Blackburn Building
(Union Bank Building, CPR)
85 Sparks Street (map B)
W.E. Noffke
1908, 1915 III

• potential significant heritage building
• originally known as "Union Bank Building", for anchor tenant
• housed Canadian Pacific Railway ticket, telegraph, and other offices
• designed as a 7-storey building (note Doric frieze and top floor balconies)
• 3 floors added for government offices 1913
• Stansted Granite base and Bedford Limestone (same as Union Station and Chateau Laurier)
• symmetrical façades on 2 sides and axial main entrance and lobby
• white colour scheme, in keeping with the classical ornament, reflected the influence of the Beaux-Arts style" (Ricketts)
• Bay windows modelled on Central Chambers building (John James Browne, 1890-1) where Noffke had his office. First use in North America for offices.
• 2nd floor and 10th floor decorated cornices removed, including 18 lions' heads

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