Perth, ON, Canada
John Matthews Building (1846), 51–55 Gore Street E.
Situated on the north bank of the Little Tay River in downtown Perth, the two-and-a-half-storey Georgian structure was built for local shoe manufacturer William O'Brien and its unique riverside setting makes it one of Perth's most picturesque buildings. It is named after Mr. John Matthews, the man responsible for its restoration following a major fire in September of 1979.
The Matthews Building possesses a number of unique qualities that arise from its location at the convergence of a river and a street. First, the building has been designed as if it were a corner building, with its two public elevations dressed in coursed ashlar and accented with quoins. Circulation patterns are also somewhat peculiar, with the basement and upper floors only accessible by the three-tier wooden veranda located on the riverside of the building. Other recognizable features include the heavily-glazed storefronts and gable dormers on the building's main (south) facade. Both of these features were added during a restoration in the late 1970s that was designed to return the building to its 1890s appearance.
Perth, ON, Canada
John Matthews Building (1846), 51–55 Gore Street E.
Situated on the north bank of the Little Tay River in downtown Perth, the two-and-a-half-storey Georgian structure was built for local shoe manufacturer William O'Brien and its unique riverside setting makes it one of Perth's most picturesque buildings. It is named after Mr. John Matthews, the man responsible for its restoration following a major fire in September of 1979.
The Matthews Building possesses a number of unique qualities that arise from its location at the convergence of a river and a street. First, the building has been designed as if it were a corner building, with its two public elevations dressed in coursed ashlar and accented with quoins. Circulation patterns are also somewhat peculiar, with the basement and upper floors only accessible by the three-tier wooden veranda located on the riverside of the building. Other recognizable features include the heavily-glazed storefronts and gable dormers on the building's main (south) facade. Both of these features were added during a restoration in the late 1970s that was designed to return the building to its 1890s appearance.