|
Crawford Block
Edmonton
Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The Crawford Block is a three storey, brick clad commercial building. The building is located in a prominent location, mid-block in a commercial district in the historic Old Strathcona neighbourhood.
Heritage Value
Constructed in 1912, the Crawford Block is significant because of its architecture, which is an excellent and well preserved example of Edmonton’s commercial architecture during the Edwardian era.
The Crawford Block is significant because of its association with the development of Strathcona community, one of south Edmonton’s oldest settled neighbourhoods dating from the arrival of the railway in 1892, and a separate city until amalgamation with Edmonton in 1912.
The Crawford Block is significant because of its association with Herbert H. Crawford, the designer, builder and first owner of the building. Crawford immigrated to Alberta from Ontario in 1898 and was a resident of Edmonton from 1903 until his death in 1946. Crawford was a successful real estate auctioneer and served as the Member of the Provincial Legislature for Strathcona.
Character-Defining Elements
The Edwardian Commercial Architecture of the Crawford Block is expressed in character defining elements such as:
• form scale and massing;
• flat roof;
• retail units at ground level with large wood framed glazing and transom windows, central recessed entry and wood panelled bulkheads;
• 12 paired assembly windows on the east elevation;
• precast concrete lintels and sills;
• central triangular pediment at parapet level;
• brick corbelling below the parapet;
• red brick cladding;
• 7 pilasters above the first storey, delineating 6 bays in the façade; including four pilasters which project above the parapet with caps; and
• coarse textured cast stone blocks on the first storey at the side of the retail frontages.
Location
| Street Address: |
8222 to 8230 Gateway Boulevard NW |
| Community: |
Edmonton |
| Boundaries: |
Lots 26 and 27, Block 68, Plan I |
| Contributing Resources: |
Building: 1
|
ATS Legal Description:
PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):
|
Plan |
Block |
Lot |
Parcel |
I
|
68
|
26, 27
|
|
Latitude/Longitude:
|
Latitude |
Longitude |
CDT |
Datum Type |
|
53.5187 |
-113.5 |
Secondary Source |
NAD83 |
UTM Reference:
|
Northing |
Easting |
Zone |
CDT |
Datum Type |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recognition
| Recognition Authority: |
Local Governments (AB) |
| Designation Status: |
Municipal Historic Resource |
| Date of Designation: |
2014/11/17 |
Historical Information
| Built: |
1912/01/01 |
| Period of Significance: |
1912 - Present |
| Theme(s): |
Developing Economies : Trade and Commerce
|
| Historic Function(s): |
Commerce / Commercial Services : Office or Office Building
Commerce / Commercial Services : Shop or Wholesale Establishment
Industry : Furniture Manufacturing Facility
Residence : Multiple Dwelling
|
| Current Function(s): |
Commerce / Commercial Services : Shop or Wholesale Establishment
Residence : Multiple Dwelling
|
| Architect: |
Herbert H. Crawford
|
| Builder: |
Herbert H. Crawford
|
| Context: |
|
|
|
Additional Information
| Object Number: |
4664-0386 |
| Designation File: |
|
| Related Listing(s): |
|
| Heritage Survey File: |
|
| Website Link: |
|
| Data Source: |
City of Edmonton, Sustainable Development Department, 10250 - 101 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 3P4 |
|