Guelph's Petrie Building makes long list for national heritage award
Building went from 'endangered' in 2014 to being nominated for national award in 2018
Four years after it was on a list of endangered buildings in Canada, the historic Petrie Building in Guelph's downtown is up for a national heritage award.
The Petrie Building has made the long list for the Ecclesiastical Insurance Cornerstone Awards. The awards recognize "exemplary projects and places that contribute to quality of life and sense of place, and illustrate the viability of heritage buildings and sites for traditional or new uses," the National Trust for Canada says on its website.
The Petrie Building was built in 1882 by A.B. Petrie, who had a pharmacy on the ground floor and an office on the second floor.
The building has a full sheet metal facade, which is the last remaining machine-stamped metal clad building in Canada, the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario has said.
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The building was listed on the "endangered places" list because of years of neglect, which saw the local landmark's upper floor windows boarded up for decades while nothing was done to preserve the building's unique exterior.
Work ongoing
Tyrcathlen Partners, a local development company, purchased the building in 2015.
The restored Petrie Building was unveiled in January. It is now home to Modern Bride boutique, Sway Advertising and Brothers Brewing Company.
Kirk Roberts is a principle with Tyrcathlen Partners. He said they're pleased to have been nominated for the award.
"I'd love to thank them, but I have no idea who nominated us," he said.
As well, he added work is still ongoing. While the front facade is complete for now, this summer they're doing work on the roof and back part of the building.
Then in the next couple of years, they want to rebuild the lower section of the front of the building.
"The lower section had been removed, probably in the 1940s, so our next project would be to try to do the best we can to replicate that lower section," he said.
The original entrance was an arched doorway where the arch went into the second storey, he said.
Using metal and wood, they want to create an arch "to give some sort of memory to that original arched entrance."
Awards to be announced in October
There are 47 projects on this year's long list, said Emily Boulet, a development officer with the National Trust for Canada.
A panel went over the 60 projects submitted for this year's award to come up with "the best of the best," she said.
In 2017, three projects were selected for the award, but Boulet said there's no limit on how many projects can win in any given year.
"We do try to keep it about 10 or less," she said.
The award ceremony will be held Oct. 19.