Description of Historic Place

United Garage is a two-storey brick functional industrial building with a storefront across the front façade and a garage extending from the west side of the building. It is located on Duke Street within the Trinity Royal Preservation Area of the City of Saint John.

Heritage Value

United Garage is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its role as an automobile garage.

United Garage is an expression of the significance of the rebuilding of a Saint John commercial district after the Great Saint John Fire of 1877. The fire destroyed over two thirds of the City of Saint John, burning nearly the entire Central Peninsula. While primarily a residential district, a few businesses were located along this street as well. An interesting mix of commercial and residential buildings formed as a result, contributing to Duke Street's fascinating history. Built in 1914, United Garage is an example of functional industrial architecture from the later phase of the rebuilding period in Saint John. Although the architectural detailing of the building is generally simplified, it shares features with its older counterparts. The utilitarian design of the building is heightened by details such as the central tripart window, the overall symmetry of the front façade and the wide moulded cornice.

United Garage is also recognized for its long history as an automobile garage. The contracting firm of Edward Bates constructed this building in 1914. Once built, Edward Bates rented it out to a small automobile garage and supply business known as the Empire Garage Supply Company. This business remained here for six years. In 1921, the garage was taken over by O. W. Woods of the United Automobile Tire Company and appropriately renamed the “United Garage, Co.”. John Bates, the son of the building's owner, took over the management of the garage at this time and continued to do so for several years. The United Garage, Co. continued to operate until 1937 when the Battery & Electric Service, Co., took over the garage and eventually purchased the structure itself in 1957. The building continues to be used as a garage to the present day.

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

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements that describe the functional industrial architecture of United Garage include:
- rectangular two-storey massing;
- brick exterior walls;
- wide moulded cornice;
- second storey 3 over 3 and 12 over 1 segmented arched windows with brick arches;
- wooden window sills;
- large, central, second storey tripart window with a wood lintel and brick sill;
- storefront on the front façade including a wood fascia and storefront windows;
- three-paneled, wooden door with a glass panel below a rectangular transom window.