Description of Historic Place

016 Queen Street, the Cornerstone Theatre, is a two storey stone building located at the corners of Queen, George and Water Streets, St. John's, NL. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

016 Queen Street, the Cornerstone Theatre, has been designated a Municipal Heritage Structure for its historical and aesthetic values.

016 Queen Street has historic value because it was built by the Fishermen's Society as a hall and exhibition centre for fisheries and agriculture produce, but it became a important venue for theatre, special performances and bazaars. It is the oldest surviving theatre in the city and the foundation meeting of the Star of the Sea Society was held in this building. In 1872, ownership of the hall was transfered to the Roman Catholic Diosese of St. John's and the building was decated as St. Peter's Church. The upper floor was used as a church for Catholics awaiting the completion of St. Patrick's Church and the ground floor held a school operated by the Sisters of Mercy. From 1903 - 1967 it was office and warehouse space for the firm Frank McNamara Limited.

016 Queen Street has aesthetic value because it is one of the few stone structures found in the downtown landscape, and reflects the religious venacular style in its steep gabled roof, elongated arched windows, and heavy morticed square cut stone.

Source: City of St. John's Archives, unnumbered property file, St. John's - Cornerstone Theatre

Character-Defining Elements

All elements that define the building's religious vernacular design, including:
-size, shape and placement of the local square cut stone;
-size, shape and placement of the red brick trim;
-size, shape, and placement of the windows;
-steep gabled pitch of the roof;
-location of the main entrance with its wooden double doors and fan window; and,
-size and dimensions of building.