This page is being frequently updated. News stories on top of the photos, history of the building below the photos.
Link to Herald editorial (July 26), City newsrelease (July 26), and a letter from the Cliff-Bungalow Mission community [July 28] also posted below.
Latest news: Deal reached to avert demolition (Sept. 12). See the last post for more...
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Landlord's demolition bid shocks businesses
Calgary Herald - Sunday, July 23, 2006
Ald. Madeleine King is asking the owner to reconsider demolishing (the Aberdeen block) at 4th Street and 22nd Avenue S.W. Mission residents and business owners are fuming over the possible demolition of a 95-year-old brick building on 4th Street S.W.
"It's a tragedy," said Pat Maiani, president of the Cliff Bungalow-Mission Community Association. "It's one of the oldest structures in one of the oldest communities in Calgary."
Link to full story (free)
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/new ... af&k=24854
More stories:
http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/200 ... 3-sun.html
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/ ... lding.html
Herald Editorial July 26:
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/new ... c0c21ce807
If you want to comment to area alderman Madeleine King you can contact her at madeleine.king@calgary.ca.
Contact information for other aldermen and the Mayor are listed at this link: http://content.calgary.ca/CCA/City+Hall ... y+ward.htm
A cc. of your letter to info@calgaryheritage.org is appreciated.
Herald photo:
History of the Wright (Aberdeen) Block.
From: Walking Tours of Calgary, Harry Sanders
Aberdeen Apartments (Wright Block)
Address: 2204-4th St. SW
Style: Edwardian Commercial
Architect: Unknown
Date: 1912
"Dr. Harry P Wright (1874-1921), a dentist from Prince Edward Island, built this two-story residential/commercial building as the Wright Block shortly after moving to Calgary with his wife Emma around 1910. By 1917, for reasons now unknown, it was called the Aberdeen Apartments. Wright died in his forties, and his widow later lived in the building, which she continued to own for decades. Jimmie Condon (1889-1981), a well known merchant, developer, sports promoter, and restaurateur, owned the Mission Grocery in the corner storefront at 4th Street and 22 Avenue between 1925 and 1945. Older Calgarians remember Condon though his landmark Jimmie’s restaurant in the Alberta Corner building, across 8th Avenue from the downtown Hudson’s Bay store. University alumni are familiar with the statues of Greek philosophers on the campus of the University of Calgary that the Turkish-born, ethnic Greek Condon donated.
In the 1970s, this was the home of My Marvin’s, a well-remembered restaurant that introduced a generation of Calgarians to Kosher-style deli food. The similarly styled Sam’s Original Deli took over the same space by the 1980s.”
From: Calgary Historical Walking Tour: Mission and Cliff Bungalow, City of Calgary and Alberta Community Development
“In 1912, James W. Young moved the J.W. Young Printing Company to the Wright Block, the retail and apartment building across the street (from the Young Block, built 1912,at 2120 – 4 St. SW). The printing business was taken over and run by the Dichmont family until the 1940s.”
Today the building is occupied by Sushi Kawa retaurant, Antonio’s Garlic Clove restaurant, Aida’s Mediterranean Bistro, the Gallery of Canadian Folk Art, and Bistro 2210 at the retail level with 14 apartments on two levels above.