Description of Historic Place

Building 204 is located within the self-contained community of Pleasantville on the north shore of Quidi Vidi Lake. It is a long, plain, rectangular, steel-arched framed structure with white brick walls. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Building 204 is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
Building 204, as part of the former United States military base of Fort Pepperrell, is closely associated with the Second World War perimeter defence plan. This plan called for strategic continental outposts such as Newfoundland and Jamaica to be armed and fortified to prevent an attack on the United States. The base was vacated by the United States in the 1950s and is now owned by the Canadian government.

Architectural Value
Building 204 was built as a service building. It is a good example of a wartime structure that was conceived to be highly functional in design and construction. Integral to the complex, the structure’s architectural significance is in its contribution to the overall visual unity of this cohesive group of modernistic white buildings.

Environmental Value
Building 204 maintains an unchanged relationship to its open site and the adjacent structures. It also reinforces the character of its military setting and is familiar to those within the local area.

Sources: Julie Harris, Pleasantville Site (41 Buildings) St. John’s, Newfoundland, Federal Heritage Building Report 86-016; Buildings 102, 202, to 207, 209, 501, 517 and T562, Pleasantville Heritage Character Statement 86-016.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character defining elements of Building 204 should be respected.

Its modern design and good quality materials and workmanship, for example:
- the scale and simple massing of the long, rectangular, steel-arched framed structure;
- the placement of parapets over service entrances;
- the window arrangement which emphasizes the horizontal axis of the structure;
- the exterior white brick walls and green trim.

The manner in which Building 204 maintains an unchanged relationship to its open site, reinforces the character of its military setting and is familiar to those within the local area, as evidenced by:
- the ongoing relationship of the building to its open site, and complex of buildings located within a suburban neighbourhood;
- the modern plain aesthetic of the utilitarian structure, which harmonizes with the cohesive grouping of buildings, and creates a strong visual unity on the base;
- the utilitarian nature of the building as a maintenance equipment storage that makes it a familiar point of reference on the base.