The Devenish Apartments are an amazing piece of architecture and they have been a well known Calgary landmark for just over a century now. Made of stunning deep-red brick and contrasting grey sandstone, the building stands proud and looks just as good as it did when it was built in 1911. It’s once luxurious apartments are now home to a number of businesses.
During Calgary’s’ first real boom period (1909-1913 – one of many it would have over the years), the city’s population grew by leaps and bounds, doubling in only a few short years. With that came a severe housing shortage and to address that demand, large apartment buildings were constructed in the belt line district (the area directly south of downtown). Many of them were not for the masses, but rather homes for the up and coming upper middle class and the Devenish was no exception. At the time of construction, there were just under sixty apartments here.
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Named after the developer who financed it (Oscar Devenish), this building was for its time quite modern. Amenities included telephones, central heating, shared laundry facilities and common sun rooms. Stand out design features included an airy and open style of construction, quite a contrast to the cramped closed-in feel that many other buildings of the era had (the large windows for one help here).
The Devenish Apartments were designed by architect Alexander Pirie, who was also the man behind several other buildings of note in town, including the St Regis Hotel (a favourite watering hole of my folks in the 1970s). The building has a rather electric mix of styles, with its castellated turrets, recessed entrance ways, large balconies and a number of parapets (now gone). Not only does it have a uniqueness of style, it’s also clearly well constructed and the craftsmanship and pride of the workers is quite evident.
The building continued to be used for apartments well into the late 1970s and early 1980s. By that time, the prestige had sort of worn off. Never really updated over the years, it became just another old drafty, musty, dated apartment building (albeit a stylish one). Designated as a provincial historic site in the early 1980s, the building was at that time converted to commercial and retail space. Home to a number of businesses today, most notable is a wedding dress shop whose wares grace a glassed in area that was once the lower east balcony.
The neighbourhood in around the Devenish Building is quite a happening area, and has been for some time. For a period in the 1960-1980s however, it was rough, run-down and depressed. A renaissance of sorts has taken place since then and the area is again vibrant, funky and alive (and expensive).
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It’s not clear when the first picture was taken, however it’s probably quite early in the buildings history. Our picture, taken from the same corner as the first duplicates the shot well. And while the building looks much as it did, some notable changes have been made to it over the years. The highest sections of the turrets are gone as are the parapets. Those aside, the building retains most of it original personalty – amazing given how long it’s been here. Most old buildings it seems get re-clad or somehow changed and modernized, which generally ruins their look. Not this one, and it’s just as stunning (even with those modest changes) as it was a century ago. Inside, I understand it’s a nice mix of the old and new.
The first image is from a scanned postcard supplied by one of our readers (John Williams). If you have an old image showing a street scene or building that you’d like us to explore to see what it looks like today, by all means, contact us!
The building is located on the corner of 17th avenue and 8th St SW overlooking Tompkin’s Park, (it self a former trolley loop), and is in an area bordered by trendy shops and restaurants.
When we lived there in the 70s across the street there was some kind of large food store. I don’t remember the name of it but when they were doing some work on the parking lot they discovered that that used to be a buffalo jump. That seems strange to us as the area is very flat but at some point must have had a bluff there. There was a team of archeologist on site for a long time sifting through things
I question if there ever was a jump there, but perhaps it was just a kill or dumping area? Either way, that’s super interesting and thank you for sharing this.
I just rented out a room on the 3rd floor for my psychology practice. I LOVE this building! It’s a very inspiring space for the work I do. It is also one of the few with balconies. The balcony is almost as big as the space itself!
Thanks for posting this. I lived in the Devenish in the late 70s. I only left because the building was getting converted to retail. It’s true the building was pretty rundown by then but some of the individual apartments in it were very nice, although not mine ;). My apartment did have a Murphy bed, though, that was cool.
You are most welcome! It’s a cool building for sure. My earliest memories of it is about the time it was converted. I’ve yet to go inside, but maybe will soon. Thanks for commenting!
We lived there about the same time as you. We were in the top floor at the front of the building the second apartment over. There was an old lady named Mabel who lived on the end department. I had a strange experience with the Murphy bed Also well nothing happened there to meet IAM sure that the laundry room in the basement was haunted very bad vibe. We were the people with the white Bull terrier. Loved living there and only moved when the building was going to be sold and converted. We did not meet many neighbours there people came and went frequently. I do remember that there was a crazy person who was breaking into the apartment by climbing down the big air wells. In fact there was a small child that was traumatized when he woke up in the night and saw this figure in the dark across from him when he screamed his mom and dad woke up and there was this crazy person who bolted from the apartment. One night he went on a rampage and left bloody handprints over all the doors
I lived there in 1976 – you could tell that the apartments had once been very nice- beautiful built in cabinets, A bed pulled out of the wall – very tiny kitchen, In 1976 the apartments and the immediate area was quite run down. Lived there for several months while we were waiting to find another apartment. Apartments were hard to come by at that time. Am glad to see the building still standing and beautified.
The building across the street, where Bernard Callebaut is located, has an interesting history as well. It was originally a bowling alley, but its most unique feature was a sign painted on the side of the building, which advertised the gas station next door. The sign mentioned that the gas station was also a charging station for electric vehicles, and it also did tire vulcanizing. The sign was painted over around 1985. Sadly, I never got a picture of it.
We used to do something called the "pointless challenge" 🤪 and miss those days. It was so much silly fun and often frustrating as heck. In these we'd invite people to send in random photos of obscure locations, but not give any information, and then we'd track where it was and shoot something similar.
Most of these came from old family collections, as was the case here. Anyone up to resurrecting the series?
In hindsight, why didn't we pose someone in our shot?
Pointless: “Devoid of meaning (or) senseless” Merriam-Webster.
If you like what we do and want to support this ongoing project (12 years now), go here: https://www.BIGDoer.com/help-the-society/ Thanks to Connie for making this post possible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: ca1970 and 2014. Posted by Connie.
Captured on a cold, cold day many years ago. We've been passing this old house for decades and it's little changed in that time. At some point we expect to drive by and it'll be gone.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
When retired old railway cars usually get cut up for scrap. Sometimes, however, they find their way into the hands of the general public or whomever. Flat cars make good bridges, and boxcars can be transformed into storage buildings and the like. Case in point here. We see them used like this often enough and in this case, it's part of a corral.
Incidentally, this boxcar dates from 1950 and this was found by tracing the old road number, which is still visible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
This central Alberta racetrack was never a commercial operation but instead just a fun place for car enthusiasts in the area to get together. Early '70s or thereabouts and it only lasted a few years. Even thought it's been abandoned for that long, there is no doubt what was here.
You know we like the the obscure stuff and this one fits the bill perfectly. Found by accident while backroad cruising and the history comes thanks to local car guy Mike.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
On top of little Myrtle Mountain in the Kimberley (BC) Nature Park.
There's some good wilderness fun to be had here and nice views as you can see, but the real reason we came is mining history. The whole area near the ski hill was extensively worked over a century ago and we were looking for evidence of this. We didn't find much in the area searched, but it's a big chunk of property and we hope to return to cover more ground again soon. Of all the subjects we cover, mining related is a favourite.
Still, it was a good hike and that can't be bad. Look to the comments for more info 👇.
Exploring nature and history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
It's a strange curiosity in south Kananaskis, there on a hillside and we have no idea who created it. We asked around and no one's completely sure about its history. In the past it showed the Canada 100 logo from 1967 but in 2017 someone changed it to reflect the country's 150th.
That's our friend Emily from DanOCan.com having a look.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
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When we lived there in the 70s across the street there was some kind of large food store. I don’t remember the name of it but when they were doing some work on the parking lot they discovered that that used to be a buffalo jump. That seems strange to us as the area is very flat but at some point must have had a bluff there. There was a team of archeologist on site for a long time sifting through things
I question if there ever was a jump there, but perhaps it was just a kill or dumping area? Either way, that’s super interesting and thank you for sharing this.
I just rented out a room on the 3rd floor for my psychology practice. I LOVE this building! It’s a very inspiring space for the work I do. It is also one of the few with balconies. The balcony is almost as big as the space itself!
That is so cool to house a business in a heritage building such as the Devenish. Here’s to your success!
Thanks for posting this. I lived in the Devenish in the late 70s. I only left because the building was getting converted to retail. It’s true the building was pretty rundown by then but some of the individual apartments in it were very nice, although not mine ;). My apartment did have a Murphy bed, though, that was cool.
You are most welcome! It’s a cool building for sure. My earliest memories of it is about the time it was converted. I’ve yet to go inside, but maybe will soon. Thanks for commenting!
i worked at devinsh biulding at Mazzini’s itàlian ristaurante 1982 -83-84-85 will high class place i miss it Bruce
Cool – thanks for sharing your memories!
We lived there about the same time as you. We were in the top floor at the front of the building the second apartment over. There was an old lady named Mabel who lived on the end department. I had a strange experience with the Murphy bed Also well nothing happened there to meet IAM sure that the laundry room in the basement was haunted very bad vibe. We were the people with the white Bull terrier. Loved living there and only moved when the building was going to be sold and converted. We did not meet many neighbours there people came and went frequently. I do remember that there was a crazy person who was breaking into the apartment by climbing down the big air wells. In fact there was a small child that was traumatized when he woke up in the night and saw this figure in the dark across from him when he screamed his mom and dad woke up and there was this crazy person who bolted from the apartment. One night he went on a rampage and left bloody handprints over all the doors
One word…WOW!
I lived there in 1976 – you could tell that the apartments had once been very nice- beautiful built in cabinets, A bed pulled out of the wall – very tiny kitchen, In 1976 the apartments and the immediate area was quite run down. Lived there for several months while we were waiting to find another apartment. Apartments were hard to come by at that time. Am glad to see the building still standing and beautified.
I recall that are being rundown in the 70s. I would have loved to seen what it looked like inside back then. Thanks for commenting!
The ornamental parts on the roof have been taken off, must have become unstable through the years, I suppose.
Yes, gone at some unknown date. The building still looks cool and stylish even without them, however.
That’s actually the best one I’ve seen, the two pictures were taken at the exactly same spot. Good work!
Thanks, we really enjoy these then and now shots! I bet you can tell.
I love then/now comparisons…
Us too!!
I remember when they remodeled them in the 80’s.
My uncle lived here in the 70s and by then the place was pretty run down. Great blog!
I recall it being a bit dumpy back then.
The building across the street, where Bernard Callebaut is located, has an interesting history as well. It was originally a bowling alley, but its most unique feature was a sign painted on the side of the building, which advertised the gas station next door. The sign mentioned that the gas station was also a charging station for electric vehicles, and it also did tire vulcanizing. The sign was painted over around 1985. Sadly, I never got a picture of it.
Darn, that’s too bad! I would have loved to seen it and in fact I probably did, when I was young, but paid no mind. Thanks for posting.