Historic Sites of Manitoba: Paulin-Chambers Building (311 Ross Avenue, Winnipeg)

This six-storey brick building on Ross Avenue in Winnipeg was built in two parts for the confectionary firm of Paulin-Chambers. The earliest part dates from 1899, when a three-storey frame building constructed in 1882 was moved onto a new stone foundation along with a new four-storey brick and stone structure designed by architect James Henry Cadham and built by John Alexander Girvin and Philip Burnett.

A fifth floor designed by local architect Frank Robert Evans was added in 1904 by Girvin and Burnett. The 1882 portion was demolished in 1910 and replaced with a new five-storey brick and stone warehouse designed to match the 1899 portion, and also built by Girvin and Burnett. Subsequent additions included a sixth floor (1920), penthouse (1938), two-storey addition (1946), third storey to part of the addition (1949), and small addition (1975).

It became a municipally-designed historic building in January 2020.

Paulin-Chambers Building

Paulin-Chambers Building (circa 1903)
Source: An Illustrated Souvenir of Winnipeg, William A. Martel & Sons, 1903.

Paulin-Chambers Building

Paulin-Chambers Building (May 2019)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.90164, W97.14101
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: James Henry Cadham (1850-1907)

Memorable Manitobans: John Alexander Girvin (1851-1931)

Memorable Manitobans: Philip Burnett (1848-1936)

Memorable Manitobans: Frank Robert Evans (1865-1949)

Memorable Manitobans: John Hudson Chambers (1846-1924)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

Paulin-Chambers Building, 311 Ross Avenue, Winnipeg Historical Buildings & Resources Committee, July 2018.

We thank Darryl Resch for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and George Penner.

Page revised: 7 November 2023

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