Bottomley Block

Description of the Historic Place

The Bottomley Block (shown on the right) is a rectangular three-storey building located at 155 2nd Avenue South in the heart of Saskatoon’s downtown.  Constructed in 1910 by British land speculator Richard Bottomley, the building is a prominent heritage feature along 2nd Avenue South. Also known as the Calder Block, the building shares a common façade and wall with the adjacent Kempthorne Block (located at 157 2nd Avenue South), and although these two separate buildings were built in different years, by different owners and contractors, they have very similar facades and were designed by the same architectural firm.

Heritage Value

Designed by Webster and Noel, the Bottomley Block features a large brick building with stone trim and plate glass display windows on the main floor. The upper floors have two large multi-paned, arched windows on each floor with Tyndall stone sills and keystones. The windows are divided vertically by a corbelled brick pilaster that begins at ground level on the outer edges of the building, and at the small cornice above the main floor sign fascia in the center of the building. The building features a cornice with dentils and modillions, and a short parapet with Tyndall stone coping tops.

The Bottomley Block and the adjacent Kempthorne Block are the only buildings known to have been designed by the Webster and Noel architectural firm.  David Webster went on to a very successful and prolific solo career, with the Bottomley Block having the distinction of being one of the first two buildings he designed after moving to Saskatoon. Today, with the exception of the main floor, the building’s façade has undergone few alterations since the time of its construction, and the only addition to the building occurred in 1936 when a small lean-to was added to the back of the building to accommodate a bakery oven.

In addition to its architectural features, the heritage value of the Bottomley Block also lies in its association with Richard Bottomley who invested heavily in Saskatoon.  Bottomley was one of the largest investors of the 1910-1912 boom, pouring 1.5 million dollars into property in Saskatoon. Foreign investors, such as Bottomley, were a great asset to the City of Saskatoon during the crash of 1913. They often continued paying their property taxes when local landowners could not afford to do so. During the first few years following construction of the Bottomley Block, the tenants were almost all land development related, reflecting the opportunities created by the early boom years.  For several years during the 1920s the Bottomley Block was also home to CFQC's radio studio.

In 1921, Frank Roland Wheatley purchased the Bottomley Block for $40,000 and moved his business (Wheatley Bros. Jewelry) into the main floor of the building.  Wheatley got out of the jewelry business the following year, but retained ownership of the building until 1956. The Bottomley Block continues to be a prominent building along 2nd Avenue today.

Source: City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database

Character Defining Elements

Key elements which contribute to the heritage value of this historic resource include:

• Its architecture, evident in: its brick façade with stone trim; its upper arched windows with Tyndall stone sills and keystones; its corbelled brick pilaster; cornice; dentils and modillions; and its short parapet with Tyndall stone coping tops.