Downtown Neighbourdhood Buildings
2nd Avenue Lofts (1960)
120 – 23rd Street East
The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) purchased the building and business of J.F. Cairns Department Store on 2nd Avenue in 1922 with the Cairns property becoming the 11th store in HBC’s retail chain. The original five-storey building, which opened in 1913, had a full basement and was constructed of fireproof steel and concrete with a pressed brick façade.
In 1958, the Hudson’s Bay Company announced that a new store would be built on the existing site and in 1960 the new Bay store, a three-story building with 157,000 square feet of retail space, opened its doors. During 1966, HBC began construction of a six level parkade across the street. In September of 1967, a fourth floor addition to the Bay building was completed and a skywalk connecting the store with the parkade was opened to the public.
In 2004, Wayne Lemauviel, Gary Bender and later Gene Dube purchased the building with intentions to utilize the existing concrete structure by redeveloping it with a new purpose as a multi-unit residential dwelling.
From 2006 – 2008 the building was dramatically transformed and became known as 2nd Avenue Lofts. In keeping with the exterior’s contemporary style, the interior has been redesigned into sleek two-storey loft condos. 2nd Avenue Lofts is now home to many young professionals who have chosen a contemporary urban lifestyle within the heart of downtown Saskatoon.
Site Information:
Disabled Access
Street Parking
Drinkle Building (1913)
115 3rd Avenue South
The Drinkle Building was designed by Thompson & Crockart and was constructed in 1913 for J.C. Drinkle. Drinkle moved to Saskatoon at 25 years of age in 1903, with less than $500 to his name. At this time Saskatoon was a dirt street town with a population of less than 500 people. Only ten years later Saskatoon was booming with a population of 28,000 and J.C. Drinkle had become a multi-millionaire.
The Drinkle Building, which has been known as Regent Plaza since 1976, was originally planned to be a ten-storey office tower with a grand cornice, marble corridors and a rooftop garden. As the money supply tightened in 1913, construction of the Drinkle Building was stopped halfway resulting in the five-storey building that stands on 3rd Avenue today. In 1917, J.C. Drinkle was bankrupted and the building remained empty for the first six years following its completion.
The building was never used for offices and was instead converted for residential use in 1919. Over the years the Drinkle Building has been home to many Saskatoon families and businesses.
A 72’ tall mural, “Founders,” has been added to the outside wall of the building depicting the portraits of seven of Saskatoon’s founders. A sundeck on the roof of the building provides panoramic views of the city.
Site Information:
Public Washrooms
Street Parking (Meters)
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Avenue Building (1912)
220 3rd Avenue South
The Avenue Building was built in 1912 in the Art Nouveau style. The building was originally home to MacMillan’s Department Store, which opened on October 1, 1913. The Star Phoenix estimated that 10,000 people crowded in the store during the grand opening celebration. At the time Saskatoon’s population was only 30,000 people.
Original interior features include unique mosaic tiling on the 3rd and 4th floors as well as the original freight elevator and an exposed glass brick sidewall. The hardwood floors in the basement were originally built for a dance hall over top of 600 old tires reinforced with horsehair.
Several movies and videos have been shot in the building over the years.
Site Information:
Disabled Access
Public Washrooms
Street Parking (Meters)
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Saskatoon Public Schools – Central Office Building (1928)
310 – 21st Sreet East
The Saskatoon Public Schools building was purchased and revitalized in 2000 for use as a central administrative building. The neo-renaissance style building was originally designed in 1928, by Ross, McDonald, and Frank Martin, to be the highest building in Saskatoon at 8 storeys high. However, only three storeys were actually built to house the Eaton's department store from 1928-1970. The building has also functioned as athlete housing during the 1971 Canada Winter Games and as the Army & Navy Discount Department Store from 1973-2000. Unique features of the building include: terrazzo flooring, elaborate bronze fixtures and trim, high ceilings, tyndall stone façade with 15 triple-arched Palladian windows, original exterior window canopies, original wooden escalator and elevator, and original wood stair way handrails.
Site Information:
Disabled Access
Public Washrooms
Street Parking (Meters)
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Remai Arts Centre (2007)
100 Spadina Crescent East
The Remai Arts Centre is a beautiful, glass-front building located on River Landing in the heart of downtown Saskatoon. Designed by AODBT in 2007, this modern building holds both a 421 seat main stage theatre and a 100 seat flexible second stage. The building is owned by Persephone Theatre and is used for the production and presentation of live theatre. The fly tower and glass curtain wall are the prominent features of the Remai Arts Centre D/FB/PW/FS
Site Information:
Disabled Access
Public Washrooms
Food and Beverage Services
Free Street / Metered Parking
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The Residences at the King George (1911)
157 2nd Avenue North
A historical landmark building, The King George offers luxury condos and commercial space in the prestigious downtown Saskatoon. Just steps from 2nd avenue boutiques, restaurants, and cafes, the King George condos feature roof top patios with outdoor kitchens. Locally carved stone features around the main front entry and chandeliers in the lobby are just a few of the hallmark attributes of the original King George hotel that exist today.
Site Information:
Disabled Access
No Public Washrooms
Free Street / Metered Parking
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HMCS Unicorn (1943)
405 24th Street East
Established in 1923 as the Saskatoon Half-Company, Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Unicorn has been a cornerstone of Saskatoon for nearly a century. HMCS Unicorn was the initial recruiting and training depot for 3500 prairie sailors who joined the Navy during the Second World War. The ship moved to its fourth and present location across from city hall in 1943. The building features a Prairie Sailor monument, a crest bearing a unicorn with wings, and two UN flags that flew during the Korean conflict and World War II. HMCS Unicorn has played an active part in the life of Saskatoon over the years, and remains home to a proud heritage and more than 80 sailors that contribute to Canada's defence at home and abroad.
Site Information:
Disabled Access
Public Washrooms
Guided Tours
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Hotel Senator (established 1908)
243 21st Street East
Originally constructed in Victorian style, the hotel has been in existence since 1908. Recently upgraded with many modern enhancements, the Hotel Senator captures today's efficiency while the beautiful details such as the marble staircase and original chandeliers remain. The hotel has previously been used as a movie set for a film called "Caught In The Headlights", as well as playing host for the artist gift bag pickup for the 2007 Juno Awards.
Site Information:
Disabled Access
Public Washrooms
Parking on Street
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John Deere Building (established 1910)
330 Ontario Avenue
The oldest building on the city yards site was originally used for John Deere agricultural equipment storage and sales until being purchased by the City in 1961. The building is currently used for office and storage space for the Infrastructure Services Department. One proposed future use for this building was for condominium lofts. However, on Nov. 17, 2010, the city gave the building to the University of Saskatchewan to serve as the home of a proposed school of architecture.
Site Information:
Public Washrooms
Free Parking
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Odd Fellows Temple (Tusq Restaurant/Staqatto Piano Lounge) (1912)
416 21st Street East
Built in 1912 in a classical style, ornamented with elaborate terra cotta and with sculptured heads supporting the pediment, it served as the Odd Fellows Temple until 1959 and was home to Saskatoon's first library from 1913 to 1923. Designated as a heritage building, it has undergone extensive renovations over the years, the largest happening in 2008 to make way for Tusq Restaurant and Staqatto Piano Lounge. On Doors Open day, be prepared to have fun as there will be a piano player on hand to take requests!
Site Information:
Public Washrooms
Food or beverage services
On duty staff/custodian/security
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