601 Front Street - Nelson, BC
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T0SHEA
N 49° 29.680 W 117° 17.665
11U E 478679 N 5482489
601 is on the north side of Front Street at the corner of Josephine Street, in the old warehouse district of Nelson.
Waymark Code: WMK0MR
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 01/26/2014
Views: 2
Front Street was once known as Water Street because it was the last street before the Kootenay River. 601 was built beginning in mid April of 1909 as a jam factory, the home of the Kootenay Jam Company. Designed by local architect Alexander Carrie, it was ready for jam making equipment three weeks later and was officially opened by Premier McBride on June 23rd, 1909. Just two years later the Kootenay Jam Company moved to Mission, BC, selling the plant to the Doukhobors (CCUB) who renamed it the Kootenay Columbia Preserving Works. By 1915 the Doukhobors, too, moved on, selling the building once again.
A wood frame building, it received extensive renovations when bought by the Doukhobors in 1911, including its brick façade and the arched windows it still retains.
Because Front generally followed the contour of the river, it crossed very few streets at a right angle. On this block, for example, it crosses Josephine several degrees off 90°. As a result, the buildings on the block are all parallelograms. This one, being on the corner, appears as more of a triangle, though it, too, is a parallelogram.
The building has been designated a City of Nelson Heritage Building.
In February 1913, the Doukhobors sold the building again to an unnamed local man and announced plans to move their operation to Brilliant, but evidently the deal fell through. Construction of a much larger factory at Brilliant would wait until 1915, after which 601 Front St. was leased (by the CCUB) to a series of wholesalers, including Nelson Jobbers, Western Grocers and most notably the National Fruit Co., which operated there from at least 1935-62 and apparently owned it following foreclosure on the Doukhobor communal enterprise.
Louis Maglio, with his brother and another partner, then bought the building and in the 1960s rented it to McGavin Bakery, West Transfer, West Arm Trucks and Maclean Sales Appliances. Ron Allen became the next owner in the 1970s and ran an electrical wholesaling and carpet business, while his mother-in-law had a second-hand shop.
When purchased in 1988 by Paula Snow, the building was vacant and derelict, but following major renovations the new Front St. Emporium became home to literally dozens of businesses, including Whitewater Ski Resort, Strutter's, The Golf Doctor, Kutenai Art Therapy and even the Holy Smoke Culture Shop.
New owners Gord and Dorothy Kaytor acquired the building this year, just in time for its centennial: "We spent a few months searching for a commercial investment in the area." Gord says. "We were drawn to 601 Front St. because it is a well-kept heritage building with affordable office space for our long term tenants and for first time small business owners. We are excited about celebrating its 100th anniversary.
1909 was obviously a banner year for Nelson. and thanks to the preservation of its heritage buildings. 2009 is turning out to be one as well.
From the Doukhobor Jam Factory