This three-storey brick block on Toronto Street in Winnipeg was designed by local architect Pall Melsted “Paul” Clemens and constructed in 1913 by Jon Jonsson Bildfell at a cost of about $50,000. The 48 feet by 76 feet building, containing 14 apartments, was originally named Hrefna Apartments for one of Bildfell’s daughters. It was renamed Verbena Apartments in 1925 and Ilford Apartments in 1936.
Ilford Apartments (August 1961) by Bjorn Hallgrimson
Source: Blair Bingeman
Ilford Apartments (April 2012)
Source: Blair Bingeman
Ilford Apartments at left and Glenora Apartments at right (April 2012)
Source: Blair Bingeman
Ilford Apartments at left and Glenora Apartments at right (October 2020)
Source: George PennerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.90172, W97.16380
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Pall Melsted “Paul” Clemens (1870-1966)
Memorable Manitobans: Jon Jonsson Bildfell (1870-1955)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Sylvia Apartments / Glenora Apartments (774 Toronto Street, Winnipeg)
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 42/1913, City of Winnipeg Archives.
“Early Icelandic builders in Winnipeg” by S. Aleck Thorarinson, Logberg-Heimskringla, 30 March 1967, page 7.
Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.
Architect Paul Melsted Clemens (Part 2) by Christian Cassidy, West End Dumplings.
Find a Postal Code, Canada Post.
Preparation of this page was supported, in part, by the Gail Parvin Hammerquist Fund of the City of Winnipeg.
This page was prepared by Blair Bingeman, Nathan Kramer, Gordon Goldsborough, and George Penner.
Page revised: 25 March 2023
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