Description of Historic Place

The Glazan Block is located at 1916 First Avenue, Rossland B.C. This single-storey, flat-roofed structure measures 30' x 60' and sits on a level lot. Its significant brick construction can be seen on the exterior sidewalls. At the front, stucco covered the brick until 2017. At that time, the stucco was removed and the original brick was exposed and repaired. This historic place includes the building on its footprint.

Heritage Value

The Glazan Block is valued for its construction materials and architecture. It replaced the original wood-framed building, constructed in 1896 on the same lot in the western part of the City's first commercial area along Spokane Street, which included the famous "Sour Dough Alley" between First and Columbia Avenues. Following the disastrous fire of 1902, the City of Rossland introduced a by-law requiring that all new construction be made of brick. The Glazan Block has heritage value today because it was the first to meet this by-law.

The building's designer included features in the facade which make it of architectural value: a pediment extends from a parapet fronting the flat roof, topped by globes at the corners; arched windows grouped in pairs are divided by brick columns; and horizontal rows of brickwork in a colour differing from the main red brick run across it. The whole is relieved by inset and protruding brickwork.

Following its initial use as a new and used furniture store, the building was sold to the B.C. Telephone Company in 1909. That company used the building as an office and exchange until it sold the structure to the City of Rossland in 1958. It has been the home of the City's Seniors Centre ever since.

Source: City of Rossland, Heritage Commission

Character-Defining Elements

Key character-defining elements of the Glazan Block include:

- Location on its original site in a formerly significant portion of the downtown commercial area
- Original exposed brick exterior walls on east and west sides
- A plaque on front facade, which identifies the Glazan Block as a significant Rossland heritage building