Landmark Building
ARMSTRONG BLOCK
10125 – 104 Street, Edmonton
Designed By: D. Hardie
Built in 1912
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Reginald and Herbert Armstrong built the Armstrong Block as a speculative venture. The family printing business, on the site for many years, was moved to make way for the construction of a new building in 1912. Built according to plans by architect D. Hardie at a cost of $88,000, it was unique on 104 Street in that its upper floors were devoted to offices and apartments rather than warehouse space. A comparison of the north wall of the Armstrong Bock with the south wall of the Great West Saddlery Building is revealing. The Saddlery Building rises vertically from the property line, but the Armstrong Building is stepped back on the third and fourth floors. This setback was intended to allow light and air to reach the apartments on those floors in the event that another building similar to the blank-walled Saddlerey was constructed on the intervening lot. Also interesting are the four stone escutcheons topping the pilaster strips which punctuate the façade, and a fifth in the parapet inscribed with an “A” for the builders of the block
The Landmark Buildings and Places Database draws on the series of walking and/or driving tour booklets produced by Alberta Culture (now Alberta Culture and Community Spirit). The Heritage Community Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ministry through permission to reprint these materials online. Extracted from Historical Walking Tours of Downtown, 2004, Centennial edition of the brochure. Planning and Development Department, City of Edmonton, and Alberta Community Development., 2004, with permission from Alberta Culture and Community Spirit. Visit the Alberta Culture and Community Spirit for more information.