Key Number:	HS 17989
Site Name:	Burns Building
Other Names:
Site Type:	0400 - Mercantile/Commercial: General and Mixed Use Commercial

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			23	1	5

Address:	237 - 8 Avenue SE
Number:	37
Street:	2 SE
Avenue:	8 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: Concrete
Superstructure:
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Flat
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Wall Design and Detail: Decorative Tile or Terra Cotta Roof Trim - Eaves: Decorated Frieze
Exterior:	Good example of the Neoclassical style typical style of the turn-of-the-century, sloping glass canopy held by terra-cotta lions with ornamental iron scroll work and medallions. It also had an elaborate marble staircase, and the fastest Otis elevator in the city at that time. Cornice boxed frieze decorated; metal awning over sidewalk, decorative sculpture and trim on the second floor. The building has seven storeys. Reinforced concrete foundation.
Interior:	N/A
Environment:	Located in the central business district of downtown Calgary. Corner lot, downtown on civic square and at end of Stephen Avenue Mall.
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Fair. 20 DEC 1979. Structure: Fair. Repair: unknown 1 MAR 1982.
Alterations:	- the building was declared 'absolutely fireproof', was fitted with the latest vacuum cleaning system and had the best lighting, heating and ventilating systems that money and skill could provide. - in addition to the electric wiring, natural gas was also piped into each office. - four telephones in each office. - complete system of Cutler mail chutes running from the 6th floor down. - Marble and tile lavatories on each floor. - each office had a marble basin with hot and cold running water.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Burns Building	1912/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Meat Market on main floor, Offices above.	1912/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
William Roper Hull Pat Burns A.G. Cousins and A.E. Crang Investment and Real Estate Co. City of Calgary 556889 Ontario Limited (60 year lease)	1901/01/01 1909/01/01 1923/01/01 1933/01/01 1979/05/01 1983/10/04

Architect:	Bates
Builder:	Norton Trutham Co.
Craftsman:	Terra Cotta from Cladding McBean
History:	Six storey steel and brick office building with terra cotta sheeting, in deteriorating condition. Built in 1912 by Pat Burns for use as an office building and used as the Burns Company headquarter until 1923, when Burns swapped it for the Gl..garry 44 Ranch. It was used as an office building until recently and is now vacant. (1977) Historical Importance: The historical importance of this building lies in its association with Pat Burns, an entrepreneur cattleman who came to Calgary in 1890 and established what became the international Burns meat empire. Known as the 'Cattle King of the West', Burns was instrumental in the development of the beef industry in Alberta. He owned over a dozen ranches, one hundred meat shops, creameries and fruit stores. He had export offices in Britain and Japan, and was appointed by the British government to purchase Britain's beef supplies during World War I. - His influence on the livestock industry in Alberta is unsurpassed. - One of Calgary's leading citizens, Burns was knighted by the Pope and was a member of the Senate from 1931 to 1936. Historical Significance : The Burns Building is associated with one of Canada's most remarkable entrepreneurs. Patrick Burns was born in Ontario to poor Irish immigrant parents, moved to Manitoba as a young man, and became involved in supplying meat to railway crews during the 1880's. He came to Calgary in 1890, when the ranching industry was rapidly expanding, and during the following decade was engaged in supplying beef to the railway, Blood Indian reserves, lumber and mining camps, and a growing number of retail outlets. He created a base for his slaughtering and storage operations in East Calgary, and after the turn of the century he bought several large ranches on which he raised his own cattle. As an advocate of livestock diversification, Burns led Alberta's entry into sheep ranching and hog-raising. Constantly striving to expand his enterprise, he branched out into related industries and new areas of food production. Before World War I he was known to be Calgary's wealthiest resident and one of its largest employers. The 'Cattle King of the British North-West', as the 'New York Herald' called him, was eventually named a senator by Prime Minister Bennett. He died in 1937. During Calgary's prewar building boom, it was common for wealthy businessmen to erect commercial buildings that would symbolize their importance and, at the same time, serve as profitable investments in a time of soaring real estate prices. The Burns Building, which was ready for occupancy early in 1913, was termed 'palatial' by the 'Calgary Herald.' The huge ground floor meat market was the most lavishly outfitted store of its kind in the city, and the upper floors were designed to provide the most attractive, comfortable, and modern office facilities available. Initially, the building attracted numerous doctors and dentists as tenants, as well as real estate agents, barristers, and insurance agents. The Calgary Power Company rented offices on the fourth floor, and after the discovery of oil at Turner Valley, several oil and gas companies were attracted to the Burns Building. Architectural Significance: The six-storey Burns building was designed by one of Calgary's most important architects, William Stanley Bates, who had constructed the Grain Exchange Building a few years earlier. The Burns Building was constructed according to the recently patented 'Kahn System' of reinforced concrete steel construction. Like many tall commercial buildings of the period, its facade is in keeping with the Edwardian Classical style with its engaged pilasters or simulated pillars and the decorative detailing above the second storey and around the top of the building, and its heavy cornice. It achieves a more modern appearance than some buildings of the period thorough its fashionable use of white terra cotta panels as an external covering. Terra cotta lions' heads and other mouldings decorate an otherwise fairly plain facade. The building's most distinctive feature is the wrought iron canopy, formerly covered with glass and soon to be restored, which extends over the sidewalk on both the north and east facades. *	*	* Draft Press Release Edmonton, Alberta The Honourable Dennis Anderson, Minister of Culture and Multiculturalism, announced today that the Burns Building in Calgary has been designated a Provincial Historic Resource. The Burns Building is associated with one of Alberta's most successful entrepreneurs. Patrick Burns was born in Ontario of poor Irish immigrant parents, moved to Manitoba as a young man, and became involved in supplying meat to railway crews during the 1800s. He came to Calgary in 1890, when the ranching industry was rapidly expanding, and during the following decade was engaged in supplying beef to the railway, Blood Indian reserves, lumber and mining camps, and a growing number of retail outlets. He created a base for his slaughtering and storage operations in East Calgary and after the turn of the century he bought several large ranches on which he raised his own cattle. As an advocate of livestock diversification, Burns led Alberta's entry into sheep ranching and hog-raising. Constantly striving to expand his enterprise, he branched out into related industries and new areas of food production. Burns business interests also included participation in the land development process in Calgary during the pre-World War One building boom. The Burns building, his most important accomplishment in this regard, was completed in 1913. The huge ground floor meat market was the most lavishly outfitted store of its kind in the city, and the upper floors were designed to provide the most attractive, comfortable, and modern office facilities available. The six-storey Burns Building was designed by one of Calgary's most important architects, William Stabley Bates, who had constructed the Grain Exchange Building a few years earlier. The Burns Building was constructed according to the recently patented 'Kahn system' of reinforced concrete steel construction. Like many tall commercial buildings of the period, its facade is in keeping with the Edwardian Classical style with its pilasters or simulated pillars and the decorative detailing above the second storey and around the top of the building.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Municipal A List Provincial Historic Resource	1987/07/20

Register:	01-195

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0554