Description of Historic Place

Parrtown Place is a six storey Italianate style brick commercial building located on King Street in the Trinity Royal Heritage Preservation Area in the City of Saint John.

Heritage Value

Parrtown Place is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with the various merchants who occupied the building.

This building is one of a collection of commercial, Italianate and Second Empire buildings that were built between 1877 and 1881 after two thirds of the City of Saint John was destroyed by the fire in 1877. The brick architecture sent a message that the city would be more fire resistant in the future.

Parrtown Place is one of four buildings, of near identical Italianate design. It occupied an entire block face with the roof lines stepped up from the first building through to the fourth as they ascended King Street. The first building on the lower end of the block face was later replaced and the remaining three buildings had their height increased. It maintains near identical relationship with the neighbouring buildings to the east and west. This building was changed from a four storey building to a six storey building between 1911 and 1914.

Parrtown Place is also recognized for its association with the various merchants who occupied this building. It was originally occupied by boot and shoe retailers and paper bag and box manufacturers. It was turned into an office for brokers and insurance agents. The longest occupant of the building’s east side was Brock and Paterson from 1888 to the 1950’s. The longest occupant on the west side was Guy Humphrey and Sons, a tea and coffee shop, from about 1940 until the late 1960’s. Jeweller Thomas Coughlan also occupied this space in the late 1800’s.

Parrtown Place was recognized in the City of Saint John Preservation Areas Bylaw in 1982.

Source: Planning and Development Department: City of Saint John.

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements relating to the context and location of Parrtown Place include:
- similar set-back position as the neighbouring buildings;
- proportionate building height and width.

The character-defining elements relating to the Italianate architecture of the building include:
- Italianate form and massing: rectangular plan, flat roof line, multiple storeys, overall symmetrical design;
- Roman arch windows on the 1st, 4th and 5th storeys;
- segmented arch windows on the 2nd, 3rd and 6th storeys;
- ornate overhanging cornice with Roman arch designed fascia band;
- roman and segmented arch openings with decorative mouldings on sandstone entablatures;
- window entablatures are connected through a horizontal course of sandstone;
- vertical slider wood windows;
- pilaster runs through center of façade with identical proportions on both sides of the pilaster.
- symmetrical window placement and proportions;
- brick masonry including the original brick.