Description of Historic Place

Saint John Daily News Building is a three-storey Italianate brick commercial building on the east side of Canterbury Street in the Trinity Royal Preservation Area of the City of Saint John.

Heritage Value

Saint John Daily News Building is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with the businesses that have occupied the premises.

Saint John Daily News Building is one of a collection of commercial Italianate buildings that were built between 1877 and 1881 after two-thirds of the City of Saint John were destroyed in the Great Saint John Fire of 1877. This building is a good example of Italianate commercial architecture from the rebuilding period following the fire. This three-storey brick building was constructed shortly after the fire. The year "1877" and the word "NEWS" are displayed on the façade. The use of brick and the quality of the workmanship in this building represent the will for the city to rebuild, as well or better, after the fire and sent a message that the city would be more resistant to fire in the future.

Saint John Daily News Building is also recognized through the businesses that have occupied the premises. The Saint John Daily News newspaper publication began 40 years before this building was constructed and ceased operations about six years after its construction. At the time of construction, this newspaper was the oldest running publication in Saint John. It was started in 1838 by George E. Fenety. After the Daily News ceased operations, the building was occupied by the American Steam Laundry which was operated by the Godsoe brothers. The building was filled with the most improved modern laundry machinery for that era. In the basement was the engine and boiler. The ground floor had offices, two washing machines and one dash wheel, starching machine, centrifugal extractor, steam-heated drying room, with another room containing reciprocating collar and cuff ironer, collar and cuff shaper and seam dampers. On the second floor was a steam power mangle, a starching room, another steam heated drying room, with a sorting and marking room. The third floor was devoted to ironing and starching rooms, with a department for doing up curtains, and tanks with a reserve hot water supply.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe Saint John Daily News Building include:
- same set-back on the lot with neighbouring buildings;
- height and width proportions;
- filling the width of the lot;
- three-story rectangular massing;
- brick exterior walls;
- window placement and proportions;
-"1877" and "NEWS" inscribed into the front façade;
- corbel bands at roof-line cornice;
- four brick pilasters extend to separate the bays in the second and third floors;
- segmented arch windows with keystones;
- two-over-two wood vertical sliding windows on the third floor;
- storefront with fascia boards, shop windows and a lateral entrance.