Meighen owners Louise Morgan and Maxwell Meighen, son of Canada's ninth prime minister Arthur Meighen.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
The renovated main hall of 10 Toronto has been expanded to include a new central staircase and three storey atrium that brings sunlight into a once gloomy rabbit warren of offices.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
One of the few remaining art pieces at 10 Toronto is an oil painting of one of Argus Corp.'s early holdings, Massey Harris, the Canadian tractor manufacturer. The painting is flanked by historic stock certificates.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
The view from what used to be Conrad Black's corner office at 10 Toronto St..Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
The extensive renovations at 10 Toronto started in the basement with a new geo-thermal heating system, electrical re-wiring and conversion of a massive vault into a data storage area.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Morgan Meighen and its predecessor companies have quietly delivered cash distributions and and asset gains to generations of wealthy Canadians since it launched its first closed end fund in 1926. Today the firm manages three closed-end funds: Canadian General Investments, Canadian World Fund and Third Canadian Fund.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail