THIS BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED AS THE HEAD OFFICE OF THE OTTAWA HYDRO-ELECTRIC COMMISSION, WHICH OCCUPIED IT UNTIL 1957. DESIGNED IN THE ART DECO STYLE BY OTTAWA ARCHITECT W.C. BEATTIE, IT FEATURES DISTINCTIVE LOW RELIEF ORNAMENTATION ALONG THE ROOF EDGE AND ABOVE THE ENTRANCE, AND BANDS OF WINDOWS SEPARATED VERTICALLY BY FLUTED PILASTERS AND HORIZONTALLY BY DECORATED PANELS.
CET IMMEUBLE FUT CONSTRUIT POUR ABRITER LE SIEGE SOCIAL DE LA COMMISSION HYDROELECTRIQUE D'OTTAWA LAQUELLE Y DEMEURE JUSQU'EN 1957 CONÇU DANS LE STYLE ART DECO PAR L'ARCHITECTE W.C. BEATTIE, L'IMMEUBLE SE DISTINGUE PAR UN BAS-RELIEF DECORATIF EN BORDURE DU TOIT ET AU-DESSUS DE L'ENTRÉE, PAR DES BANDES DE FENETRES SÉPARÉES VERTICALEMENT PAR DES PILASTRES EN RAINURES ET HORIZONTALEMENT PAR DES PANNEAUX OUVRES.
The Ottawa Hydro-Electric Commission Building was designated an historic property in 1990. The text above is from the marker put on site at that time. In addition to Art Deco features described above, an outdoor light fixture survives on the north wall. That light fixture includes Art Deco line-art patterns matching those on the wall.
The former office building is on the southeast corner of the intersection of Bank Street and Albert Street. In 2023, the building is vacant.