|
|
Click an image to enlarge.
Leasing Contact:
Jack S. Hurtig [e-mail]
Management Contact:
Grant Stevenson [e-mail]
or
Mark Uddin [e-mail]
Phone: 204.982.7973
Fax: 204.956.5262
Disclaimer: "All information contained herein
is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, and no responsibility
is assumed by A.S.H. Management Group Inc. or it's agents. All listings
are subject to errors, omissions, change of lease rates, sale price
or conditions, prior lease or withdrawal without notice. Whenever
described, all measurements are approximate."
|
Former Birks Building
276 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
|
| Building Architecture: |
Return to Previous Page |
|
This building is the result of successive efforts by two famous Montreal architects, George Browne and Percy Nobbs. Although built by Browne as the YMCA with a swimming pool fed by an artesian-well, 600 seat auditorium and dormitory rooms, it housed Birks Jewellers from about 1912 to 1987.
Browne's Romanesque building, with its subdued ornamentation, rusticated stone, round-headed arches and Portage Avenue tower, was largely altered by Nobbs. Nobbs transformed the building into a lavish yet delicate Italionate design. The building was faced in granite, tyndall stone and bronze. Terra cotta, designed by Nobbs, was used for quoins, window frames and niches.
The most spectacular terra cotta decoration is seen along the Portage Avenue frontage where terra cotta medallions (crafted to look like mosaics) depict the source of materials for jewellers. Above, a frieze (decorative horizontal bank) portrays a visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon.
|
|
| Source: Heritage Winnipeg |
|
|