Description of Historic Place

The Free Press Building is a two-storey building with an International style facade located at a prominent intersection in downtown Nanaimo. The historic place is confined to the building footprint

Heritage Value

The Free Press Building's is important because of its role in Nanaimo's cultural development. Founded in 1874 by George Norris, the Free Press, now known as the Nanaimo Daily News and published at another location, is the second oldest, after Victoria's Times Colonist, continuously published newspaper in British Columbia. This long publishing history demonstrates the historical roots of this institution in Nanaimo and the evolution of communications on Vancouver Island. In geographically isolated 19th century Nanaimo, where alternate communication links were either non-existent, infrequent or unreliable, the Free Press provided local information and an important larger "window on the world."

The Free Press Building is an excellent example of the stylistic evolution of a building over time. Built in 1893 in the Victorian Italianate style, the building was significantly altered in 1956 as the result of an earlier fire. Many of the elements of the original elaborate facade, including the brickwork and arched window openings, can still be seen on the building's rear and side elevations. The newer International style façade reflects a contemporary desire to appear modern and progressive, an appropriate choice for a news organization.

Located at an intersection of the main downtown thoroughfare, the Free Press Building is part of a grouping of historic buildings.

Source: City of Nanaimo, Development Services Department, file #6800-20-H01-20/223 Commercial Street

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Free Press Building include:

-all the elements of the Italianate style as exhibited on the rear and side elevations and expressed in the vertical proportions, brickwork and arched window openings.

-all the elements of the International style facade as expressed in the flat concrete wall, large steel windows and clean lines.

-the location at a main downtown intersection in a grouping of historic buildings.