Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The Moxam Apartments is a three-storey, Classical Revival-style building constructed 1911-12. The building is distinguished by its buff-coloured brick exterior and its pairing with an identical, adjacent, apartment building, the Houlton House (Congress) Apartments. The Moxam Apartments are located in the Beltline community and contribute to the historical, upscale, residential character of the area.
Heritage Value
The Moxam Apartments were constructed 1911-12 by John A. Moxam, owner of the Moxam Realty and Construction Company. Moxam was a significant and prolific Winnipeg realtor and contractor who expanded his business to Calgary at about the same time the Moxam Apartments were developed. Moxam was intimately familiar with apartment house development in Winnipeg, where he is claimed to have developed more apartment buildings than any other developer at the time.
With the financial backing of Senator James Lougheed, who resided immediately to the east, Moxam developed the building as one of Calgary's finest apartment residences. James J. O'Gara, an important local architect was commissioned to design the building -- as well as the identical, adjacent Houlton House (later Congress) Apartments, which was built by Moxam but commissioned by real-estate developer Sydney Houlton. Prior to the First World War O'Gara made a name for himself in Calgary designing several fine apartment houses, including the Marlborough, Connaught, and Argyle Apartments, as well as beautiful residences and public buildings. In 1912, upon completion of his namesake building, Moxam sold it to a London-based syndicate, but resided in the building until about 1914.Other initial residents included members of the managerial and professional classes including superintendents, accountants, and a physician. In the late 1930s Edgar Lougheed and family moved into the building after the Lougheeds lost control of their adjacent mansion, 'Beaulieu'. Other members of the Lougheed family also resided here - Norman in 1936, and Mary in 1932.
The development of the Moxam and Houlton House (Congress) Apartments produced two of Calgary's most handsome and high-class apartment residences, with the buildings being among the best examples in the city of Classical Revival style architecture. Each features a high-quality, buff-coloured brick exterior; sandstone detailing; a substantial cornice; quoining; and symmetrical appearance. Originally an elegant portico and balconies faced the building, adding to the character.
Other elements of the building's design that mark its high quality include verandas and balconies for all suites; excellent sunlight and air provision; wide interior corridors; unusually spacious suites; and a secondary entrance to each unit for trades-people and deliveries. Each of the 12 units contained six-rooms, including two bedrooms, foyer and dining room -- notable since most apartment houses in Calgary at the time contained only bachelor or one-bedroom suites.
The Moxam Apartments also serves to recall the area's status as a choice residential neighbourhood at the time of its construction. Within the city's original exclusive residential area of 12 -- 14 Avenues, the Moxam Apartments exemplifies and contributed to the attractive early character of this part of the Beltline community. Prior to the development of Mount Royal, this portion of the Beltline was occupied by other impressive apartment houses and numerous substantial residences. Only a small number of these impressive structures remain due to rapid re-development of the area in the 1950s and later, making the Moxam Apartments an important, integral reminder of the area's earlier history and character.
Due to the Moxam's dignified architecture, distinctive buff-coloured brick exterior, pairing with the
Houlton House (Congress) Apartments, and its contribution to the collective historic character of the streetscape (along with extant contemporaries like the Lougheed House, the Birkenshaw Residence and the Ranchmen's Club), the Moxam Apartments is a valuable landmark in the community.
Character-Defining Elements
- rectangular, three-storey, flat-roof form; u-shaped plan;
- buff-and grey-colored brick exteriors, laid to form quoins (at building corners) foundation level brickwork relief consisting of horizontal bands;
- sandstone lintels, sills, stringcourses and doorway surrounds;
- pressed-metal cornice in block-modillion and dentil design;
- regular, symmetrical fenestration with large rectangular openings;
- the original three-storey portico with entablature with block-modillions and dentils, classic corbels and corner columns, with ionic order capitals, set on buff colored brick clad pedestals; second-storey balcony with classic corbels and railing;
- the main central entrance with wood doorway assembly; second and third-storey portico doorway assemblies with transom lights and sidelights
- wooden rear covered porch and side verandas within covered light wells; and
- spacious setbacks to the street.
Interior elements:
- those portions of the original configuration relating to the original 12-unit, 6-room plan;
- original finishes within the units such as hardwood floors, wooden doors and mouldings, fireplaces with bracketed mantle and tile-clad chimneypieces, cast iron radiators, clawfoot tubs, and kitchen cabinetry;
- wide interior corridors with open staircase (plain wood balustrades); entrance foyer and secondary (trades) entrances to each of the original 12 units.
Location