Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

The Edmonstone building is a single property comprising four contiguous buildings. The original building was constructed in 1858-1859 as the headquarters of a shipping company originally known as Edmonstone, Allan & Company. Under the management of the various companies and corporations that occupied the property, several expansions were completed, around 1867, in 1904 and in 1983. The building consequently reflects different architectural influences and facade treatments, indicative of the site’s evolution. The site is located on De la Commune Street, between Marguerite D’Youville Street and the alley separating the building from the Harbour Commission Building. In addition to its architectural elements, which reflect the functional needs of the original shipping company, the location facing the St. Lawrence is strategic, as it makes the Edmonstone Building visible from the Port. The location also provided the company with a degree of predominance in the development of the Port of Montreal, which undeniably influenced the prosperity of the City of Montreal. At the time, Montreal was considered Canada’s transportation hub.

Heritage value

All of the buildings comprising the Edmonstone Building were designated as “recognized” because of its historical importance, its architectural interest and its prime location within its environment.

Historic value:
The Edmonstone, Allan and Company Building is clearly tied to shipping, as it is associated with the boom during the first phase of the Port of Montreal’s development in the 1850s and 1880s. This was a time of strong growth in communications, commerce and industry, a reflection of the expansion of railway and shipping networks. The original building (1858-1859) is one of the oldest constructions associated with shipping in the western end of the Port. It was built as the headquarters of the shipping company founded by Sir Hugh Allan and William Edmonstone. The company is one of Canada’s largest overseas shipping companies, having operated numerous ships on a continuous basis for close to half a century. Although the company subsequently operated under several different business names, ownership remained directly tied to Sir Hugh Allan (1810-1882). An important businessman and shipping magnate, he had considerable influence in the Montreal area and was also interested in the railway industry, as well as in various emerging communications opportunities. The founder of the first financial syndicate created to build a railway serving the North Shore of the St. Lawrence, Hugh Allan, ship owner and financier, was also considered a person of national importance, particularly because of his involvement in the 1873 Pacific Scandal.

Architectural value:
The Edmonstone Building is a collection of structures resulting from a series of at least three additions to the oldest and most visible section of the complex. The building was expanded around 1867 (addition of a warehouse behind the administrative buildings), in 1904 (an addition on Marguerite D’Youville Street) and in 1983 (an addition between the additions constructed in 1904 and around 1867).

Designed by J.W. Hopkins, an architect with many architectural accomplishments to his name in Montreal, the original structure (1859) was the last building constructed by the renowned firm Hopkins Lawford and Nelson prior to J.W. Hopkins striking out on his own (1860-69). It was this commission that convinced the businessman to hire J.W. Hopkins again for his prestigious home, Ravenscrag, a few years later (1861-1864).

Constructed of local cut stone, the two-story structure’s main facades were built in the Italian neo-classic style, which became part of the architectural vocabulary of commercial buildings, aimed at conveying the primarily administrative function of a site while giving it a brand image. The building is a very good example of a public building in this style. Some functional and architectural elements essential to a shipping company near the port, including the lantern tower disguised as a lookout and a public clock over the main entrance, gave the building visibility within the Port of Montreal, and are a reminder of the importance of shipping on the St. Lawrence and the company’s success and expansion over time.

Comprised of three floors, the 1867 expansion is located on the western end of the site. With a cut stone façade and secondary elevations in fieldstone, the building was meant to serve as a warehouse, and in composition and ornamentation, is an elegant reflection of the “palace” style that underscores its public vocation.

The 1904 expansion was designed by the Maxwell brothers. Founders of another firm of considerable importance in Montreal, the Maxwell brothers are known for their construction of numerous homes for the well to-do, commercial buildings, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and Canadian Pacific railway stations and hotels elsewhere in Canada. Positioned directly behind the original building (1859), the 1904 expansion retains the features of the Italian style defined by the original building, but with some differences in window treatment. The use of rectangular forms rather than arches and the addition of balustrades on the second floor bring distinctive and elegant proportions to the building.

Inserted between the 1867 and 1904 constructions, the 1983 addition is a contemporary building with conservative lines, and is set back from the street facing an interior court. This last expansion replaced a section of building, the original construction date of which is not known.

Environmental value:
Encompassing almost a city block bordered by Port, Marguerite D'Youville, St Pierre and De la Commune streets, the Edmonstone Building has retained its monumental character and its commercial cachet, given that it is located on its original site at the apex of the lot, where it is clearly visible from the Old Port. Because it has similar features to neighbouring buildings in terms of style, size, function, proportions and materials, the building contributes to the heritage character of the Old Port and Old Montreal neighbourhoods. The Edmonstone Building is also recognized provincially as an important element in Montreal’s historic quarter and municipally as an element in the Old Port’s exceptional heritage value.

Character defining elements

The character-defining elements of the Edmonstone Building to be respected include:
—Its pleasing aesthetic qualities, functional design and materials, and its quality construction, as evidenced by the following elements:
— The traditional Italian-style design of the original main building, typical of the architecture of 19th century public and commercial buildings, reflected in:
— The solid massing of the two-story structure;
— The symmetry of the main facade, attenuated by the irregular shape of its footprint;
— The two cut stone walls with quoins and elements to emphasize and assign priority to the openings, such as the keystones, various abutments and fascia converging on the central portico;
— The continuation of the main façade’s two walls to form a central pediment;
— The porch, with columns and pilasters and a small roof with cornices adorned with modillions;
— The treatment of the openings, of similar proportions, with windows framed in stone with full and segmented arches (in the 1859 and 1867 sections) or rectangular windows (the 1904 section);
— A pavilion roof supported by cantilevered corbels ending in a firewall on the south side, giving it a distinctive appearance;
— Certain original interior architectural elements: brick walls and some cast iron columns (in the 1867 expansion), and two arches in the oldest section;
— Its adaptability over time, represented by:
— The compatibility of each addition, illustrated in particular by construction that keeps to the same height in the 1904 addition and the proportions of the stories of the 1817 addition, and by the use of the same stone and similar treatment of openings and Italian ornamentation;
— The continuous accommodation of commercial and industrial functions.
— The high water mark on the stone façade near the building’s entrance showing the height of the water in the worst flood in local history, in April 1886.
— Its association with shipping and its role as a landmark, as evidenced by:
— The inclusion of a clock above the main entrance;
— The octagonal wooden lantern tower, placed on the low slope roof;
— The urban site, dictating an angled main entrance and irregular facades that follow the site’s boundaries;
— Its visibility from the Port of Montreal.

For guidance on the proposed changes to this building, please consult the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. If you require additional information, contact the FHBRO.

June 2009