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Oliver Block
Lethbridge
Other Names:
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Oliver Building
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Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The two-storey Oliver Block has a flat roof, brick cladding, and four bays. On the second storey the building is articulated by brick pilasters, brick detailed features and a brick inscription on the parapet that reads “OLIVER”. The unique rhythm of the bays is indicative of the upgrading of earlier commercial buildings as a symbol of economic prosperity and the need to abide by fire bylaws. It is located on three lots on a commercial street in the downtown core of Lethbridge.
Heritage Value
The Oliver Block is significant for its association with early commercial development in Lethbridge, for its association with William Oliver, and for its design.
The Oliver Block is significant for its association with early commercial development in Lethbridge. The Oliver Block was constructed c.1900 as Lethbridge was growing into a commercial hub in Southern Alberta. The block replaced a two-storey wood framed structure that had been used as a theatre for moving pictures and traveling shows, and was built in two phases so that the owner, William Oliver, could continue to operate his business during construction. The new Oliver Block was rented to various business interests, which included a billiards hall in the basement in 1914, the Bank of Toronto on the ground floor from 1913-1915, White Lunch and Stokes Drug Store.
The Oliver Block is also significant for its association with William Oliver, who was a prominent early citizen in Lethbridge. William Oliver moved to the community in 1884 to work for the Alberta Railway and Coal Company, and in 1887 he established a brickyard. By 1890 he had entered the general building and construction business and founded Lethbridge’s first sash and door factory. Oliver built and owned Oliver Block, as well as several other buildings in Lethbridge, including Oliver Apartments and the International Order of Odd Fellows Hall. Construction was not the only means by which William Oliver contributed to the growth of Lethbridge, as he also served as an alderman multiple times between 1893 and 1912, and was elected mayor four times from 1901-1905. As a member of the local Masonic chapter and the International Order of Odd Fellows, William Oliver was an active participant in Lethbridge’s community life and contributed greatly to its success as a city.
The Oliver Block is also significant for its design. City of Lethbridge fire bylaws passed in 1891 limited the types of materials allowed in construction in the commercial district and lead to the construction of many brick and stone buildings, including the brick Oliver Block. The odd rhythm of the bays and upper floor windows reveals that the Oliver building is actually composed of two distinct original buildings, one with a later addition, all of which were combined as one, with a uniform brick façade. Readily available brick from local brickyards meant that decorative details such as the pilasters and corbelled brick entablature were much easier to incorporate into the building’s design. The Oliver Block showcases some of the most interesting painted brick detailing in the downtown area, including the diamond shapes on the pilasters, the decorative brick panels and decorative brick friezes with dentils above, and continuous corbelled sill beneath the second storey windows. As an early office block with a large floor plate, the creative use of skylights on the roof combined with ample proportioned clerestories successfully brought daylight into all areas of the interior. The rounded angled interior bulkheads surrounding two large skylights centred over the wide central hall, are cleverly detailed on the interior to provide maximum daylight penetration to the interior. Remarkably, the use of skylights extended to bring daylight into washrooms and housekeeping closets as well. In the basement of the south portion of the block, distinct fir posts have an octagonal footprint and fir beams are carefully detailed to ease the sharp edges within a few inches of the columns.
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements as expressed in the form, massing, and materials of the c.1900 two-storey commercial block include:
- The flat roof;
- the odd rhythm of the four bays and uniquely sized windows for each;
- the running bond brick cladding;
- the five square brick pilasters with decorative projecting corbelled rectangular brickwork on the second storey which form four bays;
- the decorative brick panels with dentils and a brick border above the second- storey windows;
- the corbelled brick entablature;
- the decorative brick friezes with dentils above the second storey windows with brick borders;
- the continuous sill beneath the second storey windows with decorative brick corbelling below;
- the brick parapet with a brick inscription that reads “OLIVER”;
- the painted wall signage on the side of the building including “STOKES DRUG CO.”;
- the “THE KODAK STORE” ghost sign on the northernmost brick pilaster at main floor level;
- the corbelled voussoirs on the second-storey windows of the side façade;
- the two corbelled brick chimneys;
- the pattern, style and construction of all original window and door openings (as shown in the included photos, below);
- the six skylights on the flat roof, which provide natural light into the interior corridor spaces (as shown in the included photos, below); of particular note is the interior rounded and angled continuous bulkhead providing uninterrupted daylight to the interior;
- the mosaic tiles in the interior and exterior of the doorway of the centre-right storefront bay; and
- fir post and beam construction of the basement level; octagonal footprint of the columns and eased edge of beams.
Location
| Street Address: |
316 - 5 Street South |
| Community: |
Lethbridge |
| Boundaries: |
Lots 14 to 16, Block 31, Plan 4353S |
| Contributing Resources: |
Buildings: 1
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ATS Legal Description:
PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):
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Plan |
Block |
Lot |
Parcel |
4353S
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31
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14 to 16 inclusive
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Latitude/Longitude:
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Latitude |
Longitude |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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49.694982 |
-112.840722 |
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NAD 83 |
UTM Reference:
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Northing |
Easting |
Zone |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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Recognition
| Recognition Authority: |
Local Governments (AB) |
| Designation Status: |
Municipal Historic Resource |
| Date of Designation: |
2022/09/27 |
Historical Information
| Built: |
1900 to 1900 |
| Period of Significance: |
1900 to 1900 |
| Theme(s): |
Developing Economies : Trade and Commerce
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| Historic Function(s): |
Commerce / Commercial Services : Shop or Wholesale Establishment
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| Current Function(s): |
Commerce / Commercial Services : Shop or Wholesale Establishment
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| Architect: |
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| Builder: |
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| Context: |
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Additional Information
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