Description
78 Prescott Street is a two-storey mercantile building located at the corner of Prescott and Flavin Streets in the downtown core of St. John’s. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Statement of Significance
Formal Recognition Type
City of St. John's Heritage Building, Structure, Land or Area
Heritage Value
78 Prescott Street is designated a municipal heritage structure by the City of St. John’s because it holds aesthetic value. It is a good example of a vernacular mercantile building constructed after the fire of 1892. Located on the corner of Prescott and Flavin Streets, the section at the top of Prescott Street was added on between 1925 to 1946 to fit the angle where the streets meet.
The front façade has a recessed entrance, large wooden mouldings, fascia boards, sign bands, and large plate glass windows, all indicative of its commercial use. The second floor window fenestration is common to residential or office space above commercial spaces. These second storey windows are 1/1 and have small, eared shelves and narrow mouldings. Other features include a flat roof, narrow wooden clapboard, and overhanging eaves.
Source: City of St. John’s Archives, unnumbered property file, St. John’s – 078 Prescott Street
Character Defining Elements
All those elements that reflect the 19th century mercantile style, including:
-unique footprint;
-recessed front door;
-large windows on first storey;
-narrow wood clapboard;
-flat roof with extended eaves;
-1/1 windows with small shelf and narrow mouldings;
-original wooden trim, mouldings, fascia boards and sign bands, and;
-size, massing and orientation.
Location and History
Community
St. John's
Municipality
City of St. John's
Civic Address
078 Prescott Street
Construction (circa)
1892 - 1892
Builder
unknown
Style
Irregular
Location
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