Key Number:	HS 4903
Site Name:	Gibson Block
Other Names:
Site Type:	0104 - Residential: Apartment Building 0400 - Mercantile/Commercial: General and Mixed Use Commercial

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			52	24	4

Address:	9604-9608 Jasper Avenue NW
Number:	4-8
Street:	96 NW
Avenue:	Jasper NW
Other:
Town:	Edmonton
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View
Digital scan of Negative	70-R0115-22		East end

Architectural

Style:	Classical Revival
Plan Shape:	Other
Storeys:	Storeys: 4 or more
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:	Nailed Frame
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Flat
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Massing of Units: Single Detached Wings: None Wall Design and Detail: Pier or Pilaster Wall Design and Detail: Plinth Wall Design and Detail: Entablature Wall Design and Detail: Plain Parapet Wall Design and Detail: Carving Plain Eaves Roof Trim - Verges: Not Applicable Roof Trim Material - Verges: None Dormer Type: None Chimney Location - Side to Side: Other Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Other Chimney Stack Material: Unknown Chimney Stack Massing: Other Roof Trim - Special Features: None Window - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: None Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Window - Sill Type: Plain Slip Sill Window - Sill Material: Wood Window - Number of Sashes: Two, Double Hung Window - Opening Mechanism: Single or Double Hung Main Entrance - Location: Centre (Facade) Main Entrance - Structural Opening Shape: Semi-Circular Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Voussoir Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Keystone Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Moulded Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening Material: Wood Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Shaped Transom, Multiple Lights Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Number of Panels Per Leaf: 1 Main Entrance - Leaves - Special Feature: Glass Main Stairs - Location and Design: None Main Stairs - Direction: None Main Porch - Type: None Main Porch - Special Features: None Main Porch - Material: None Main Porch - Height: None
Exterior:	Decorative motif of enameled highlights, vertically raised coursings - Two entablatures, fenestration of windows is regular. Metal cornice; brick piers; detailed brick spandrels with concrete insets; metal cornice at storefronts. The four-storey Gibson Block features high quality exterior brickwork with the decorative motif of enameled highlights and vertically raised brick coursings. The moulding has the classical architectural appointments of two entablatures with a parapet above the upper one. The main entry, on the south facade of the building, features a large keystone surrounded by an arch above the doorway. The construction of the building employed a reinforced concrete foundation. The red brick is loadbearing and laid in regular stretcher courses. A square pattern was introduced into the brick courses below the third and fourth storey windows. This effect was produced by laying slightly projecting bricks in header courses, with 3/4 tiles at every sixth course, thus creating the points of the square. The tiles were used again along the underside of the top cornice. The original brick mortar is dark gray or black in colour. The twelve bays on each side of the building are defined by brick pilasters. These are in turn defined by the concrete sills on the second floor windows and the tiles below the upper cornice. There are two continuous horizontal sheet metal cornice bands at the south and north facades, one near the roof parapet and the other at the window sill height of the second floor. The top cornice incorporates round medallions and the lower cornice holds the Gibson Block relief sign. The windows on the upper floors feature steel lintels, and cast concrete sills. The exterior of the Gibson Block features elaborate detailing. The four south facade storefront entrances were decorated with 'key' pattern hexagonal tiles on the floor areas. Globe lights hung at the main building entrance of the south facade and above the four entrances of the north facade. The south and north facing storefronts originally were framed in wood, with oak doors and steel sash and plate glass windows with a distinctive band of fluted and ribbed glass transoms above. Roll-down canvas awnings were attached to the storefronts on the south facade of the building. The windows on the upper floors were all double-hung wood frames and sash units (a one over one pattern). The east, or bow end of the building consisted of specially fabricated curved window units. The floors and roof were constructed with wood joists supported by the exterior brick walls. The masonry wall at the south facade is supported by steel beams and pipe columns at the main floor level. Structural floor and roof loads are carried by built-up wood beams at interior hallway locations. These loads are carried vertically through the building to basement pad foundations. The floors are layered with lath and plaster ceilings on one side and tongue and groove sheathing material on the other. The roof is covered with a coal-tar bitumen built-up covering; access to the roof is gained by a ladder and scuttle at the fourth floor. The building's exterior form and massing display elements of the Chicago School of architecture which had a significant impact on the design of commercial architecture of this period. The vertical emphasis of brick piers, repetitive spandrels and generous windows are all indicative of this influence.
Interior:	The interior of the building originally included a variety of high quality finishing details. The walls were covered with wood panelling and the main entrance door, trims, and curved transom were all oak. The rooms had cast iron radiators and had wood panelling throughout. The ceilings were plaster and may have included decorative moulding. The upper stories were accessed by a main staircase with an oak railing.
Environment:	Neighbourhood: Boyle Street Property Features: None Located on eastern edge of early Edmonton Downtown core centred around 97th street. The building stands at the corner of Jasper Avenue and 96 Street facing east. At the back of the building is an empty lot. It is located in the Chinese Community neighbourhood, which is at present up for renewal. Downtown - edge. The Jasper Avenue East Block, located immediately across the street from the new Convention Centre, is threatened with massive redevelopment. Presently a major land assembly is underway with the possible intention of developing an office and service/retail complex to meet the needs of the Convention Centre users. The FAR of the buildings is approximately 3.5:1 and could rise to nearly 8.0:1 for parts of the Block after redevelopment. The Gibson Block is a particularly distinctive visual landmark in its neighbourhood and a conspicuous and familiar structure within a city-wide context. It is a key component within the Jasper East Block. The block was developed during the City's major economic boom of 1908-1914 and is one of the few remaining blocks in the city whose predominant character represents this important period in history. The Jasper East Block includes W.W. Arcade Building, the Hub Hotel, the Brighton Block, the Lodge Hotel and the Gibson Block. It forms the eastern entrance feature to the historic Jasper East Block which is one of the last remaining groups of pre-1914 buildings denoting the City's first major economic boom and the first use of brick for commercial buildings. The Gibson Block relates well to these buildings in terms of scale, massing, colour, age, design and history. It is an important building in the urban design of the area.
Condition:	Structure: Good. 14 SEP 1977. Fair. 1978, 1993.
Alterations:	Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Window Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Door Site: Original Boarded up windows and storefronts. All of the exterior doors and window openings have been boarded up to prevent unauthorized access into the building, and the curved 'bow' end of the building has been bricked-in at the main floor level. As well, the lower two floors of the metal fire escape at the west end of the building have been removed.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started	1913/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Commercial on ground floor, residential above	1913/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
Wm. Gibson Max Wenzel & Paul Schubert Ernest Wenzel M. Elphinstone Ernest Wenzel Credit Foncier City of Edmonton Administration & Trust Co. Alex Lastiwka S. & A. & H. Rubin Ester Soloman & A. & H. Rubin Westock Holdings Limited Schubert-Wenzel Alex Rubin 304599 Alberta Ltd. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Alex Rubin Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation	1913/04/17 1914/08/29 1914/09/05 1921/02/07 1921/04/07 1930/04/10 1934/06/07 1944/08/14 1946/05/11 1950/04/13 1960/06/16 1973/07/06 1978/12/05 1978/12/15 1983/10/28 1986/06/16 1987/11/07 1996/02/16

Architect:	A.W. Cowley
Builder:	Sheridan
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Built by Gibson (a city realtor) and purchased by Schubert and Wenzel in 1914. Schubert was a real estate and investment broker in company with Wenzel. Site designated a Registered Historic Resource in 1979. (1978) Also known as the Flat Iron Building. Estimated cost of construction $40,000. Turkish baths located here since at least 1914. 1983: The City closed the block as 'Unfit for Human Habitation'. One of perhaps a dozen such buildings in Canada. Original Owner - Schubert - Wenzel; Now the Gibson block. Tenant - Edmonton Steam Bath and Others Estimated cost of renovation in 1985: $950,000 (not carried out). The historical importance of this building is derived from its association with Edmonton's rapid growth during the pre-First World War period. It marks the eastern limit of Edmonton's pre-1914 commercial core. The building was constructed in 1913 for William Gibson, a city realtor. In 1914, the building was bought by the Schubert Wenzel Real Estate Co. P.M. Schubert and Max Wenzel began their involvement in the economic development of Edmonton in 1908. Their particular role involved the handling of German capital which was being invested in the Edmonton area. In 1913 they opened a branch office of their company in Germany for the purpose. In addition to investing in real estate, the company also operated a plumbing and electrical supply store, a 500 acre farm at Clover Bar and a land department which was reported responsible for the settlement of a number of German families in the area. Throughout its history the Gibson Block has served as an apartment block with various commercial establishments on the ground floor. *** The pre-World War I construction boom in Edmonton saw the commercial district centered on Jasper Avenue expand eastward. The block between 96 and 97 Streets, known as the Jasper East Block, was substantially developed during this period and buildings sprang up around it. The most prominent of these primarily commercial buildings was the Gibson Block on Namao Avenue (96 Street). In 1913 William Gibson, a city realtor, purchased two parcels of land on this block from Samuel and Robert Williamson for a dollar. One parcel was valued at $9,000 and the other at $11,000. The same year Gibson retained architect A.W. Cowley to design a four-storey office building with retail space on the main floor. The corner site called for a building plan which could utilize the pie-shaped lot. The resulting structure was triangular, known as a 'flat iron' building. The contract was awarded to a local contractor, J. Sheridan, for a tender amount of $40,000. Little is known about the Gibson Block's architect, A.W. Cowley other than he also designed the Kirkalta Block on 118 Avenue and 95 Street (demolished). Main floor tenants in 1913 were the Ross Hardware Company; the Gibson Cafe; Loptson Olafur and Sons, Jewellers; while a Turkish bath parlour occupied the basement. Tenants in the offices on the upper floors included a doctor, a musician, a teacher, and an electrical contractor. Gibson had his office in Room 201. A year after it was constructed, Gibson sold his building for three times its original cost. The new owners were the Schubert and Wenzel Real Estate Company. P.M. Schubert and Max Wenzel were German-born investment brokers who became involved in Edmonton real estate in 1908. They invested German capital into Edmonton real estate, and in 1913 they opened an office of their business in Germany for that purpose. In addition to their investment business, they operated a plumbing and electrical supply store, a 500 acre farm at Clover Bar and a land department responsible for the settlement of a number of German families in the area. They renamed the Gibson Block the Schubert and Wenzel Block, but the name never stuck, perhaps due to anti-German sentiment during the war. It was during their ownership of the building that the offices were converted into apartments. By 1915 there were 51 suites on the three upper floors. Wenzel and Schubert remained owners of the building until 1934, when the City took over the building in lieu of back taxes. It continued as a rooming house with assorted businesses on the main and basement floors (the Turkish baths remained in the building until 1978). The building was purchased by Westock Holdings Limited in 1950. In 1977 Westock Holdings hired an architect, Martin Tyler, to design a plan to convert the building into offices with a multilevel restaurant on the main floor and basement. The development did not occur and in 1978 Alberta Culture and Multiculturalism designated the building a Registered Historic Resource. Westock put the building up for sale in 1980 and the following year upgraded the heating system. In 1983 the City closed the building for health and safety reasons. The current owner acquired the building when Westock went into receivership in 1986. The building is presently vacant. The original character of the building has remained largely intact, although extensive damage has occurred due to neglect and vandalism. The majority of the decorative fluted glass panes at the upper transoms of the south facade have been cracked and broken. All of the exterior doors are worn and are heavily damaged. The details inside the building have largely been lost. Several fires damaged the wood panelling and the oak railing, as well as the ceilings and floors. Other details such as the radiators have been removed from the building. Some of the original awnings for the storefronts were stored in the basement, but are damaged and mostly unusable. The design of the Gibson Block is unique in Edmonton and rare in North America. While the style is fairly typical of commercial structures of this period with its classical motifs, the triangular shape of the building is very unusual and gives rise to the label 'flatiron' building. Few examples of this unusual style building configuration can be found in Alberta. The only other historic examples are a bank building in Lacombe and Green's Tuck Shop in Medicine Hat. The other examples to be found in North America include the Allied Chemical Building in Times Square, New York, Toronto's Gooderham Building, Vancouver's Europe Hotel and the Seattle Hotel in Seattle. 1909 - September 13. Samuel and Robert Williamson purchase Lots 7, 8, 9. 1913 - April 17. William Gibson purchases Lots 7 and 8 from Williamson. He retains architect A.W. Cowley to design building and J. Sheridan is awarded $40,000 contract. Tenants in the building include Turkish Bath; the Ross Hardware Company; Loptson Olafur and Sons, Jewellers; and the Gibson Cafe. 1914 - August 29. Max Wenzel and P.M. Schubert purchase building from Gibson. The building is renamed the Wenzel and Schubert Block. Upper floors are converted from offices into apartments. 1934 - June 7. The City of Edmonton takes over the building in lieu of back taxes. 1944 - May 14. Administration and Trust Company acquires building. 1946 - May 11. Alex Lastiwka purchases building. 1950 - April 13. Rubin family purchases building. 1973 - July 6. Westock Holdings Ltd. of Toronto (Rubin family company) is listed as legal owner of the building. 1978 - December 15. The Gibson Block is named a Registered Historic Resource by Alberta Culture and Multiculturalism. 1981 - Westock Holdings Ltd. upgrades the building's heating system. 1983 - The City of Edmonton closes building for violation of health and safety regulations. 1986 - Westock Holdings Ltd. goes into receivership. Current owner acquires the building. 1991 - Building is currently vacant. *** The following buildings in the 9600 block of Jasper Avenue have been incorporated as a group due to their proximity and character similarity. From west to east, they are the Goodridge Block (W.W. Arcade), Hub Hotel, Star Theatre, Brighton Block, Pendennis Hotel, and Gibson Block. To preserve the collective character of the group, it is necessary to preserve each individual building which contributes to the whole. The Gibson Block was built in 1913 by William Gibson, a realtor, and sold to Schubert and Wenzel, also realtors, in 1914. Turkish Baths have existed in the Gibson Block since 1914. Known locally as the Flat Iron Building due to its shape, the Gibson Block was designated as a Registered Historic Resource in 1979. The Gibson Block is Edmonton's only 'Flat Iron Building' due to its narrow triangular floor plan which culminates in a curved point at the street intersection. The result is an extremely attractive facade which is a balanced composition of horizontal and vertical elements. The ground floor facade is nearly original and includes leaded glass over the storefront windows and a now-weathered wooden arched doorway and keystone surrounding the main entrance. Since the Jasper East Block is one of the few cohesive examples of Edmonton's pre-incorporation development, the character of the Block should be preserved. * * * The Gibson Block is a four storey brick structure located to the east of the central business district of the city of Edmonton. Since its construction in 1913, it has continued to be used as a commercial and residential structure. The building was constructed in the shape of a triangle in order to accommodate the lot. This is the only historic building located on the property. The historic integrity of the building is relatively high; however, some modifications have been made to the exterior of the lower storey and damage has been caused to the structure by general neglect and two fires in recent years. The building is located in an area of other run down structures which generally date from the same era. Its architectural importance is derived from its unique design in comparison to other commercial buildings in Edmonton and Alberta. The building boasts such classical elements as two entablatures, with a parapet above the upper one and a large arch above the main door. It is typical of flat iron structures built throughout North America in the period prior to World War I; however, few of these are now in existence. The prototype of this type of building was constructed in New York in 1902 by D.H. Burnham and Company. Its accommodation to the triangular shape of the lot gives it an individual shape which was heralded as an innovation in office building design. * * * GIBSON BLOCK (1913) Unique Wedge Shaped Building Unique in Edmonton because of its wedge shape, it has come to be called the Flat Iron Building. For many years it was a flop house for skid-row denizens, until it was shut down in the early 1980s as unfit for human habitation. Subsequent occupants of this four-storey block have been hundreds of pigeons and the odd vagrant seeking a night's lodging. For much of the 1970s and 1980s, the building remained an enigma. Beloved by history and architecture lovers, politicians paid it lip-service, and the businessmen and investors it needed if it was ever to be restored, scorned it. A developer was due to take title in the fall of 1987. Ambitious plans are rumored to be afoot to renovate the building and install a restaurant, shops, and offices. Many cities across North America featured a triangular-shaped building similar to the Gibson Block by the 1920s. They are said to be modelled after the Flat-iron Building in New York City, constructed in 1902, and designed by Daniel Burnham and Company. Realtor William Gibson spent $40,000 constructing this building in 1913. He had purchased two parcels of land in 1913 for one dollar apiece and other unspecified valuable considerations, from the merchant brothers Samuel and Robert Williamson. One parcel was then valued at $9,000 and the other was valued at $11,000. Gibson's building was designed for commercial use since the downtown core then centred around 97th Street. A year later, however, the upper floors were converted to suites when the block was purchased for $120,000 by the German firm of Schubert and Wenzel Real Estate Company. Schubert and Wenzel tried to change the building's name to - you guessed it - the Schubert and Wenzel Block. The unwieldy tag never stuck, possibly due to anti-German sentiment which ran high in those years of the Great War, God, King, and Empire. Among the original tenants was the Gibson Cafe. A racist sign, still visible on the west wall, notes 'Gibson Cafe. Open All Night. Best Service. Reasonable Prices. White Help Only.' As well as the Gibson Cafe, the 1914 Henderson's Directory lists the Ross Hardware Company, Loptson Olafur and Sons Jewellers, and the Turkish Bath Parlor among the block's earliest tenants. The Eagle Pharmacy and the Farmer's Loan Company also opened for business shortly thereafter. Upstairs in 1914, tenants were decidedly more upscale than in later years. They included a doctor, musician, electrical contractor, dressmaker, and a teacher. The last commercial tenants included a secondhand store and the enduring steam bath, which closed in 1978.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Municipal Historic Resource Provincial Historic Resource	1994/05/30 1996/02/16

Register:	A7

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places: