Fairbanks-Morse Warehouse, Saskatoon

The Fairbanks-Morse Warehouse, located on 23rd Street East in downtown Saskatoon, stands as a testament to the city’s early 20th-century commercial boom and its architectural evolution. Built in 1911 for the Canadian Fairbanks-Morse Company-then Canada’s largest machinery and mill supply house-the building served as a critical distribution hub during a time of railway-fueled urban expansion.

Designed by David Brown and Hugh Vallance of Montreal-also responsible for many of the original buildings on the University of Saskatchewan campus-the four-story structure is an early example of reinforced concrete construction, rare in Saskatoon at the time. Its Chicago-style architecture, marked by brick piers, geometric spandrels, modern capitals, and a stepped pediment, captures the ambition of a growing prairie city. Notably, its decorative elements include Indiana limestone and Stanstead granite, giving the façade a dignified presence.

From 1948 to 1985, the building housed the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and a union hall, reflecting its central role in Saskatoon's political and labor history. Over the decades, the warehouse also accommodated a variety of businesses and cultural organizations-including AKA Gallery, The Photographers Gallery, and Video Vérité, the last two of which merged into the contemporary art center PAVED Arts.

Designated a Municipal Heritage Property in 1985 (exterior only), the Fairbanks-Morse Warehouse underwent a major adaptive reuse project in 2005–2006, when Olstar Developments converted it into 12 condominium lofts. Today, it stands as a preserved industrial-era gem-bridging Saskatoon’s historic rail and manufacturing past with its urban residential present.