 |
Max Zev Blankstein
|
Born at Odessa, Russia in January 1874, where he received architectural training, he emigrated to Canada in 1904 and was the first Jewish architect to register and practise in Manitoba.
He was married twice, first to Esther Goldin (1881-1906) with whom he had two children: Verna “Vera” Blankstein (1902-1920) and Isaac Wolfe Blankstein (1904-1990). In 1907, he married her sister Laika “Lena” Goldin (1890-1959) and they had five more children: Cecil Blankstein, Eva Rebecca Blankstein, Evelyn Blankstein, Frederick “Ingy” Blankstein (1921-2018), and Morley Blankstein, three of whom became architects.
He died at his Winnipeg home, 131 Machray Avenue, on 31 December 1931 and was buried in the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery. The holdings of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada include drawings by Blankstein of one of Winnipeg’s most iconic buildings, the Uptown Theatre.
Some of his architectural works in Manitoba:
Building
Location
Year
Status
Adas Yeshurun Synagogue
217 McGregor Street, Winnipeg
1907
Demolished (?)
167 Aikins Street, Winnipeg
1907
101-103 Robinson Street, Winnipeg
1907
Demolished (after 1956)
309 Flora Avenue, Winnipeg
1907
Demolished (1972)
295-297 Atlantic Avenue, Winnipeg
1907
Queen’s Theatre (renovation)
239 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1908-1909
337-339 Dufferin Avenue, Winnipeg
1909
Demolished (?)
234-240 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1909
Blankstein House (Max Zev Blankstein)
450 Dufferin Avenue, Winnipeg
1909
Demolished (?)
Hirsh House (Harry Hirsh)
67 Aikins Street, Winnipeg
1909
Demolished (?)
143 Polson Avenue, Winnipeg
1909
145 Polson Avenue, Winnipeg
1909
Kasner House (Robert Kasner)
749 Stella Avenue, Winnipeg
1909
Demolished (?)
254-260 Dufferin Avenue, Winnipeg
1909
Demolished (1967)
422 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1909
60 Polson Avenue, Winnipeg
1910
656 Aberdeen Avenue, Winnipeg
1910
Glesby Stables
468 Aberdeen Avenue, Winnipeg
1910
346 Chalmers Avenue, Winnipeg
1910
94 McGregor Street, Winnipeg
1910
Demolished (?)
335 Union Avenue West, Winnipeg
1910
244-246 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1910
Destroyed by fire (27 February 2024)
Winnipeg Cold Storage Building (addition)
422 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1910
350-360 Flora Avenue, Winnipeg
1911
594-602 Selkirk Avenue / 145 McGregor Street
1911
121-125 Salter Street, Winnipeg
1911
796 Main Street, Winnipeg
1911
780 Redwood Avenue, Winnipeg
1911
Demolished (2015)
536 King Street, Winnipeg
1911
Demolished (after 1956)
430 Redwood Avenue, Winnipeg
1911
432 Redwood Avenue, Winnipeg
1911
139-141 Euclid Avenue / 141 Hallet Street, Winnipeg
1911
340-344 McGregor Street, Winnipeg
1911
Demolished (?)
Ripstein Duplex (outhouse)
29-31 Lily Street, Winnipeg
1911
Demolished (?)
Ripstein Duplex (outhouse)
30-32 Martha Street, Winnipeg
1911
Demolished (?)
581-583 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1911
Winnipeg Cold Storage Building (addition)
422 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1911
Anderson House [Olaf T. Anderson]
602 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
Demolished (c1964)
377 Brandon Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
Douglas House [Joseph S. Douglas]
390 Church Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
397 Morley Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
Demolished (2016)
399 Morley Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
283 Kingsway, Winnipeg
1912
292 Austin Street North, Winnipeg
1912
501 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
Pinx Furs Store [Abraham Pinx]
494 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
Demolished (?)
Pscheide House [George Pscheide]
614 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
Demolished (c1964)
Regar House [George Regar]
616 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
Demolished (c1964)
Shink House [Nicholas Shink]
604 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
Demolished (c1964)
Townsley House [Walter H. Townsley]
388 Church Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
121 Charles Street, Winnipeg
1912
374-376 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
Gottlieb House [Argoff Gottlieb]
598 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
Demolished (c1964)
Highgate House [Charles M. Highgate]
600 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
Demolished (c1964)
884 Alfred Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
Palace Theatre (addition)
501 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
Roberts House [Numon Roberts]
596 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
Demolished (c1964)
541 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
250 Talbot Avenue, Winnipeg
1913
669 Main Street, Winnipeg
1913
Alekno Block (addition and renovations and Stable)
374-376 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
426-428 Manitoba Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
Demolished (?)
Cohen House (Samual Cohen)
424 Manitoba Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
Demolished (?)
Diner Block
184 Henry Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
Demolished (?)
588 Manitoba Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
82 Luxton Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
1059 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
Demolished (8 May 2023)
408 Boyd Avenue / 301-303 Salter Street, Winnipeg
1914
Winnipeg Cold Storage Building (addition)
422 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
626 Jessie Avenue, Winnipeg
1914-1917
640 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
229 Machray Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
270 Morley Avenue, Winnipeg
1914
610 Dufferin Avenue, Winnipeg
1915
Demolished (?)
Winnipeg Cold Storage Building (addition)
422 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1915
167 Logan Avenue / 51-53 Martha Street, Winnipeg
1916
244-246 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1916
Destroyed by fire (27 February 2024)
Winnipeg Cold Storage Building (addition)
422 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1916
533 Burrows Avenue, Winnipeg
1917
503-505 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1917
268-274 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1918
Destroyed by fire (22 July 2019)
24-28 Derby Street, Winnipeg
1918
Chmelnitsky Warehouse (addition)
248-250 Dufferin Avenue, Winnipeg
1919
Demolished (?)
Jewish Old Folks Home (alterations)
426-428 Manitoba Avenue, Winnipeg
1919
Demolished (?)
Weidman Warehouse (addition)
244-246 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1919
Destroyed by fire (27 February 2024)
Budnik Block (addition)
594-602 Selkirk Avenue / 145 McGregor Street
1920
361-365 Hargrave Street, Winnipeg
1922
131 Machray Avenue, Winnipeg
1922
220 Andrews Street, Winnipeg
1922-1923
55 Derby Street, Winnipeg
1923
Demolished (?)
Parkview Theatre
1823 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg
1923
Destroyed by fire (1924)
Quality Clothing Block
687 Main Street, Winnipeg
1923
Demolished (?)
339 Bartlet Avenue, Winnipeg
1923
Budnik Block (addition)
594-602 Selkirk Avenue / 145 McGregor Street
1924
Winnipeg Cold Storage Building (addition)
422 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1924
605 Main Street, Winnipeg
1925
64 Salter Street, Winnipeg
1925
Halparin House (alterations)
381 Dufferin Avenue, Winnipeg
1925
Demolished (?)
607-609 Main Street, Winnipeg
1925
Alekno Block (renovations)
374-376 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1926
Globe Bedding Warehouse (addition)
268-274 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg
1926
Destroyed by fire (22 July 2019)
799-801 Sargent Avenue, Winnipeg
1926
104-106 Marion Street, Winnipeg
1926
Demolished (?)
Weselake Block (addition and alterations)
503-505 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1926
Derby Block (alterations)
102 Derby Street, Winnipeg
1927
Demolished (?)
Jewish Old Folks Home (alterations)
426-428 Manitoba Avenue, Winnipeg
1927
Demolished (?)
256 Garfield Street South, Winnipeg
1927
82 Smithfield Avenue, Winnipeg
1927
Palace Theatre (addition and alterations)
501 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1927
115 Maryland Street, Winnipeg
1927
Brick Store (addition)
494 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1927-1928
Demolished (?)
155 Fort Street, Winnipeg
1928
Manitoba Upholstery Warehouse (alterations)
281-283 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1928
Demolished (2011)
417 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1928
Mount Carmel Clinic
120 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1928-1929
Demolished (?)
Budnik Block (addition)
594-602 Selkirk Avenue / 145 McGregor Street
1929
220 Edwards Avenue, The Pas
1929
Destroyed by fire (8 April 2024)
385 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg
1929
Chesed Shel Emes Chapel (renovation)
1023 Main Street, Winnipeg
1930
Demolished (2020)
241 Cathedral Avenue, Winnipeg
1930
394 Academy Road, Winnipeg
1930-1931
155 Waverley Street, Winnipeg
1931
860 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg
1931
277 Burrows Avenue, Winnipeg
1931
133 Machray Avenue, Winnipeg
1931
See also:
Max Blankstein: Architect by Murray Peterson, Winnipeg Architecture Foundation, 2022.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1385/1909 [Blankstein House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1006/1911 [Folb House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1948/1911 [Ripstein Duplex Outhouses], City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 214/1912 [Dunn House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 260/1912 [Douglas House, Townsley House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 704/1912 [Shink House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 2699/1912 [Anderson House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 2971/1912 [Regar House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 3149/1912 [Pscheide House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1253/1913 [Gottlieb House, Highgate House, Roberts House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 246/1914, [Cohen House], City of Winnipeg Archives.
Death registration [Vera Blankstein], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1724/1919 [Chmelnitsky Warehouse], City of Winnipeg Archives.
1921 Canada census, Ancestry.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 2634/1925 [Halparin House alterations], City of Winnipeg Archives.
“Residential permits show big increase,” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 April 1926, page 9.
“Brick store on Selkirk,” Manitoba Free Press, 12 November 1927, page 19.
“Winnipeg’s new Uptown Theatre will open this evening,” Winnipeg Free Press, 24 December 1931, page 16.
“M. Z. Blankstein, architect, dies early this morning,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 December 1931, page 1.
Winnipeg fire insurance map, #290 May 1956, City of Winnipeg Archives.
Winnipeg fire insurance map, #316 and #319 January 1957, City of Winnipeg Archives.
Obituary [Lena Blankstein], Winnipeg Free Press, 16 April 1959, page 47.
Obituary [Isaac Wolfe Blankstein], Winnipeg Free Press, 24 December 1990, page 62.
The Year Past 2002, Annual Report of the City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, page 14.
Obituary [Ida Blankstein], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 August 2003, page 47.
Obituary [Morley Blankstein], Winnipeg Free Press, 20 June 2015, page A30.
Obituary [Fred Blankstein], Winnipeg Free Press, 21 July 2018.
Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.
Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.
“Palace Theatre saved from wrecking ball,” CTV News, 7 June 2022.
Winnipeg Building Index (University of Manitoba).
870 Redwood Avenue, Winnipeg.ca (UD): Assessment & Taxation: Property Details
We thank August Rivalin and Murray Peterson for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 17 November 2024
Memorable Manitobans
This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.
Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:
Custom SearchBrowse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
