Description of Historic Place

The Ordnance Building National Historic Site of Canada is an imposing three storey, 4,900 square metres sandstone building. It is located in a mixed commercial, industrial and military area at the southernmost extremity of a peninsula that juts out into the Bay of Fundy. It employs a utilitarian classicism, evident in its symmetry and detailing. Official recognition refers to the building on its footprint.

Heritage Value

Ordnance Building was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2014. It is recognized because:
—built in 1842, it is a rare example of a military ordnance building of the colonial period, implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission of 1825 which set out a broad defensive strategy for the colonies that was supported by the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, the Duke of Wellington; it was enlarged in 1911 with the construction of the mansard roof reflecting a period in which Canada expanded its military infrastructure;
—it exemplifies the ordnance building type in its utilitarian classicism, sturdy construction and flexibility and is noteworthy for the combination of military construction from both the colonial and Dominion periods;
—it is one of the few buildings in Saint John to have survived the Great Fire of 1877.

The Ordnance Building was designed for military storage. A rare surviving example of this building type within British military architecture in Canada, the structure exhibits utilitarian classicism, sturdy construction and flexibility. The addition of a Mansard roof in 1911 to provide additional floor space reflects a period in which Canada was expanding its military infrastructure. The combination of high-quality materials (sandstone walls and, originally, a slate roof) helped it survive the Great Fire of 1877.

Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, July 2012.

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements contributing to the heritage value of this site include:
—its location on the southern side of Saint John, New Brunswick within the former Barrack Green Armoury site;
—the design’s restrained military classicism, and the symmetry of its façades arranged into ten bays, with regularly placed window and door openings;
—the simple, three-storey, rectangular massing;
—the exterior walls of irregularly coursed limestone with granite used for detailing including corner quoins, windowsills, lintels and segmental arched door openings;
—the high-quality mansard-roof covered in copper sheet and batten, and the dormer windows with pedimented gables;
—the interior’s substantial timber frame, heavy wood posts and beams and cast-iron supports, and the integrity of the interior as an open space;
—the archaeological remains (known and potential), in the area beneath the floors and within the footprint of the building.