Edifice Price
| Édifice Price | |
|---|---|
Édifice Price is located at the heart of Quebec City historic district.
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| General information | |
| Type | Municipal and corporate offices, official residence of the Premier of Quebec |
| Location | Quebec City, Quebec |
| Coordinates | 46°48′47.1″N 71°12′29.3″W / 46.813083°N 71.208139°WCoordinates: 46°48′47.1″N 71°12′29.3″W / 46.813083°N 71.208139°W |
| Construction started | 1928 |
| Completed | 1930? |
| Opening | 1931 |
| Cost | C$ 1 million |
| Owner | Quebec City administration, leased to Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec |
| Height | |
| Roof | 82 m (269 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 18 (see text) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ross and Macdonald |
The Édifice Price (English: Price Building) is an 18-floor (originally 16) skyscraper in Quebec City, Canada. Built in 1930-1931 amid controversy for Price Brothers ltd., it is the tallest building in the Old Quebec historical district, and one of the oldest skyscrapers in Canada. The building is the property of the Quebec City municipal administration, but is leased to and used by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. A memorial is attached to the building. In 2001, it became the location of an official residence for the Premier of Quebec, which occupies two of the upper floors.
In 1927, John Herbert and Arthur Clifford Price, having inherited the prosperous Price Brothers Limited after the 1924 death of their father, Sir William Price III, decided to build a new headquarters for the company in Quebec City. They did not find anything to their liking on Saint-Pierre street, at the time Quebec's main financial district, so decided on Saint-Anne street close to the City Hall. The design for the 16-floor building was awarded to Ross and Macdonald, a prestigious firm of architects based in Montreal.
The city, eager to demonstrate a progressive ethos, gave assent to the project despite heavy criticism that the administration was proving unable to protect Québec's historic area because the building replaced two historic houses. Sources conflict as to exactly when construction started: one cites June 1929 to May 1930, while another says the construction permit was delivered in December 1929 and construction began in June 1930; a third gives only years: 1928-1930. The building's cornerstone bears an inscription reading "This stone was laid Oct. XXIX MCMXXIX [October 29, 1929]". However, all sources agree that construction was rapid, and the building was finished within a year. It was inaugurated in 1931.
Although completed successfully, the building turned out to be little more than an extravagant nail in Price Brothers' coffin. The Great Depression pushed the company to the brink of bankruptcy, and the Price Family lost both control of the company and most of its fortune. Various restoration work was undertaken during the 1950s and '60s, mostly to the interior of the building.
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