Burns Building, Provincial historic resource in downtown Calgary, Canada
The Burns Building is a six-story office structure in Edwardian Classical style with terra cotta embellishments and lions' head ornaments adorning the facade. The building features a grid-like window and surface pattern that reflects its structural design.
The structure was built in 1912 for cattle entrepreneur Patrick Burns, whose meat market originally occupied the ground floor with a long hall supported by marble columns. It stands as a testament to Calgary's early industrial and commercial development.
The building shows Chicago-style architecture with reinforced concrete framing, typical of early 20th-century North American commercial construction. This building method allowed taller and more slender facades than what was previously possible.
The building sits downtown at 237 8th Avenue Southeast, within easy walking distance of Olympic Plaza and City Hall. Its central location makes it an accessible spot when exploring the historic commercial district.
The structure narrowly avoided demolition in 1980 through a city council vote and later received provincial heritage designation in 1987. This recognition marked a turning point in protecting Calgary's early architecture.
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