This historic downtown greenhouse just got a makeover

After three years of closed doors, a downtown botanical haven is once again open to the public. Palm House, a domed Edwardian-era conservatory, is the largest of Allan Gardens’ six interconnected greenhouses, and it just received its first restoration in 60 years. With a new, open floor plan, the historic conservatory is poised to become a hothouse destination for weddings, farmers’ markets and community art classes—a new jewel for the core’s east-side Garden District.

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The $11.3-million overhaul began in October 2022 and officially wrapped yesterday, when Mayor Olivia Chow cut the ribbon at Palm House’s reopening ceremony. Led by Heritage Restoration Inc., the reno allows the conservatory to host horticulture shows, an evening concert series and possibly a coffee stand. All would be organized by the city and Friends of Allan Gardens, a local volunteer group that has long supported public events and educational initiatives in the park and is keen to show off the new space.

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The initial impetus for the restoration was the 18-metre-tall dome’s aging single-pane glass, which was overdue for retirement and posed a safety risk. “There were concerns about glass falling into the Palm House,” says Myles Tompkins, project manager at Heritage Restoration. It’s been swapped for laminated double-pane glass so that—in the unlikely event that something crashes into it—it will shatter shard-free, like a windshield. What hasn’t changed is the dome’s stunning 360-degree view of the surrounding skyscape.

For the upgrade, the team built a protective cube over the dome and scaffolded the interior, giving them access to restore windows, doors, steel framing and even heritage woodwork. “The restoration of the original cedar was my favourite part,” says Tompkins. “Since we’re a heritage contractor, we want to make it look almost like we were never there—other than the fact that things are new and shiny.”

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Other improvements include a new HVAC system, automated window controls and the reintroduction of a grand east entrance. Removed decades ago and replaced with a glass wall, the original stone entry was rebuilt using materials from the same quarry that had supplied the building more than a century ago, linking the conservatory’s past and future as a downtown oasis—an urban jungle with fancy new digs and a very active social life.