Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Telephone System Administration Building (489 Empress Street, Winnipeg)

A six-storey concrete and steel building, at the intersection of Empress Street and Portage Avenue in Winnipeg, was designed by the architectural firm of Smith Carter Searle and Associates and built between 1960 and 1962 as an administration building for the Manitoba Telephone System. It accommodated the executive, accounting, operations, and engineering departments of the company.

The building was later renovated and converted into a hotel.

Postcard view of Manitoba Telephone System Administration Building (circa 1962) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2018-0060 Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88185, W97.19594 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Business: Smith Carter and Katelnikoff / Smith Carter Architects and Engineers / Architecture49

MHS Centennial Business: Manitoba Government Telephones / Manitoba Telephone System / MTS Allstream / Bell MTS

Sources:

“MTS erects new building,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 April 1960, page 21.

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Free Press, 14 October 1960, page 54.

“MTS to get new building,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 October 1960, page 3.

“Notice of tender,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 May 1962, page 37.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 6 January 2023

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