We are not the only ones thinking about building beards... surely we've seen other blogs and sites that reference the build-a-beard moniker, but looks like the ultimate honor has to go to Canada, for erecting the Beard Building at the turn of the century... kudos.
Here's the download for all you architecture buffs (our Brooklyn Beard King included)... check out the brick beard while you're at it, our kind of builder!
(mostly via Wikipedia) The Beard Building is regarded as Toronto's first skyscraper, and was completed in 1894. Designed by E.J. Lennox, It was planned to be a nine-story, iron-framed structure, but it only reached seven stories when completed and was a more traditional wood/brick combination.
At the height (har har har) of its' time, the Beard Building was a bank at street level, a commercial and office tower, and a hotel. The building was named after George Beard, the original landowner of the site at Jarvis St. and King St. East.
Sadly, it was demolished in the mid 1930s, but surrounding structures, including St. Lawrence Hall, in the intersection survive to this day. The current site is occupied by a low rise condo development... depressing.
