© 2019, Christian Cassidy
Address: 765 - 775 Ellice Avenue
Opened: August 1956
Architect: Gerald A. Libling
August 18, 1956, Winnipeg Free Press
Ads pre-renting suites in the new Westwood Apartments began appearing in January 1956 with an estimated possession date of March 1. That date was likely pushed back as ads for immediate possession of suites did not appear until late August 1956.
The block boasted "ultra modern, large rooms" with individually controlled thermostats for each suite. Ads in 1959 included a "sun deck" (?) among its amenities. This would have been cutting edge in the West End which had dozens, if not hundreds, of 1910-era, three-storey walk-ups were its only source of multi-family housing.
Prior to the Westwood, this corner of Ellice and Simcoe was home to three houses. A May 1953 classified ad calls for the removal of a two-storey framed house at 765 Ellice by Arnovitch and Leipsic, who appear to have financed the building's development.
Architect Gerald A Libling, (also see), appeared on behalf of the owners at the rezoning hearing for the project in September 1955. The Westwood would have been on of his last independent projects as he and Mel Michener had just joined forces to create Libling Michener and Associates, known today as the L M Architectural Group. They would go on to design building such as St. Paul's High School and the Public Safety Building.
The first Henderson Directory listing for the building in 1957 notes that there are 33 suites, (numbers 1 through 34 without a number 13). Peter Jensen, who lived in suite 22, was the caretaker. His wife Nellie was a typist for the provincial Highway Safety Division and daughter Sheila was a stenographer at Western Purchasing Ltd.
Among the first round of tenants were: Lew Miles, manager of the Grand theatre and wife Isabelle, a stenographer at American Motors Ltd.; Mrs. J Thorgeirson, widow in suite 29; Harry Farquhar, an assistant foreman at CPR, and wife Cathleen in suite 30; Leta Hart, controller at Robinson Little and Co., in suite 12; Norman Little, a clerk at the Land Titles office, and wife Irene in suite 16; Carol Magnusson, a clerk at Eaton's; Kathleen Menzies, personnel manager at Zellers, in suite 28.
Another early resident of the block was city councilor Charles Spence and his mother, Florence. In 1961, police had the building under surveillance in order to catch Spence propositioning another man in what may have been a set-up to remove him from office.
The building appears to have had a quiet existence. No major fires or crimes associated with this address can be found in newspaper archives over the decades.
Related:
Westwood Apartments Sunrex Management Ltd.
Was the Lew Miles listed as a resident the same Lew Miles of the Las Vegas travel package commercials aimed at Manitobans in the 1980s? A Lew Miles article would make for an interesting read on your West End Dumplings blog
ReplyDeleteYes he was and I agree about Lew Miles article. His wife passed in 2011, here's her obit that goes into some detail: https://passages.winnipegfreepress.com/passage-details/id-174627/MILES_ISABELLE
DeleteFunny, at the time he lived here he was was the manager of the Grand Theare on Notre Dame Avenue !