Union Bank Building
| Union Bank Building | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Alternative names | Former Union Bank Building, Paterson Globalfoods Institute |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Classical palazzo |
| Location | Exchange District, Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Address | 500-504 Main Street |
| Town or city | Winnipeg |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 49°53′56″N 97°08′22″W / 49.8988°N 97.1394°WCoordinates: 49°53′56″N 97°08′22″W / 49.8988°N 97.1394°W |
| Current tenants | Red River College's Paterson Globalfoods Institute |
| Construction started | 1903 |
| Completed | 1904 |
| Opened | November 1904 |
| Renovated | 2013 |
| Cost | $420,000 |
| Renovation cost | $34 million |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 10 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Pearson and Darling |
| Designations | |
| Official name | Former Union Bank Building / Annex National Historic Site of Canada |
| Designated | 1996 |
| References | |
| Canada's Historic Places | |
The Union Bank Building is the oldest surviving skyscraper in Canada and is located in the Exchange District of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Construction began in 1903 and it opened in November 1904. The 10-storey building was Winnipeg's first skyscraper, and was the tallest building in Winnipeg at the time of its construction. Initially built for Union Bank, now houses the Hospitality programs of Red River College. It was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1996.
The Union Bank Tower is an example of the Chicago Style. Using technology that was cutting edge for its time, the building was constructed with a network of steel and reinforced concrete that provided support for the brick and terracotta walls. The previously common building support system was that of wooden beams and posts or masonry. The tower's steel framing increased the overall rigidity and fire resistance of the structure compared to its predecessors.
At the time of its original construction, the building rose to 47.58 metres (156.1 ft) above grade, running 18.30 metres (60.0 ft) on Main Street, 33.55 metres (110.1 ft) along William Avenue, 24.71 metres (81.1 ft) at the rear, and 34.16 metres (112.1 ft) on its south side. The design of the building is based on a classical column. The bottom two storeys form the base and are highly ornamented. The middle storeys form the body of the column and are less ornamented, and the upper level have similar embellishment to the ground floor.
Designed by two of Canada’s top architects, Frank Darling and John Andrew Pearson, initial construction of the building cost $420,000 and it was built by two New York City construction firms: George A. Fuller Company and Thompson and Starret and Company. The frame of riveted interlocking girders was manufactured by Dominion Bridge of Montreal, and the ochre brick came from the Lac du Bonnet brickworks.
The Royal Bank of Canada took over the Union Bank in 1925 and operated out of the Union Bank Building until 1992. In 1992, the Royal Bank moved out of the building and to a new location at James Avenue and Main Street.
The building sat vacant for 18 years before being renovated, repurposed and opened as the Paterson Globalfoods Institute of Red River College in 2013.
In May 2009, the Government of Canada pledged Red River College with $9.5-million of funding to help reconstruct the Union Bank Building at the corner of Main Street and William Avenue in downtown Winnipeg to house the new Paterson Globalfoods Institute. The Manitoba government also announced a contribution of $5-million towards the construction of the building. The project was developed by Red River College, with additional project partners including: Paterson GlobalFoods Inc., Centre Venture, City of Winnipeg, Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Prairie Architects. Both the exterior as well as a significant amount of the interior of the Tower (including the main floor banking hall) were fully restored as part of the renovation.
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