https://www.timescol...dded-1.23455691A plan to restore a prominent heritage corner in downtown Victoria has won the support of city councillors.
Councillors authorized a heritage alteration permit for restoration of the two-storey facades of the Morgan Block, built in 1891, and the Watson & McGregor Building, built in 1909, and to add two storeys for 30 condominium units above.
Both buildings are at Douglas and Johnson streets.
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Merrick Architects, on behalf of 284244 B.C. Ltd. — a trust owned by the Morgan family — say key elements of the restoration include:
• reinstatement of the original raised parapet on the Douglas Street facade
• stripping away paint to expose the original brick
• re-introduction of historically sensitive commercial storefronts
• restoration of wood windows
• reinstatement of an original sheet metal upper cornice on the Johnson Street facade
A city staff report says both buildings are representative of the heritage character and architectural composition characteristic of Victoria’s Old Town district.
City staff say the 1891 Morgan Block “provides visual continuity” along a historic street that contains an entire block of heritage buildings.
The 1909 Watson and McGregor Building is described as “a two-storey brick Classical Revival-Influenced commercial building” that has seen “numerous interventions over its lifespan.”
Edited by amor de cosmos, 07 October 2018 - 07:32 AM.