Calgary Buildings Lost to History

[Platopos]

Hey guys, recently I've taken a lot of effort in scouring the web to find any and all beautiful historic buildings from Calgary that have unfortunately bit the dust. I especially focused on buildings with classical architecture/design to create a list of said buildings

If any of you guys have the time, can you guys correct any buildings that have not been demolished, are misnamed in the list or have the wrong picture for them? I'd really appreciate it. Also any new additions to the list would be greatly appreciated.

1. Herald Building

2. Southam Chambers

3. C.P. Rail Station

4. Hull’s Opera House(original on the right)

5. Alexander Corner

6. Burns Manor

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7. Burns Block

8.St. George’s Bandstand

9. Hotel York

10. Central School

11.South Ward School

12. Land Titles Office

13. Rundle Hospital

14. C.P.R. Department of Natural Resources Building

15. C.P.R. Irrigation Building

16. C.P.R. Land Office Calgary

17. Beveridge Travis Block

18. The Great West Saddlery

19. Old Court House

20. Old Fire Department

21. Old Post Office

22. King George Hotel

23. T. Eaton’s Store

24. St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church

25. Old First Baptist Church

26. Knox Presbyterian Church

27. Exhibition Park

28. W.R. Brock Warehouse

29. Wales Hotel

30. Baptist Church

31. Holy Cross Hospital

32. General Hospital

33. YMCA Building

34. Hotel Royal

35. Braemar Lodge

36. Old St.Mary’s School

37. Yale Hotel

38. Old Police Headquarters

39. Empire Hotel

40. McDougall Block

 

[Surrealplaces]

It's a shame about many of those buildings. Some of those are still going but have changed names or been altered slightly. #22 and #29 are still intact as far as I know. I believe #43 is still around too.

 

[Platopos]

It's a shame about many of those buildings. Some of those are still going but have changed names or been altered slightly. #22 and #29 are still intact as far as I know. I believe #43 is still around too.

Thanks Surrealplaces, I'll get them off the list. And yeah, it's unfortunate knowing that most of those buildings are gone. Hopefully Hotel York will one day be rebuilt beside the Bow so I can get it off the list as well.

 

[Platopos]

41. Hotel Alexandra

42. Public Market Building

43. Armstrong Block

44. Massey Harris Warehouse

45. Capitol Theatre

 

[Disraeli]

My new least favorite thread! It pains me to see what replaced a lot of those buildings.

 

[Platopos]

My new least favorite thread! It pains me to see what replaced a lot of those buildings.

I hope I didn't top your list 2 times in a row??. But yeah, I feel your pain, I feel like a lot of these buildings were unnecessarily demolished, especially those which are now parking lots.

 

[Cowtown]

We had some pretty cool buildings back ion the day. I pray that we can keep the ones we have left. Thanks for starting the thread @Platopos

 

[UrbanWarrior]

This one is the Herald Building. You have two pics of the same building for Herald and Southam currently.

 

[Platopos]

This one is the Herald Building. You have two pics of the same building for Herald and Southam currently.

Thanks man, I appreciate it. Will get that fixed. Also, probably the most embellished office block in Calgary, looks fantastic.

 

[JoeUrban]

From your original two posts:

#4 Hull's Opera House - Perhaps also include this photo.

People typically see this view and wonder how we could have torn it down. Unfortunately it was chopped up pretty good to convert to retail, and was in this state near the end.

I believe #14 and #15 and #31 are the same building, in #14 1 more story has been added

#25 and #26 are the same building

#39 is still standing here
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.043...4!1sdNgR-XoQPVXlnOJly_HGng!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

#23 and #44 are the same building

 

[Platopos]

From your original two posts:

#4 Hull's Opera House - Perhaps also include this photo.

People typically see this view and wonder how we could have torn it down. Unfortunately it was chopped up pretty good to convert to retail, and was in this state near the end.

I believe #14 and #15 and #31 are the same building, in #14 1 more story has been added

#25 and #26 are the same building

#39 is still standing here
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.043...4!1sdNgR-XoQPVXlnOJly_HGng!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

#23 and #44 are the same building

The edits have been made. Thanks a ton man, you have a good eye, I appreciate it a lot. And I'll post several photos of buildings that have been redone partway through their life.

 

[Calgcouver]

Fuuucccckkkkk. Calgary would've been infinitely more pretty if these buildings were still standing. It is hard to put myself in the head space of the Post-Modern dipshits who demolished these beauties.

 

[Social Justice]

Fuuucccckkkkk. Calgary would've been infinitely more pretty if these buildings were still standing. It is hard to put myself in the head space of the Post-Modern dipshits who demolished these beauties.

It's quite easy. The people that want brutalist buildings destroyed today have the same mind set as the people that destroyed the pre-WW1 era buildings.

 

[Platopos]

It's quite easy. The people that want brutalist buildings destroyed today have the same mind set as the people that destroyed the pre-WW1 era buildings.

Though I agree that the reasoning was probably the same, an argument could be made that classical/classical revival architecture is objectively more aesthetic and has always been more aesthetic to the general population. I mean, it's not like classical architecture is in style with the arts community right now, it only seems to be appealing to the public, but in recent years, there's been an ever-growing divide between the tastes and views of art from the general populace and the artists themselves. I'm personally very displeased with virtually all of modern art, preferring older architectural styles(except for art deco) over anything else virtually in every situation. Even critically acclaimed modern buildings, celebrated by the general populace like the Sydney Opera House or the Getty Center are a very big leap down for me compared to classical buildings of similar scale. Granted, that doesn't mean I'll complain about modern skyscrapers and buildings going, up, I still see beauty in them it's just that they're always a step down from classical architecture, at least for me.

 

[Mountain Man]

There was a post on SSP a few years back that showed what replaced a lot of these demolished buildings, was not pretty...