FORMER SAINT LOUIS COLLEGE IS “NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT”: Gregory Hartnell concurs with architectural heritage experts John W. Veillette + Donald Luxton on preserving present Saint Andrew’s Elementary – Preschool in letter to T-C Editor, June 4, 2013

St. Andrew’s building nationally significant

 TIMES COLONIST 

JUNE 4, 2013

Re: “Save art-deco building on St. Andrew’s site,” letter, May 31

Before it was known as St Andrew’s Elementary, the current art-deco building on the St. Andrew’s site was known as St. Louis College, run by the Christian Brothers of Ireland. I was a student there in the ’60s.

As a St. Louis College alumnus and a Jesuit-trained Catholic historian with a concern to see our Catholic architectural heritage preserved whenever possible, I fully concur with heritage expert John W. Veillette’s timely call to save this unique heritage school building.

Veillette notes that “it is given high marks in the survey of art-deco and moderne architecture in Victoria.”

That scholarly work was produced by another Victoria heritage expert, Donald Luxton, who wrote Capital Regional District Art Deco and Moderne, published in Victoria by the Hallmark Society in 1984.

It is my hope that the present owners pay attention to voices like those of these well-respected heritage experts, and that the Hallmark Society, St. Louis College alumni and St. Andrew’s Elementary alumni join them and other concerned citizens in encouraging the developers to save this nationally significant art deco- moderne school building to repurpose it for all Victorians.

Gregory Hartnell

Victoria

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UNEDITED ORIGINAL LETTER:

Last sentence mentioning bonus density trade of six storeys to pay for renovation of the school

was omitted by Times Colonist Editor

Gregory Hartnell, Catholic Historian

1357 Rockland Avenue

Victoria, V8S 1V7

Tel. 250 382 97 67

Victoria Times Colonist

Letters to the Editor

Re: “Save art-deco building on St. Andrew’s site,” May 31

  Before it was known as Saint Andrew’s Elementary-Preschool, the present ‘art-deco building on St. Andrew’s site’ was known as Saint Louis College, run by the Christian Brothers of Ireland, and I was a student there in the sixties.

  As a Saint Louis College alumnus, and a Jesuit-trained Catholic historian with a long-standing concern to see our Catholic architectural heritage preserved whenever realistically possible, I fully concur with heritage expert John W. Veillette’s timely call to save this unique heritage school building.

  Mr. Veillette notes that ‘it is given high marks in the survey of art-deco and moderne architecture in Victoria.’

  That scholarly work was produced by another Victoria heritage expert, Donald Luxton, who wrote ‘Capital Regional District Art Deco and Moderne,’ published in Victoria by the Hallmark Society in 1984.

  It is my sincere hope that the present owners pay attention to voices like those of these well-respected heritage experts, and that the Hallmark Society, Saint Louis College alumni and Saint Andrew’s Elementary alumni join them and other concerned citizens in encouraging the developers to save this nationally significant art deco – moderne school building to ‘repurpose’ it for all Victorians.

  If ‘bonus density’ is needed to finance seismic upgrades and this repurposing to commercial office space, the surrounding apartment buildings should not exceed six stories.

 

Gregory Hartnell

Victoria

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