Excerpt from historicplaces.ca:
Description of Historic Place
The massive, fortress-like Armoury is conspicuously located on a sloped site in downtown Guelph. Designed in a late Gothic-Revival style, this brick building is heavily ornamented with rock-faced stone details. It is a symmetrical structure with two-storey wings that flank the dominant centre pavilion. A large troop door flanked by crenellated towers dominates the front façade. The large drill hall behind is spanned by steel Fink trusses. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Heritage Value:
The Armoury is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.
Historical Value:
The Armoury is closely associated with the reform and expansion of the Active Volunteer Militia during Frederick Borden’s tenure as Minister of Militia and Defence from 1986 to 1911. The reforms transformed the militia from a citizen militia into an efficient military force prepared for action when the First World War broke out. The Armoury was used as both a training and recruitment centre during this conflict.
Architectural Value:
The Armoury is a very good example of a simple, modular design used for early 20th century armouries. The building incorporates medieval military motifs including jutting towers, battlements, and a main entrance reminiscent of a fortified gate. Interior layout is based on the standard American Armoury model, the open drill hall on the upper floor, the ground floor being reserved for vehicles and artillery. Good craftsmanship and materials and evident in the rough-faced sandstone that contrasts with the flat red brickwork, detail typical of the designer, T.W. Fuller.
Environmental Value:
The Armoury reinforces the character of its downtown setting and is a familiar landmark in the neighbourhood. Its specialized use adds to its local familiarity as a community landmark.
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the Armoury should be respected.
Its functional design and aesthetic qualities and good quality materials and craftsmanship, for example:
-the massive, rectangular form of the structure with a three-storey central pavilion, flanking two-storey, ancillary blocks, and large drill hall behind;
-the main entrance with troop door and decorative detail;
-the brick surface of the exterior walls with rough-faced stone at basement level and ornamentation such as stringcourses, lintels, coping and crenellation;
-the regular grouping of the window openings;
-the large unobstructed drill hall space opened up by steel Fink trusses.
The manner in which the Armoury in Guelph reinforces the character of its downtown setting and is a familiar community landmark as evidenced by:
-its specialized design, distinctive profile and large scale which complement its streetscape setting;
-its large scale and prominent location which makes it known in the city.
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Excerpt from historicplaces.ca:
Description of Historic Place
The Petrie Building, located at 15 Wyndham Street North, is situated on the east side of the street between Cork and MacDonell Streets in the City of Guelph. This four-storey stone and timber building is reminiscent of the Second Empire style. It was designed by architect John Day and constructed in 1882.
The property was designated for its heritage value by the City of Guelph under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 1990-13553).
Heritage Value
Located in downtown Guelph, the Petrie Building is a local landmark indicative of a prosperous era in the City's commercial growth. It is surrounded by numerous noteworthy designated heritage structures, including the adjacent Kelly Building.
The Petrie Building, designed by Guelph architect John Day, was completed in 1882 for Alexander Bain Petrie. Petrie was a local pharmacist and manufacturer, and one of the City's most successful and influential businessmen. Four-storeys high and constructed of stone and timber, it is one of a very few buildings remaining in Canada incorporating a stamped galvanized iron façade. This was a popular building technology of the late 1800s and was used as a substitute for wood, stone or cast iron. There are only three documented buildings in the country erected prior to 1890 with full sheet-metal facades, the other two being Victoria Hall in Hamilton and the Empire Hotel in Winnipeg. The galvanized iron facade was manufactured for Petrie by the Ohio firm of Bakewell and Mullins, specialists in architectural sheet metal working. Stylishly ornamented and elaborately embellished, the facade is distinguished by a bold cornice with a broken pediment framing a large mortar and pestle, a reminder of the building's original function as a pharmacy.
Character-Defining Elements
Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Petrie Building include its:
- original stamped galvanized full sheet-metal facade – one of three such buildings remaining in Canada
- shape and form
- elaborate exterior details
- bold cornice with a broken pediment framing a large mortar and pestle
- proximity to other significant heritage landmarks in the City's downtown core
Tags: ontario Old City Canada Guelph Petrie-Kelly Building 15 Wyndham Street North
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Excerpt from guelpharts.ca:
Built of local limestone in 1883, this four-and-a-half-storey building replaced a small roughcast hotel know variously as Fuhrey’s, the Bay Horse or Reinhart’s Hotel which had been built in 1860. The architect for the new hotel, called the Commercial Hotel, was John Day, whose father William Day, was a prominent Guelph building contractor. The steepmansard roofs, rising in stages to a central pavilion, still retain their original patterned slate shingles although the iron cresting has been removed. The hotel was built for John Hogg, and was operated by Christian Reinhart. A serious fire in 1887 required reconstruction for Reinhartand and Timothy O’Connor, the owners at that time. The hotel was owned by Reinhart family until mid-1930s, then by the La Fontaine family until late 1960s. In 1975 this structure was the first downtown business block to have its limestone facade cleaned and refurbished. The restoration received a Guelph Arts Council Heritage Award in 1978. Portions of the building have also been designated by the City of Guelph.
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