The Boyd Building: heritage treasure

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This article was published 30/12/2024 (460 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg, and Manitoba at large, is facing a troubling disregard for the preservation of our history and heritage.

Downtown Winnipeg, particularly along Portage Avenue, is rapidly becoming a graveyard of vacant heritage buildings.

This neglect puts these structures at risk of decay and eventual demolition. The consequences of overlooking these architectural gems are profound — not only do we risk losing our city’s history, but we also face significant environmental impacts. While demolishing these buildings may seem like a quick economic fix, the true cost is much higher when we disregard the value of retrofitting and innovating within existing structures.

A striking example of this dilemma is the Boyd Building, which has been named to both the 2024 Top Ten Endangered Historic Structures List by the Manitoba Historical Society and the National Trust for Canada.

Located at 384-392 Portage Avenue and 270 Edmonton Street, the Boyd Building has stood since 1912 as one of Manitoba’s earliest skyscrapers. This nine-story structure is a prime example of Chicago School commercial architecture and is widely regarded as one of Winnipeg’s most beautiful buildings, with its stunning cream and green terracotta exterior.

Historically, the Boyd Building has been a hub of commerce and culture.

It has housed a range of important tenants, from retailers like Hollinsworth Ladies’ Wear (1917-1972) and Willson’s Business Services, to medical professionals and offices for organizations such as the Manitoba Medical Association, Monarch Life Assurance Company, and Great West Life Assurance Company.

Its rich history also includes tenants from the arts, manufacturing and real estate sectors, further underscoring the building’s significance in shaping the economic and cultural landscape of Winnipeg.

Moreover, the Boyd Building has an important architectural connection to Chicago. Its architect, John D. Atchison, trained under William Le Baron Jenney, widely considered the “Father of the Skyscraper.” This link to Chicago adds another layer of historical and architectural value to the building.

Given its designation as a municipally recognized heritage site in 1981, one must ask: why is the Boyd Building now listed among the most endangered structures in Winnipeg?

The main floor has been vacant since December 2017, and as of 2024, the building remains unoccupied. This vacancy is a symptom of a larger issue: when landowners leave heritage buildings to languish, it leads to cycles of deterioration, deferred repairs and, ultimately, the demolition of irreplaceable assets.

As Chris Wiebe of the National Trust for Canada has noted, “The Boyd Block is a solid, beautiful building and a keystone structure on Portage Avenue, one that could be readily adapted for housing and other purposes, but its future is very uncertain. This reinforced concrete-framed building is well-suited to continue as an office space with retail storefronts, or it could be repurposed as downtown housing.”

Rather than viewing areas like Portage Avenue as neglected spaces, we must see them as areas in transition — places of opportunity and renewal.

The City of Winnipeg should collaborate with organizations such as the Manitoba Historical Society, Heritage Winnipeg and the National Trust for Canada to develop new policies that promote the retrofit and sustainable redevelopment of our heritage buildings. A successful example of such revitalization is the transformation of the historic Hudson’s Bay Company Building, now being repurposed by the Southern Chiefs’ Organization Inc. into a service and housing hub. Similarly, the redevelopment of Portage Place Mall demonstrates how thoughtful transformation can breathe new life into these vital spaces.

It is imperative that we protect our heritage before it is lost forever.

The City of Winnipeg should consider implementing penalties for vacant buildings, absent landowners and the continued deferral of repairs. At the same time, we must incentivize the preservation and adaptive reuse of heritage buildings — not only as a way to safeguard our history but also as a greener, more sustainable practice for the future.

Let us work together to preserve Manitoba’s heritage and ensure that the Boyd Building, and others like it, continue to contribute to the vibrancy of our city for generations to come.

View the Top Ten Lists:

Manitoba Historical Society Top Ten Endangered Structures List 2024: http://wfp.to/AEr

National Trust Top Ten Endangered Places 2024: http://wfp.to/AEY

Tracey Turner is executive director of the Manitoba Historical Society.