526-528 1st Avenue in downtown Ladysmith was built in 1910. 526 1st Avenue is the second floor of the building while 528 1st Avenue is the commercial space on the main level, which is currently occupied by E&S Heating And Air Conditioning.
Here is a map showing the location of 526-528 1st Avenue:
Here is a Google Street View image of 526-528 1st Avenue:
526-528 1st Avenue was added to the Ladysmith Community Heritage Register in 2014.
Description of Historic Place
The Johnson’s Shoes Building is a modest, two-storey commercial building on the west side of the main commercial street in Ladysmith, British Columbia. The historic place is confined to the building footprint.
Heritage Value
The Johnson’s Shoes Building’s primary significance is as part of a grouping of largely intact historic buildings in Ladysmith’s commercial core. Situated at the northern end of the main commercial thoroughfare in Ladysmith, the building forms part of an almost continuous city block of similarly proportioned historic buildings that collectively creates a cohesive streetscape.
Built in 1901, the Johnson’s Shoes Building has been substantially renovated and many of its original features changed or obscured. The building’s simple form, two-storey height and Boomtown style front remain intact and are in keeping with the rest of the buildings on this city block.
Associated with Ladysmith’s earliest development, the Johnson’s Shoes Building has been in continuous commercial use for over a century and is a significant contributor to the heritage character of the area.
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the Johnson’s Shoes Building include:
- – the building’s location within a large grouping of heritage buildings on the main commercial street
- – the building’s simple form and two-storey height
- – the remaining original features including the gabled boomtown front, large window at street level and inset entry door
- – the building’s continuous commercial use for over a century