Description of Historic Place

The Delgado Building, is a four storey brick Commerical Venacular style building located at 169-173 Water Street, St. John's, NL and is also located in the Water Street Federal Historic District. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Delgado Building has been designated a Municipal Heritage Building for its aesthetic and historical values.

169 Water Street, the Delgado Building, is aesthetically valuable as an example of a turn of the 20th century mercantile/residential building in downtown St. John’s. The first storey of this building was traditionally used for mercantile premises and the remaining storeys were used as a family residence. The use of the building as a commercial building is evident through the traditional store front that features large glass windows and a recessed doorway. Futhermore, the brick construction of this building is typical for downtown St. John’s buildings built after the fire of 1892. This building, like several others built in the downtown during this era also features some elements of classical revival such as dentils and pilasters.

169 Water Street is historically valuable because of its association with Andrew Delgado. Delgado, an Italian immgrant, came to Newfoundland as a young man and had established a business in the mining town of Tilt Cove, Green Bay. After the mine closed in 1880, he relocated to St. John's and set up his first fruit store on Water Street, west of Prince's Street. After the 1892 fire, he relocated to this building at 169 Water Street. From this store he sold a variey of goods, but is best known for the moderate to expensive tea which you could purchase from him. Society matrons would only buy Degado's best blend; what they did not know is that all the tea sold came from the same tea chest.

Source: City of St. John's Archive, unnumbered property file, St. John's - Delgado Building

Character-Defining Elements

All elements that define the building's commerical venacular design including:
-large glass windows
-recessed doorway
-size, shape, decoration and placement of windows
-two, one storey bow windows located on the second storey front facade
-the left gable corner of the building with its rounded end in which windows are set
-pilasters which decorate the third and fourth storeys
-decorative mouldings on the first, second and fourth storeys
-friezes located above the first storey windows
-dentils with decorate the eaves
-the name " Delgado Building" located over the fourth storey windows
-size, location and dimensions.