FACEY, Arthur George (1892-1957) of Toronto, Ont. specialized in the design of large industrial factories and assembly plants erected during the post-WWII building boom in southern Ontario. Born in St. Andrew, Jamaica, British West Indies on 3 March 1892, he attended high school there articled as a pupil to Samuel S. Wortley (1883-1933), a prominent architect in Kingston, Jamaica. After completing his five year apprenticeship from 1909 to 1914, Facey spent another five years as junior architect in the office of the Administrator-General in Kingston, then emigrated to the United States in 1919 and settled in Pittsburgh where he worked in the office of Bernard H. Prack until 1923.
Facey arrived in Toronto in 1924, working briefly for Ellis & Ellis before joining the leading firm of Chapman & Oxley. He remained there for the next 20 years, and contributed to the design and construction of iconic Toronto landmarks such as The Prince's Gate, CNE, the Royal Ontario Museum, and Holy Blossom Temple. In 1943 he was invited to become a full partner in the new firm of Chapman, Oxley & Facey, and shortly after he opened an office in Toronto under his own name. His major commissions included factories for Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Ltd., Carlaw Avenue, and for Sunbeam Electrical Appliances, Islington Avenue South, Etobicoke. Facey died in Toronto on 22 October 1957 (obituary Globe & Mail, 23 Oct. 1957, 3; obit. R.A.I.C. Journal, xxxiv, Dec. 1957, 490; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects)
A.G. FACEY (works in the Toronto area)
PORT CREDIT, ONT., residence for R.L. McGill, 1945 (C.H.G., xxii, Sept. 1945, 14, illus.)
NORTOWN MOVIE THEATRE, Eglinton Avenue West at Peveril Hill North, for Famous Players Ltd., 1946 (C.R., lix, Aug. 1946, 157)
YORK TOWNSHIP, large factory and offices for Gair Co., Ray Avenue, Mount Dennis, 1947-48 (Financial Post [Toronto], 1 Nov. 1947, 19)
NORTH YORK TOWNSHIP, Administration Building for the township council, Yonge Street near Burnett Avenue, 1949 (C.R., lxii, June 1949, 113)
ETON HOTEL, Danforth Avenue at Eaton Avenue, major alterations to existing hotel, 1949; demol. 2024 (dwgs. at City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 410, File 3039; inf. Barbara Myrvold, Toronto)
NORTHERN ELECTRIC CO., Fleet Street East at Jarvis Street, large office and warehouse, 1950 (Financial Post [Toronto], 8 April 1950, 12, descrip.; City of Toronto b.p. 7141, 19 April 1950)
CARTER CONSTRUCTION CO., Cherry Street near Unwin Avenue, office and warehouse, 1950 (C.R., xliii, May 1950, 148)
WAKEFIELD & CO. LTD., Lake Shore Road near 32nd Street, Long Branch, factory, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, June 1950, 130)
SCARBOROUGH, Universal Plumbing & Heating Co., Brimley Road, office and warehouse, 1950 (Financial Post [Toronto], 1 July 1950, 9)
EAST YORK, Snap-On Tools of Canada Ltd., Crainfield Road, factory, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, Aug. 1950, 242)
SCARBOROUGH, Frigidaire Co. Ltd., Eglinton Avenue East near Warden Avenue, assembly plant and warehouse, 1950-51 (Financial Post [Toronto], 9 Sept. 1950, 10, descrip.; and 1 Sept. 1951, 5, illus. in advert.)
PHYSICIANS SERVICES LTD., Yonge Street near Eglinton Avenue, a 6 storey office block, 1953 (Financial Post [Toronto], 21 Feb. 1953, 46; and 20 March 1954, 12, illus.)
SCARBOROUGH, Canadian Arsenals Ltd., large factory and assembly plant, 1953 (Financial Post [Toronto], 31 Oct. 1953, 24, illus. in advert.)
NORTH YORK, Murray Printing Co., Norfinch Drive, facing Highway 400, large printing plant and factory, 1953-54 (Financial Post [Toronto], 14 Nov. 1953, 23; 10 Sept. 1955, 34, illus. & descrip. in advert.)
A.G. FACEY (works elsewhere)
RENFREW, ONT., factory for Renfrew Machinery Co., 1945 (C.R., lviii, Aug. 1945, 132)