Description of Historic Place

The Hull Block consists of a three-storey brick mixed-use building in the neo-classical style of the Edwardian-era, occupying two urban lots on a prominent corner location in downtown Edmonton. The provincial designation applies to the building's exterior envelope, main structural features and land.

Heritage Value

The historical significance of the Hull Block lies in its representation of the commercial growth of Edmonton during the early part of the twentieth century. It is the largest and most significant building in the historic Chinatown district and plays a critical role in the maintenance of the character of the streetscape.

The arrival of the Canadian Northern and Grand Trunk railways in Edmonton by 1909 resulted in the development of a large warehouse and industrial district in the west end of downtown. Neighbourhoods like McCauley attracted working-class immigrants who wanted to be near centres of employment and in turn spawned small commercial districts, such as that on Namayo Avenue (97 Street) where the Hull Block is located. As a building designed to house small retail businesses and apartment dwellers, the Hull Block reflects this kind of commercial development oriented toward an urban neighbourhood.

The Hull Block is also significant as the only known building in Edmonton constructed by William Roper Hull, a prominent Calgary civic leader and entrepreneur.

Source: Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch (File: Des. 2112)

Character-Defining Elements

The Edwardian-era architecture of the building is expressed in character-defining elements such as:
- form, scale and massing;
- solid brick exterior walls and brick facades on west and south elevations;
- cast stone sills, lintels, keystones, plain pilaster capitals and bases;
- parapet with two arched pediments and four projecting vertical pilasters along the west and south façades, with decorative balls topping pediments and pilasters;
- white, lime brick construction of the secondary facades;
- rehabilitated wood storefronts with recessed entrances, large display windows with transoms and basement windows, tiled and marble fronted entranceways;
- two rows of regularly spaced, wood double-hung windows at the second and third storeys;
- upper pressed-metal cornice with dentils extending the full width of the two corner facades and lower pressed metal cornices that define the storefronts;
- pressed-metal peaked pediment over the main floor entrance doors;
- restored eleven (11) metre flagpole;
-facade of the original boiler now a decorative feature;
- prominent corner location.