Hillier Block CLOSE

Calgary's Historic Hillier Block

The Hillier Block, completed in 1910, is a three-storey red brick structure, two bays in width. The building is distinguished by its first-storey storefront and decorative metal cornices. The Hillier Block is situated at the eastern end of downtown Calgary in the East Village neighbourhood, on Eighth Avenue SE.

The Hillier Block recalls the apex of an economic boom that occurred in Calgary between 1910 and 1913 with mass immigration to Western Canada and the city's emergence as an important regional wholesale and distribution centre.

The Hillier Block was commissioned by John Hillier, a partner in the plumbing supply business of Cambell and Hillier. Like many buildings constructed in Calgary at the time, an owner outside of the real estate business who wished to take advantage of the period's development and investment opportunities built the Hillier Block as a rental property.

Completed as a mixed-use commercial and residential structure, the Hillier Block is representative of many buildings in the East Village area. Originally, the ground floor of the building contained a billiards hall and barbershop while the two upper floors were divided into approximately 12 residential suites. The small size of these apartments, and the interior

placement of some, exemplifies working class housing common in the East Village area. While modest, such accommodations helped to alleviate the acute housing shortage of the period, especially for newcomers to the city and transient workers, many of whom initially settled in the East Village area. The working class character of the neighbourhood made the Hillier Block—for a brief period upon completion—a natural location for the basement headquarters of Calgary's Socialist Party.

The Hillier Block's Architectural Significance

The Hillier Block is one of only seven pre-World War I commercial structures to survive in the East Village and is the most significant mixed-use commercial example in the area. The Hillier Block is larger and more detailed than the area's other two mixed-use commercial structures, and is distinguished by the integrity and quality of its façade. The Hillier Block is exemplary of smaller-scale, Edwardian-era commercial design in Calgary, and retains its original red brick façade with a recessed-entry storefront and ornamental metal cornices. Typical of early Calgary buildings, the Hillier Block is detailed with sandstone largely obtained from local quarries. This wide use of sandstone in early Calgary construction contributed to the city's reputation as "The Sandstone City."

The Hillier Block is an integral component of the only concentration of historic buildings in the East Village. These heritage buildings, situated in the 400 block of 8th Avenue SE, constitute the only historic streetscape in the East Village offering a glimpse of the neighbourhood's former retail and commercial core.

Hillier Block Rejuvenation

Calgary City Council designated the Hillier Block as a Municipal Historic Resource on
February 4, 2008. The building was in extremely poor condition when it was transferred to CMLC. Work to rejuvenate this historic building is underway. The interior of the Hillier Block has been completely stripped and has already undergone environmental remediation. Its structural integrity has been restored and the installation of a new roof has been completed. Check back often for project updates.