Description of Historic Place

The Federal Building, also known as the Customs and Excise Building, is located in the port, at the junction of the St. Charles and the St. Lawrence rivers, in the city of Québec. This exceptional Neo-classical stone building is surmounted by an octagonal drum and shallow dome. A projecting portico with a grand, free-standing colonnade and stairway distinguishes the front of the building. Giant porticos define the wings, and pilasters set between large arched window openings ornament the facades. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Federal Building is a Classified Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
The Federal Building is one of the best examples of a building that illustrates the role of the city of Québec as a major customs port. The building reflects the exceptional growth of the city of Québec in the 1850s, owing to its role as the great center of the St. Lawrence valley timber trade and wooden ship construction. It is also associated with the development of the province of Québec as an important maritime center and its evolution as a shipping center for Lower and Upper Canada.

Architectural Value
The Federal Building is valued for its excellent aesthetic design executed in the Neo-Classical style. The symmetrical composition, with classically-inspired details such as pilasters, pediments and window treatments, is surmounted by a shallow dome, which contributes to the drama of the design. The very good functional design of the building is reflected in its Beaux-Arts planning principles, characterized by the use of symmetry, hierarchy, axial order and extended corridor vistas. Excellent quality craftsmanship is evidenced in the vermiculated and smooth-faced stone cladding, and in the rich decorative details such as the carved keystones, continuous entablature with triglyphs and modillions, and in the quality materials and details of the Beaux-Arts interior, including the window architraves, picture rail, cornice mouldings and the ornate plaster ceilings.

Environmental Value
The Federal Building is compatible with the urban character of its waterfront setting in the city of Québec. The building is well-known in the city.

Sources: Robert Hunter, Customs and Excise Building, Québec, Québec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report, 89-020; Customs and Excise Building, Québec, Québec, Heritage Character Statement, 89-020.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Federal Building should be respected.

Its excellent aesthetic design, very good functional design and excellent materials and craftsmanship, for example:
- the scale and massing, which consists of an elongated, cruciform-shape and a flat roof profile, with a central octagonal drum and a shallow dome;
- the Neo-Classical elements, including a projecting front portico with free-standing colonnade and stairway, matching giant porticoes at the end of each wing, and a continuous entablature with triglyphs and modillions which support the two-storey pediments on each wing and unifies the design;
- the fine materials and craftsmanship as found in the vermiculated and the smooth-faced stone wall surfaces;
- the multi-paned window treatment, which includes circular headed units at the ground floor, ornamented with keystones, shallow-arched units at the second floor, and small, flat-headed units at the upper floor;
- the Beaux-Arts planning principles incorporated on the interior and which emphasizes symmetry, hierarchy axial order, as well as extended corridor vistas, high-quality interior materials such as marble wall panelling, and the classical motifs found on doors, window architraves, picture rail, cornice mouldings and the ornate plaster ceiling.

The manner in which the Federal Building is compatible with the urban character of its waterfront setting and is a well-known building in the city of Québec, as evidenced by:
- its overall scale, Neo-Classical design, massing and materials, which are compatible with the urban surroundings;
- its location at the juncture of the St. Charles and St. Lawrence River and its role as a Customs House, which contributes to its importance in the waterfront setting and makes it a familiar building to residents of and visitors to the city.