Key Number:	HS 63033
Site Name:	Customs Examining Warehouse
Other Names:
Site Type:	1301 - Governmental: Office or Administration Building 1303 - Governmental: Customs House or Immigration Building

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			23	1	5

Address:	134-136 - 11 Avenue SE
Number:	34-36
Street:	1 SE
Avenue:	11 SE
Other:
Town:	Calgary
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:	Renaissance Revival
Plan Shape:	Rectangular
Storeys:	Storeys: 4 or more
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Stone
Superstructure:	Stone
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Flat
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:
Exterior:	Dimensions: 162 x 112 160' x 110' Original plans showed a 4-storey building with a ground floor of cut stone with brick backing, the upper 3 storeys of brick with cut stone dressing cornice of sheet metal; floor, roof and partitions of steel and concrete; stairs of iron; floors of terrazzo; driveways along east and west sides; and 4 elevators. Sandstone from local Oliver quarry, brick from Crandall Pressed Brick and Sandstone Co., Brickburn. Structural steel from Pennsylvania. Ground floor - rough cut sandstone, segmentally headed windows with arched radiating voussoirs, small main entry - south elevation. Sandstone string course. 2nd, 3rd and 4th - well proportioned bays with large triple windows spanning the classically detailed pilasters connected with smooth cut stone segmental arches (4th floor). Capped with a dentilled pressed mental cornice (painted yellow).
Interior:	Extensively renovated to accommodate various Federal Government departments over the years.
Environment:	Always been well-suited to its surroundings. Being originally located in an area of buildings used for industrial purposes. In 1969, a survey showed that many customs' brokers were still located nearby. Located in a secondary service and shopping area, and part of an eight block stretch of pre-WW I warehouses (some of which have been demolished). Located on the northwest corner of 11 Avenue SE and 1st Street SE in close proximity to the customs brokers of the area (Liquor Tobacco Wrses located east of this warehouse on 10th Avenue SE and 11 Avenue SE, all of comparable age and scalor value.)
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Good. (1980). Very good (1983)
Alterations:	1923 - external improvements. 1969-70 - Renovations: warehouse made smaller, three doors closed, modernization of the customs long room, ceilings in the offices lowered. The building has not experienced any major exterior alterations. 1934 - Renovations cost $168,300.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started Construction completed	1912/01/01 1916/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Parks Canada Examining Warehouse Canadian Red Cross Fed. Govt. offices	1912/01/01 1935/01/01 1977/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
Public Works Canada City of Calgary	1912/01/01 1982/05/31

Architect:	Leo Dowler
Builder:	Thomas J. McDiarmid of Winnipeg
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Leo Dowler - Resident Architect although the Actual Architect was the Department of Public Works. Builder was Sylvester Langley working for Thomas J. McDiarmid of Winnipeg. Cost of land - $100,434.76. Cost of building - $506,587.00. Materials were acquired from a variety of locations/sources including the Berun Interior Hardwood Co. Ltd. of Berun, Ontario; the Riverside Lumber Co. Ltd of Calgary; the Oliver Sandstone Quarry, Calgary; the Grandall Pressed Brick and Sandstone Co. at Brickburn, just west of Calgary; and steel from the Rolling Mills in Pensylvania. Renovations in 1969-70 included reducing the size of the warehouse, closing three doors, modernizing the customs long room and lowering the ceilings in the offices. Originally, the first floor contained a customs long room, a collector's office, an appraiser's room and record room. * * * Built between 1912 and 1916. In continuous use by federal agencies since 1915. From 1935 to 1940 it housed the offices of the Canadian Red Cross. It is now (1979) occupied by Parks Canada. The Examining Warehouse is an important example of public building in the pre World War I era. As a blend of two distinct but complementary architectural styles it is unique in Alberta. Land cost: $100,434.76. Construction cost: $506,587. Sources of building materials: Berlin Interior Hardwood Co. for interior fittings (in Kitchener, Ont.); Riverside Lumber Co. Ltd, (Calgary) for customs postal parcel fittings. May 1979, Culture Minister Mary Lemesseurier announced the building Designation as Historic Site. It was Registered as a Heritage Site on 2/08/79. Architecturally the building is significant representing a functional blend of utilitarian warehouse and classical styling. Historically representation of growing Federalism and an expansive urban economic growth. 1934 - Renovations cost $168,300 (see City of Calgary Building Assessor's Description Cards). Albertan Jan. 25/15. '500,000 Customs house Will Open Doors Monday'. 1969-70 - East and loading bays bricked in. * * * Additional Comment: The cost of the Customs Building was $506,587 and the cost of the land was $100,434.76. Originally the first floor contained a customs long room, a collector's office, an appraiser's room and record room. What is distinctive about the Customs Building is that it has always been a building well suited to its surroundings. When built it was located in an area of loft buildings used for industrial purposes. In 1969 an appraisal showed that many customs brokers still were situated nearby, and that relocation of the customs would upset the whole area. Thus, although the building is shared with other government agencies the Customs is likely to remain in occupation, particularly as the building is structurally sound. The Customs Building is interesting in that it was constructed from material from a variety of sources, such as the Berlin Interior Hardwood Co. Ltd., of Berlin, Ontario, the Riverside Lumber Co. Ltd of Calgary, the Oliver quarry, and the Crandall Pressed Brick and Sandstone Co. at Brickburn, just west of Calgary, and the steel from Rolling Mills in Pennsylvania. * * * Historical Importance: The Customs Examining Warehouse reflects the importance of Calgary as a regional distribution centre in the pre World War I boom era. It is the largest and most impressively designed building of its type in Alberta, since Customs Buildings in this province were generally incorporated into a Post Office, rather than being built separately. Architectural Importance: The Customs Examining Warehouse is architecturally important because it was designed by the Chief Federal Architect, David Ewart. It is the only building in Alberta which exhibits a consistent and equal blend of Classical and Chicago School influences.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Municipal A List Provincial Historic Resource	1979/06/03

Register:	02-110

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0551