The Garry Block
290 Garry Street

The Garry Block, an example of the first office building construction of Winnipeg was created for the Mortgage Company of Canada in 1911 for $72,000. The building was designed by the Winnipeg firm of Pratt and Ross using Kelly-Simpson Construction Company as contractors. The facade is based on the Classical revival style which became popular throughout the City and includes architectural elements such as a pedestal, column and entablature.

The office tower was one solution to the growth of wholesale, agricultural and real estate ventures that happened in the early history of Winnipeg. The Garry Block was one example of a building that utilized the office tower construction. Technological advances in support systems allowed for the ability to build higher and space limitations paved the way for the perfection of this design. The Garry Block is of concrete-steel construction that became popular as the fire resistant building type in Winnipeg by 1910.

The Garry Block, located near Winnipeg's busiest thoroughfare, is highly visible to the average citizen and stands as a superb example of an office tower.
gnizable features. It has served as a public feature for many decades and will continue to do so.