New space for MCM Architects

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/09/2016 (3294 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A building that Heritage Brandon has listed on the Significant Building List couldn’t have fallen into better hands.

MCM Architects purchased the building at 260 Eighth St. last fall.

According to the Heritage Brandon website, the Significant Buildings List exists to preserve buildings or sites in Brandon that are of interest due to their historical or architectural value.

Guy Hewlko, partner and certified engineering technologist with MCM Architects, said they had been in Lindenburg Seeds at 158 Eighth St. since 1983, but that the company has actually been part of downtown Brandon since 1958.

“We had wanted our own space and have literally been looking for a building in downtown Brandon for nearly 10 years. We looked for something with some historical character and significance, and we think we found it,” Hewlko said.

Their new location had been home to Dr. Larry Zoerb for more than 35 years, but he had moved his practice to The Town Centre Dental Group in 2012.

Shortly after Zoerb’s passing in 2015, his wife Val had contacted Hewlko after finding old records that indicated MCM Architects had once been interested in the building.

They ended up purchasing it, and renovations began earlier this year. The firm relocated to its new office space in April.

There are three buildings in the block that were all built around the same time, in the late 1920s.

Hewlko said the exterior of the building was pretty much left untouched, except for the restoration of the original windows.

This included reclaiming two windows on each side of the fireplace on the east wall that had been abandoned and covered up.

“The building is mostly original on the inside as well. The original oak hardwood floors were covered with tile, carpet and laminate, so we pulled all that up and refinished them. We took out a couple of partitions and removed a few closets to open the space up, but overall the building is very much the same as it was in 1927,” Hewlko said.

MCM Architects is the original architect for the Keystone Centre, including the arena expansions and the Westoba Credit Union Agricultural Centre of Excellence, and they are currently working on the restoration of the Dome Building.

They have also worked on major projects for the Brandon School Division, Brandon University — including the Healthy Living Centre — and just recently completed the renovations at the Sportsplex for the City of Brandon.

They are just starting on an addition to Green Acres School in Brandon and the renovation of the Willis Pavilion at the International Peace Garden.

MCM’s principal architects, Rob Obirek and Mike Fritschij, work out of the Winnipeg office.

For more information, visit mcmarchitects.ca.

around town …

I noticed a while ago in my travels that Label Trend Clothing on Richmond Avenue and Brandon Ladies Wear on Park Avenue have closed their doors.

There’s construction taking place and the realtor sign has come down at 2505 Victoria Ave. … I’m looking forward to seeing who moves in.

There was a for rent sign in the Herbal Magic location on 18th Street for a little while (I tried numerous times to contact the company, with no success), but it seems to be occupied again.

As the seasons change, I’m sure we’ll see lots of other changes around the city.

Watch out for the kids as they head back to school next week and with any luck you’ll get a chance to put your feet up on this Labour Day Weekend.

Enjoy!