Description of Historic Place

022 Flavin Street, the Imperial, is a four storey concrete building located at the corner of Flavin Street and Bond Street, St. John’s. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

022 Flavin Street, the Imperial, has been designated for its historical and architectural values.

022 Flavin Street has historical value because of its association as an early 20th century factory in St. John's. The Imperial Tobacco Company was established by James H. Monroe in 1903. The original building was destroyed by fire and in 1910 it was rebuilt and the company reorganized. The Imperial Tobacco Company had the only tobacco factory on the island by 1906, processing over three hundred thousand pounds of tobacco, and producing over eight hundred thousand cigarettes per year, using tobacco leaf imported from Kentucky and Virginia. The tobacco factory was an employer of 136 workers in 1936, many of whom were women. Due to the loss of tarrif protection after 1922, the increased cost of labour and transportation contributed to the factory's closure.

022 Flavin Street, The Imperial has aesthetic value because it is a good example of early 20th century vernacular factory construction in St. John's. This building is one of the few poured-concrete industrial buildings in the province. It maintains an austere facade having to do with its use as a factory. The regular arrangement of windows and the plain facade are indicative of a factory building. The main floor, however, has arched details at the windows and a keystone motif. The main door is covered by an arched canopy supported by classical columns. The second floor also has arched widow details with keystone motifs and the remaining third and fourth floors lack decoration. All the windows have plain concrete sills. There are beltcourses delineating each floor, and the building has quoining up to the low pitch gable roof.

Source: City of St. John's Archives - property designation files The Imperial, 022 Flavin Street.

Character-Defining Elements

All those elements that embody the vernacular factory style, including:
-poured concrete construction;
-low pitch gable roof;
-keystone motifs and arched details;
-beltcourses;
-quoining;
-arched canopy and columns;
-regular fenestration of windows;
-overall massing and original height; and
-location, orientation and dimensions.