[PDF]Edmonton Inventory of Historic Sites

Edmonton Modern Inventory
Sunday, October 17, 2021


FORD MOTOR COMPANY PARTS AND DISTRIBUTION OFFICE AND WAREHOUSE
1957
14740 - 111 Avenue


The Ford Motor Company parts and distribution centre located in the Huff Estate in
Jasper Place opened to much fanfare in 1957. It remains a refined example of the light
industrial expression of the International style. Huff Bremner Estate Industrial area lies
north of 111 Avenue to 118 Avenue, and west of 142 Street to 149 Street. This area
was once a portion of the Huff Estate and the Bremner Estate. In 1907 Warren Huff
established W.P. Huff's Dairy, located at 127 Street and 112 Avenue. He changed the
name to Huff's Jasper Dairy in 1914 and the next year moved the business to the old
Jasper Place area, now the Crestwood and West Jasper Place neighbourhoods. Thomas
Logan obtained section 11-53-25-W4 in the 1880s under the Western Lands Grant
program. This section included the land, which was named Bremner Estate in about
1912. The origin of the name Bremner is not recorded, although a James C. C. Bremner
was an early landowner in the immediate vicinity. Following the Second World War this
area, still part of the separate city of Jasper Place, was developed as a light industrial
area along the major highway and railway tracks, and from the Edmonton taxes.


The Ford Motor Company of Canada obtained a building permit to locate its regional
distribution office and warehouse in May 1956. Kelvin C. Stanley was selected as the
architect for this large project, and Dominion Construction were the general contractors.
The official opening in 1957 saw a large event attended by the top brass from Ford,
national media, and the unveiling of the new Ford models for that year. The main
function of this building was the warehousing and distribution of Ford parts and
accessories throughout the region, serving the many dealers in Alberta and British
Columbia. In 1993 the facility moved to larger accommodation at 116-181 Street.


K.C. Stanley took Senior Matriculation and attended Normal School in Calgary, obtaining
a Permanent Intermediate Alberta Teaching Certificate. He then received a Bachelor of
Architecture degree from the University of Manitoba. Stanley worked as an Assistant
Architect at Rule Wynn and Rule beginning in September 1945, applying for membership
in the Alberta Association of Architects in October 1946. He worked in Edmonton from
1948 to 1964, and was elected a Fellow, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in May
1961. Stanley was Director of Structures at Expo 67 in Montreal from 1965 to 1967 and
became Chief Architect for the federal Department of Public Works in Ottawa in May
1967. Important Edmonton commissions include Edmonton City Hall, the YMCA
Building, the Imperial Oil Marketing Building, Edmonton Post Office, Edmonton Exhibition
Sports Building and King Edward Park Church of Christ.


ARCHITECTURE

The Ford Motor Company Building is an excellent example of the Early Modern
adaptation of the International Style as applied to an industrial building and is typified
by the use of low horizontal appearance, flat roofs, office in front of a taller warehouse
configuration, horizontal strip windows from clear anodized aluminum with continuous
painted steel sunshades, continuous clerestory lighting to illuminate the warehouse
portion, white Italian travertine stone features such as perimeter facade trims and
entrance feature walls, recessed entry with broad overhang, red brick construction with
multi-hued brick under the windows and landscaped park-like setting along 111 Avenue.





David Murray Architect with Ken Tingley and Don Luxton


Edmonton Modern Inventory
Sunday, October 17, 2021


HERITAGE VALUE - THEMES AND ASSOCIATIONS

- development of the west end, Huff-Bremner neighbourhood, as a location for
important industrial-type businesses after WW2;

- association with the Ford Motor Company;

- Early Modern adaptation of the International Style of architecture;

- Architects K.C. Stanley and his accomplishments.


SIGNIFICANCE EVALUATION CRITERIA
following the Provincial three-part evaluation process:


1. Be an eligible resource type for Municipal Designation


2. Be significant to our past - significance criteria:
A. Theme/Activity/ Cultural Practice/Event
B. Institution/Person
C. Design/ Style/ Construction
D. Information Potential (primarily applies to archaeology)
E. Landmark/Symbolic Value


3. Possess integrity

3.1 Location

3.2 Design

3.3 Environment
3.4 Materials

3.5 Workmanship
3.6 Feeling

3.7 Association


PRELIMINARY SIGNIFCANCE EVALUATION


ELIGIBILITY
This is an eligible type, within the City's jurisdiction.


SIGNIFICANCE

2A - The Ford Motor Company Parts and Distribution Office and Warehouse is significant
for its association with the expansion of the west end Huff-Bremner neighbourhood as a
location for important industrial-type uses after WW2.

2B - The Ford Motor Company Parts and Distribution Office and Warehouse is also
significant for its association with Ford Motor Company.

2B - The Ford Motor Company Building is significant for its association with the architect
K.C. Stanley.

2C - The Ford Motor Company Parts and Distribution Office and Warehouse is significant
for its Early Modern adaptation of the International Style as applied to an industrial
building and is typified by the use of low horizontal appearance, flat roofs, office in front
of a taller warehouse configuration, horizontal strip windows from clear anodized
aluminum with continuous painted steel sunshades, continuous clerestory lighting to
illuminate the warehouse portion, white Italian travertine stone features such as
perimeter façade trims and entrance feature walls, recessed entry with broad overhang,
red brick construction with multi-hued brick under the windows and landscaped park-like
setting along 111 Avenue.


The building has significance in 3 out of 5 categories.


David Murray Architect


Edmonton Modern Inventory
Sunday, October 17, 2021


Primary Significance: The Ford Motor Company Building is primarily significant for its
design, which was prepared in 1957.


Period of Significance - 1957


Integrity
The building is mostly intact on the exterior with only minor modifications.


3.1 Location: The location of the building has not changed.

3.2 Design: The design of the building has not been altered significantly.

3.3 Environment: The environment, or surroundings, has not changed significantly over
the years.

3.4 Materials: The original materials of the building have not changed significantly.

3.5 Workmanship: The workmanship of the building is original.

3.6 Feeling: The feeling of the building and site has not changed substantially.

3.7 Association: The associations of the building have changed somewhat since the uses
have changed.


The overall integrity of the building is satisfactory.


David Murray Architect