User:HJKeats/The Grace Building

The Grace Building, 283-285 Water Street

The Grace Building on Water Street in downtown St. John's is a three story masonry and brick building with a large traditional storefront on the main floor. The building features arched windows on the top storey with hooded brickwork. The top storey also has a slight "boomtown" front, with the date of erection and name of the building just under the cornice moulding. The corner of the building features its most noticeable architectural feature, an eight-sided turret.

This style of turreted corner building was once fairly common on the Water Street streetscape, but today only a very few examples remain, one other being the old Woods West End Candy Store building (Gentara Building). Another impressive example was the now demolished Mechanic's Institute at the east end of Water Street, close to the War Memorial. These structures lent an air of elegance to the street, and added a bit of architectural finish to the street block corners.

Historical photographs shows that the building has undergone some changes, possibly before 1954. Most noticeably, the tower roof has been removed from the corner turret. This had been a octagonal "witch's hat" type roof, with a slight outward curve or flare at the base of the roof. As well, a thick cornice moulding above the third story windows, which wrapped around the side elevation for a short distance, was also removed at some point. A thinner cornice or brick course was also removed from between the second and third storey windows.

Remarkably, much of the storefront detailing, including the traditional storefront fascia board and decorative cornice work, has survived. This includes this arched "birdhouse" decorations which surmount the corner pilasters of the storefront. These can be clearly seen in historic photographs, and would appear to be original to the structure.

The side elevation of the property originally had a two storey addition to the south, with a basement. This addition had a top storey added at some point, bringing the rear of the building to the same overall height as the front.

The building was erected sometime following the Great St. John's Fire of 1892, and the current exterior of the building clearly dates to 1898, which is indicated by the inscription in the cornice and by archival evidence.

The local oral tradition maintains that the original owner of the building was a Mr. Archibald of Bonavista Bay, who eventually moved to England. Archibald's wife's first name was Grace, and he named the building in his wife's honour. While romantic, the tale may be a twentieth century invention. Shane O'Dea offers the following: "The building was extensively remodelled in 1898. The plans were drawn up and superintended by the architect, A.S. Bruce, for James Grace of Boston who owned the building. The tower was originally intended to have (had?) a weathervane. Very highly touted as a remarkable improvement to the street in the Telegram of the day. Kennedy Bros had the contract for plaster and wood work. General contractor not mentioned but one was needed as they took down and replaced the whole facade. John Anderson's dry goods store was to be the ground floor tenant." According to research conducted by Neachel Keeping, at the City of St. John's Archives, it appears that John Anderson, dry good merchant of 283 Water Street and the Hon. John Anderson are the same person. The City's early tax assessment rolls note that Anderson dry goods occupied 283 Water until 1909. According to the 1913 directory, the listing is as follows:

Anderson, John & Co., dry goods, 283 Water Street. Anderson, Hon John, of John Anderson & Co, home 21 Circular Road.

By 1915, Anderson seems to have moved his business elsewhere, as according to the 1915 directory, the listing is as follows:

Anderson, Hon John, Dry Goods, 349 & 371 Water Street, home 21 Circular Road

The Honourable John Anderson, a native of Saltcoats, Scotland, was born 1855. He arrived in Newfoundland in 1875, joining the firm of James Baird in St. John's. During the early 1880s Anderson was senior partner of the firm of Anderson and Lumsden until he became the lone proprietor of the business. Anderson served on the St. John' s City Council from 1900 to 1905 and was also elected a member of the House of Assembly during that same period. In 1905 he was appointed to the Legislative Council, a position he held until the late 1920s.

Anderson is perhaps best known for his role in the passing of the Daylight Savings Act of 1917. He was also an advocate of measures aimed at solving the housing problems of St. John's and in 1920 he was Managing Director of the Dominion Co-operative Building Association, Limited. Anderson died on November 8, 1930.

The 1915 City Directory lists Bowerings as occupying 265-283 Water. However, actual street numbers are a little vague for this time period, so it may refer to the Bowering premises immediately east of the Grace Building along Water. The Directory describes Bowerings as "general importers and dealers in provisions, anchors, chains, iron, tin plates, tin, lead, pitch, felt, cement etc. also dry goods, boots, shoes, rubber goods, ladies' and gents' furnishings, all in large quantities, also a full line of English and American hardware, edge tools, cutlery, nails, brass foundry goods, cheapest and best, also full stock of English and American groceries, of all descriptions."

From 1918 to 1923 the building was occupied by the brokerage firm of F.G. House & Co. (formerly John Anderson). From 1925 to 1951, it was occupied by the retail shop, the London, New York and Paris Association of Fashion, Ltd. Joseph Goldstone, manager of the London, New York and Paris, continued to maintain an office in the building from 1954 to 1978, but the ground floor retail space was occupied by the Agnew Surpass shoe store. The Agnew Surpass Family Footware business remained in the building until 1987, after which it was vacant till 1991. In 1992, the premises was occupied by The Model Shop, owned by Mike Howard. The building was damaged by fire January 2003.

Grace Building