Sterling Home Furnishings

Description of the Historic Place

Sterling Home Furnishings is a raised four storey office building that exhibits Beaux-Arts influences. Built in 1911 and located at 261 1st Avenue North in the city’s downtown, Sterling Home Furnishings contributes to the character of 1st Avenue North. 

Heritage Value

Sterling Home Furnishings features three bays demarcated by a tower on each side of the central bay.  The front facade has medium-red brick and the north side wall is buff brick. The parapet roofline steps up above the 'towers', with Tyndall stone coping and a "reverse bracket" detail. The upper windows in the 'towers' have flat voussoirs and all of the windows have Tyndall stone sills. Elements of the building’s façade, such as its entablatures, create a Beaux-Arts inspired style – a relatively rare architectural style in Saskatoon that is characterized by symmetrical plans and the eclectic use of architectural features.

In 1911, local grocer Wilson, Campbell & Adams Ltd. decided to build a large building at 261 1st Avenue North. The four-storey brick structure was described as one of the city's finest commercial blocks, with 33,000 square feet of gross floor area. The local grocery store continued to operate until 1969, at which point the building re-opened as DeFehr's furniture store. The prominent brick building continues to give visual interest to the street, and has remained relatively similar to its original build.  

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, parapet roof, Tyndall stone coping, cornice, flat voussoirs, Tyndall stone sills and its original windows.
• Its Beaux-Arts influences, evident in its entablatures.