Saturday, March 9, 2024

598 Main Street - Guest Fish Block (R.I.P.)

 © 2024, Christian Cassidy


Guest Block in middle (Google Street View)

Place: Guest Block
Address: 596 - 598 Main Street (Map)
Constructed: 1902 (north portion), 1909 (south portion)

This is a brief history of the Guest Block that burned down on March 8, 2024.


November 12, 1902, Winnipeg Free Press


June 3, 1916, Winnipeg Tribune

The north portion of this building was constructed in 1902 for local fish wholesaler William J. Fish. The main floor and basement consisted of a retail / wholesale store with a warehouse in the basement. It was described as "a most attractive place to buy fish and poultry".

Guest had his own barge of Lake Winnipeg to bring him fish and imported others, including oysters, by train from both coasts.

In the summer of 1906-07, the company expanded its cold storage warehouse located at 80 - 90 Alexander Avenue and located their head office there.





1903 Tribune ads for the Guest Block

The upper floors of the building were for offices and a small residential rooms for rent. The offices included real estate agents, dressmakers, and doctors.

The Main Street site remained a store for Guest Fish until 1909 when Guest sold the building for $45,000. The new owners built a twin building to the north which provided two retail spaces on the main floor and the address of 596 - 598 Main Street.

Despite the change in ownership, the building continued to be referred to as the Guest Block in street directories for decades later.


July 8, 1916, Winnipeg Tribune

May 24, 1939, Winnipeg Tribune

Hundreds of businesses have called this building home over the century. One constant for many decades was a cafe. early names were the Blue Eagle Cafe and Diamond Cafe.

The Castran family who came from Greece, has a long association with the Guest Block.

Soon after the building was expanded, James and Gus Castran opened a fruit and confectionery store on the main floor. That is what became Winnipeg Candy Kitchen, (see ad above.) Around 1931, Angelius "Angelo" and Gus Castran reopened the space as Caastran's Cafe (sometimes called Castran's Grill). It offered full sit-down dinners and you could get your tea leaves read in the afternoon.

By the time the cafe opened, several family members lived upstairs and they eventually purchased the building.

Castan's Cafe operated until February 1956 when a fire broke out in the kitchen. It gutted the business and caused extensive damage to the building. Angelo, the only brother left in Winnipeg, did not reopen. He retired and lived in suite 15 of the building until his death in 1969 at the age of 71.


Guest Block in the 1970s (Winnipeg Building Index)

A cafe eventually reopened in the space.

In the late 1950s, it was the 60-seat Golden Wheel Cafe. Poy Wong of 335 Alexander Ave was the proprietor and Peter Wong, the manager, lived in the building. In 1963, Albert and Mary Wong of 335 Alexander are listed as the proprietors. 

The Golden Wheel restaurant was sold in 1974 and it soon became the Country Girl restaurant that operated until at least 1985.

Full House Grocery has been the sole main floor tenant since at least 1986.

Further Reading:
598 Main Street City of Winnipeg Historical Report

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

244 Jarvis Street - Weidman Bros. Block (R.I.P.)

Place: Weidman Bros. Block
Address: 244 Jarvis Street (Map)
Built: 1910

To see a detailed history of this building which burned down in February 2024, see my West End Dumplings post.


Tuesday, February 27, 2024

149 Spence Street - Private Residence (R. I. P.)

Place: Private residence
Address: 149 Spence Street (Map)
Built: 1906

For a brief history of this house which burned down in February 2024, see my West End Dumplings post.

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

291 Logan Avenue - Commercial Building (R.I.P.)

© 2024, Christian Cassidy


Place: Commercial Building (R.I.P.)
Address: 291 Logan Avenue

A very nondescript building burned down and had to be demolished last week. Here's a brief look back at its history.

291 Logan Avenue at Princess (the white building on the left) was likely built around 1925. It was initially home to a couple of cafes before becoming J. W. Auctions around 1930. Over the years, the company name would expand to J. Wach, Auctioneer, then John Wachniak Auctions. (For more on John Wachniak Jr.)

It is likely that the auction house spilled over into the neighbouring buildings as its showroom and a used furniture store.

In the late 1930s, Wachniak had moved to a new location and an accountancy / tax return company advertised at this address for a few years.

Dave’s Auto Parts called the building home by 1949 and also took up the neighbouring storefronts and did auto dismantling in the rear yard. It remained Dave’s until at least 1980 when company president David Glickman died. 

The metal cladding encasing all three buildings was added around 2010.

Sunday, January 21, 2024

766 Ingersoll Street - Private Residence

 © 2024, Christian Cassidy


Google Street View, 2021

Place: Private Residence
Address: 766 Ingersoll Street (Map)
Built: ca. 1894
Size: 1,294 square feet

I was asked to research the history of this house, which is currently for sale. Its date of construction predates the creation of Ingersoll Street which means there is some guesswork involved!

According to city records, the building permit was issued for this house in 1894. This is quite early for the West End as the city did not send in surveyors to lay out the grid pattern for roads, sidewalks, and boulevards until around 1904. By the time crews would have reached this far west it was likely closer to 1910. 

This house, therefore, would have been a rural farmhouse serving one of the pastureland sections of land north of Portage Avenue that may have contained a commercial horse stable or a dairy farm operation. The house would have been moved from its original location to align with what would become Ingersoll Street after the surveyors came through.


R. McPhillips' 1910 Map of Winnipeg (Source)

Ingersoll Street isn’t listed in Winnipeg's street directories through the 1890s. It first appears around 1904 but only as a cluster of houses and businesses at Notre Dame Avenue. Interestingly, even in 1910 it still wasn’t fully formed as can be seen in R. McPhillips’ 1910 map of Winnipeg above. 

Even after this house was moved to align with Ingersoll Street, it likely still had a lot of land associated with it. I have indicated this land with a red star on the map.

The land north of the house (towards Notre Dame) was sold to builders as houses on those lots were built in 1912 to 1914, which is common for streets in this area. The three lots south of this house to Ellice Avenue, however, were not built on until 1930 and the first few houses south of Ellice were not built on until 1929 or later.

It is likely that this land remained part of 766 Ingersoll and was sold off as individual lots over time. (The house still has an unusually large side yard to this day.)


July 5, 1945, Winnipeg Tribune

The 766 Ingersoll Street address first appears in the 1911 street directory. The first listed owner was Hayden Hawes, one of the sons in the Charles H. Hawes and Sons painting and decorating business located at 620 Langside Street.

The Hawes' had two children. Hugh died at the home in 1940 at the age of 26. Ruth signed on to be a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) worker during World War II. She served at hospitals in Winnipeg before being deployed to England in 1945.


Wednesday, November 8, 2023

675 Talbot Avenue - Canadian Legion Gardens

 © 2023, Christian Cassidy

Google Street View, 2015

Place: Canadian Legion Gardens
Address: 675 Talbot Avenue (Map)
Opened: 1956
Architect: Nicola Zunic (Zunic and Sobkowich)
Contractor: Quality Construction Co. (Qualico)

Before the days of government subsidized seniors' housing, ageing First World War veterans and disabled Second World War veterans lived in bleak conditions. They most likely had to find a cheap suite in a turn-of-the-century apartment complex or rent a room in a boarding house and remained trapped in their quarters due to stairs with no services such as home care to visit them.

After the Second World War, the Royal Canadian Legion set out to rectify the issue for at least some of Canada's vets through low barrier, low income housing projects across the country. Winnipeg's turn came in 1954.

The Legion secured a commitment from CMHC to contribute $450,000 towards a veterans housing complex in Winnipeg. In April 1955, it was announced that the city donated a 250 foot x 225 foot lot on Talbot Avenue in Elmwood for the project. The Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Legion Memorial Housing Foundation was created in August under chairman Ald. James Cowan to raise further funds and manage the project.

Initially, the plan was to construct four two-storey apartment blocks containing a total of 100 suites. Each building would have common rooms and laundry facilities. The plan for the blocks was drawn up by local architect and RCAF veteran N. M. Zunic.

The following year, Zunic revised the plan to become forty single-storey units in blocks of three or four. Each unit contained 2.5 rooms and had direct access to the outdoors.

It is unclear why the change was made except that it was on the advice of CMHC which had final say on the project. It could have been a preference for the easier access units or a funding issue as the change cut the price tag for the project by more than half.

The housing foundation was notified by a telegram From Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent on August 16, 1956, that their 40-year CMHC loan for $177,696 had been approved. The Legion contributed additional $21,000.


January 1, 1957, Winnipeg Free Press

Quality Construction Co., (later known as Qualico), won the tender for construction and work began in early October 1956. The Legion started taking rental applications on October 10th.

The complex was meant for veterans and their spouses who were over 60 years of age with an income of $150 or less per month. The rental of the suites was $43 per month.
 
The first twenty units were ready by the end of December and were officially opened by mayor George Sharpe on December 29th. The remaining twenty units opened in January 1957.

The first tenants to be given their keys by Ald. Cowan was Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kerr, (pictured above). A year later, the Winnipeg Tribune caught up with Mr. Kerr who was the eldest resident at age 91. He said, "It seems ages since I finished work to retire but my wife and I have never lived in such a wonderful place. We spent sixteen years in one room and a kitchenette."

Mr. Patterson, who was blind, told the Tribune, "No one can be more grateful to the Legion for these quarters than we are. We had some rough times before coming here. Frankly, this is like heaven."


December 30, 1957, Winnipeg Tribune

The Canadian Legion Memorial Housing Foundation still owns the complex and raises funds annually for the upkeep of the property and to operate a shuttle bus service. The units come in one bedroom or "bachelor deluxe".

Legion Gardens provides housing for veterans, their families, and Legion members who are 60 years and older. Rents in 2021 were $425 for veterans and $589 for Legion members.

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

621 Balmoral Street- Balmoral Motor Hotel

© 2023, Christian Cassidy

Place: Balmoral Motor Hotel / New Balmoral Hotel
Address: 621 Balmoral Street (Map)
Opened: October 1966
Cost: $1.2 million
Architect: Chris Kaufman for Lloyd Finch Associates
Contractor: F. W. Sawatzky Ltd.



The roots of the Balmoral Motor Hotel date back to a business deal in Estevan, Saskatchewan in 1949. Three businessmen, Ben Zelcovich, Paul Nessman and Menashe Mandel, partnered to purchase that town's Clarendon Hotel and Cafe.

Mandel and wife Fannie soon relocated to Winnipeg and in 1957 purchased the Merchants Hotel on Selkirk Avenue, likely with Zelcovich as a business partner as he came along as the manager.


The consortium also purchased land at the corner of Balmoral Street and Notre Dame Avenue, with the intention of building a new hotel.
Mandel said in a 1990 Jewish Post and News interview: "Some fellows had bought the property to build a hotel. They asked me in. The land sat empty for six years while we paid taxes on it. Gradually the others pulled out, leaving me with the property. So I finally built the hotel myself." 

Mandel chose to build what was a new breed of hotel that became the all the rage in the 1960s. The 'motor hotel' combined the convenient parking of 1950s motels with amenities that were previously only available at large downtown hotels, such as banquet facilities and fine dining. 

Examples of this new style accommodation in Winnipeg include the Viscount Gort Motor Hotel (1960), Charter House oMtor Hotel (1960), the Gordon chain of motor hotels, including the Assiniboine, Curtis and Chalet, the Carlton Motor Hotel (1960), the Westminster Motor Hotel /Sherbrook Inn (1965), the Lincoln Motor Inn (1964), the Dakota Motor Hotel (1965), and the Osborne Village Motor Inn (1965).

 
October 13, 1966, Winnipeg Free Press

Mandel hired architect Chris Kaufman of Lloyd Finch Associates to design the $1.2 million structure and F. W. Sawatzky Ltd. were the general contractors. The Tyndall stone work and masonry was by Kornovsky and Keller Ltd.. The hotel's interiors were supplied and installed by Eaton's.

The hotel consisted of a two-level service centre in the basement and ground floor that was completely separate from the hotel tower. It contained the formal Centennial Dining Room and  Boulevard Restaurant as well as the Can-Can Cocktail Lounge and Richelieu Beverage Room. Banquet facilities included the Balmoral Ballroom (for 300) and the Maple Room (for 150).

The mosaic mural on the east exterior wall, which has been covered over in tiles in subsequent renovations, was by artist and U of W professor Dr. Victor Leathers.

The hotel tower consisted of 45 rooms each featuring air conditioning and colour television.


Above: Jewish Post, October  13, 1966

The hotel was touted as part of the multi-million dollar redevelopment of the Central Park area.

Once a middle class, family neighbourhood with luxury apartments and big brick houses, it began to decline, especially after the Second World War and the development of new suburbs outside the city's core. Some apartments had their suites divided into smaller units and many of the grand, old houses became rooming houses.

The adjacent park and proximity to downtown made it a neighbourhood of interest to a new wave of developers, both private and public. Both Regency Towers and Central Park Lodge opened in 1964. The addition of Mandel's full service motor hotel in 1966 was seen as a perfect fit.

October 1, 1966, Winnipeg Free Press

May 2, 1967, Winnipeg Free Press

The Balmoral Motor Hotel appears to have opened in stages. The hotel portion and restaurants in early September 1966 and the bars and banquet facilities in early October. Once all were up and running, for many years it offered smorgs in the restaurant, nightly entertainment in the Richelieu Room, and a steady stream of wedding receptions, company dinners, and small conferences.

The hotel was a family affair. Aside from Menashe and his wife Fannie, their daughter Ruth Bubis and son-in-law Norman worked there starting in the 1970s.

The name of the hotel appears to have changed from the Balmoral Motor Hotel to the Balmoral Hotel in summer 1977.

As the fortunes of the neighbourhood continued to decline, mentions of the restaurants and lounges by name faded through the 1980s, though weekly live music was offered through 1994.


In a September 1990 Jewish Post and News interview, Mandel, who was 90 at the time, was still putting in a full day's work at his hotel. He died on November 7, 1994.


Hotel in September 1966 by Henry Kalen (U of M Digital Archives)

The hotel was sold off in early 1995 and after renovations it became known as the New Balmoral Hotel. The restaurant and main lounge were renovated that summer into Club Fantasy, a strip club that closed during the COVID-19 lockdown.

In November 2023, it was announced that new investors took over the hotel as of November 1st. They will renovate the space into Pimicikamak Wellness Centre, a medical clinic and medical boarding house for residents of northern First Nations visiting Winnipeg for medical treatment.

Related: 
Balmoral Hotel Winnipeg Architecture Foundation

Notes
When piecing together the history of a building and family mainly though newspaper archives, there will be some discrepancies. If you have additional information or corrections, share it with me at cassidy-at-mts.net!  Researching small hotel histories are difficult as there was usually a primary owner as well as a group of secondary owners.