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Project Type:
Commercial

Builder:
PM Contracting
Kitchener, Ontario

Architect:
Martin Simmons Sweers Architects
Kitchener, Ontario
www.mssarchitects.ca

Distributor:
WD Craftline Inc.
Milton, Ontario
www.wdcraftline.com

Windsor Products Used:
Windsor Pinnacle Clad Charcoal Gray Double Hung Cottage and Pinnacle Clad Direct Set with 2“ Check Rail.

Heritage Post Office Revitilization

Waterloo, ON, Canada

Project description: 

The revitalization of this Old Post Office in Uptown Waterloo was a unique opportunity to breathe new life into an iconic landmark. The window replacement was the perfect way to balance heritage preservation with contemporary architectural innovation.

The project has been nominated for the Paul Oberman Award for Adaptive Reuse: Large-scale / team / corporate. The revitalization of the building transformed a historically significant yet functionally outdated building into a vibrant, multi-functional urban space that meets modern accessibility and building standards without compromising its historic character. 

Unique solutions:

The ground floor originally had a large double hung window that no longer required operability due to the commercialization of the space. To preserve some of the original character, a Pinnacle direct set window with 2“ check rail was installed to mimic the traditional sight line of the original double hung window.

The stile and rail exterior sash profile, the cottage 60/40 split and ogee glass stop profile also contributed to maintaining the historic element of this landmark building through this revitalization.

Comments from Architectural Conservancy Ontario:

Completed in 1913 and designed by D. Ewart, chief architect for Canada, the Old Post Office features Romanesque architecture with a stone gable, turrets, and a clock tower. Restoring these elements and meeting current building standards required meticulous preservation and modern engineering solutions, particularly given the building’s deterioration. The existing structure was modernized to include HVAC units, ventilation, and accessibility features, seamlessly integrating an elevator without altering historical elements or the roofline, maintaining the original building’s aesthetic. The new infill building that wraps around the Old Post Office on two sides stands apart, complements the existing structure, and maintains the clock tower’s hierarchy in the composition. The completed revitalization blends the Old Post Office’s rich history with new ways to engage with the spaces, ensuring continued community relevance.