Sustainability in Regina: Adaptive Reuse of Former Distribution Centres in the Warehouse District
Figure 1: Ackerman Building in present day
Figure 2: The Ackerman Building in 1912.
This report is part of REM’s partnership with the University of Regina’s Urban Geography 246 class. This partnership went taught students about different historical source documents resources that students have access to in Regina like archives and interviews. This report on the reuse of Regina’s Warehouse district distribution buildings was written by Danica Braithwaite.
Introduction: What is Adaptive Reuse?
Adaptive reuse is a contemporary form of urban sustainability that has become popularized in previous decades. As the name implies, adaptive reuse is the change in how a building is used (Arfa et al., 2022, p. 148). The practice is considered environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable (Department for the Environment and Heritage, 2004, pp. 4-5). There are two primary ways it can be considered environmentally sustainable, both of which involve reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The first is by lowering embodied emissions, which are the GHGs released during the entire life cycle of the building (United Nations Environment Programme, 2021, p. 74). Meanwhile, the second way is by lowering operational emissions by retrofitting buildings with energy-efficient technologies. In terms of economic sustainability, adaptive reuse can be associated with less construction time, which decreases the cost of development and contributes to economic growth by breathing life back into abandoned or underutilized properties (Abdulameer & Abbas, 2020, pp. 4-5). The social benefits include preserving heritage properties and improving aesthetics, both of which promote a sense of place and community. Although analyzed separately, the environmental, economic, and social benefits of adaptive reuse tend to interplay with one another, creating a virtuous cycle of sustainable growth within a previously declining area of a city.
Context: Warehouse District, Regina
One of the best examples of adaptive reuse within the city of Regina can be found in the Warehouse District. Bound by Albert Street to the west, Winnipeg Street to the east, 4th Avenue to the north and Dewdney Avenue to the south, the Warehouse District is one of Regina's oldest regions. The origins of the Warehouse District – and Regina – are tightly intertwined with the establishment of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in 1882 (Regina Bypass, n.d.). After establishing the railroad and determining that the Northwest Territories' capital would be Regina, rapid development of the area soon followed (Baird, 2021; Lavallé, 2008). Located north of the CPR tracks, within proximity to the CPR depot, the land that the Warehouse District sits atop was lucrative real estate for business owners as the railway was the main transportation route of goods and people coming and leaving the region (City of Regina Archives, n.d.-a). It was not until the beginning of the twentieth century that warehouses within the district began operations, with the oldest business – The Regina Light and Power Company – opening its doors in 1905 (City of Regina, 2007, p. 136). The Warehouse District remained an emerging area as the city's population grew and became an important distribution centre of agricultural products (City of Regina, 1915). In the mid-century, the district began to lose prominence as the industrial centre of Regina with the establishment of a new industrial area and the transition to private vehicles, decreasing the need for centralized retail (City of Regina, n.d.). At the end of the twentieth century, buildings that previously stood empty began to be used for other purposes, such as condominiums and commercial space.
Figure 3 (top image): John Deere and Plow Company Limited Building in 1914.
Figure 4 (bottom image): Brownstone Plaza today.
Adaptive Reuse in the Warehouse District
The first case that will be studied is the Ackerman Building located at 2128 Dewdney Avenue. A picture of the building as it stands today can be viewed in Figure 1, and a picture of the building shortly after construction can be seen in Figure 2. Built in 1911 by a locally based architect firm, Van Egmond and Storey, the building was one of the most impressive buildings, in both size and cost, within Regina at the time of construction (Van Egmond & Storey, 1907-1949; Canada’s Historic Places, n.d.-a). The original tenant of the building was B. F. Ackerman, who opened a leather shop that sold harnesses, saddlery, trunks, and other leather goods (Elliot, 2014; “B. F. Ackerman Son, & Co.”, 1912). In 1925, Ackerman sold his company, but the building remained a warehouse that various companies used in the decades to come (City of Regina, 2005). In 1991, the building was officially declared a heritage building, which was now protected from “demolition or significant change” (City of Regina, n.d.-b). In 1994, the building was converted from its traditional use as an industrial warehouse to residential condominiums (Hawes, 1994). According to Michele DeCorby (Hawes, 1994), the heritage property designation, fire codes, and rezoning of the property were obstacles faced during the remodelling process. The obstacles, as described by DeCorby, highlight some of the common challenges associated with adaptive reuse. Other common challenges, which are not discussed but the group may have encountered, can include design compromises and the extra time and cost to comply with license and planning requirements (Yung & Chan, 2012, p. 358). Today, almost 30 years since the remodelling, the building is still used as residential space. The Ackerman Building, the first warehouse building in Regina to be converted to residential property, was a cornerstone for the district, which since then has seen the conversion of more warehouses into residential spaces. The Brownstone Plaza, located on 1275 Broad Street, is another structure in the Warehouse District that used adaptive reuse practices. Prior to its remodelling, Brownstone Plaza was the John Deere Plow Company Limited Building, as seen in Figure 3 (Canada’s Historic Places, n.d.-b). The designer of the five-storey brick building was Oscar Ekerman, the architect for Deere and Company (Eaton, 1976, p. 97). Building construction commenced in 1913 and was finished in 1914 (Eaton, 1976, p. 99; John Deere, n.d., p. 11). Though there was a John Deere Plow Company in Saskatoon before 1914, the Regina location would become the business’s headquarters for the province (“Warehouses bring and make business,” 1911). Deere and Company remained at 1275 Broad Street until 1972 when they moved to Ross Industrial Park (John Deere, n.d., p. 11; “John Deere Ltd. building,” 1970s). It was not until 2000 that the property was bought by Equinox (Johnstone, 2000). As stated by Bryan Miazga, one of the owners of Equinox, they tended to keep original features of the building, such as the original sign and mural, to preserve its heritage (Johnstone, 2000). The decision to keep the original elements helped to ensure the property would be granted Municipal Heritage Property status in 2001 (City of Regina, 2007, p. 136). Equinox finished construction of the Brownstone Plaza in November of 2001; an image of the building as it looks today is displayed in Figure 4 (Johnson-Hardy, 2001). Today, the Brownstone Plaza exemplifies how old structures can be transformed to meet current planning practices by incorporating residential and commercial uses (Johnstone, 2000). Through practicing mixed-use planning, energy consumption and GHG emissions can be reduced by having amenities, employment, and housing within proximity (Bibri et al., 2020, p. 4). Thus, Brownstone Plaza is sustainable because it was constructed using the adaptive reuse strategy and is a form of mixed-use development.
The last building that we will consider is Weston's Bakery, located at 1377 Hamilton Street, which has recently undergone the process of adaptive reuse. The original occupier of the building was Crown Bakery Limited, who completed their new plant in 1929, as seen in Figure 5 (Bird Construction Incorporated, 2020, p. 22). The plant is estimated to cost $300,000, which would be over five million dollars today (Bird Construction Incorporated, 2020, p. 22). Upon opening, the state-of-the-art building created quite a buzz in Regina. The local newspaper featured a three-page write-up of the bakery, describing it as the "finest and most modern in all Western Canada" ("Large bakery plant of Crown Bakery," 1929). In November of 1938, the bakery, along with six others across Western Canada, was bought by George Weston Limited ("Toronto firm buys bakery," 1938). A picture of the bakery under Weston's ownership can be viewed in Figure 6. The warehouse continued to produce baked goods under the possession of Weston until the fall of 2012 when the company moved production to Winnipeg ("Weston Bakeries closing," 2012). In 2017, the building was bought by the All-Rite Group of Companies (Lypny, 2016). The vision of the property, according to Reid Pederson, was to open a food hub (Lypny, 2016). A food hub is a facility where locally sourced food and beverage products are aggregated, distributed, and marketed (United States Department of Agriculture, 2013, p. 5). Food hubs are decentralized food systems that are considered to be sustainable because they contribute to the local economy by selling local products, reduce GHG emissions by being within proximity to where the food is grown, and are less vulnerable to supply chain disruptions (Shariatmadary, 2023, p. 2). The All-Rite Group's vision did come to fruition. In the present day, the old Weston Bakery is home to several mom-and-pop businesses that distribute locally sourced goods, such as the Local Market YQR, Regina Brewing Incorporated, and The Alternative. Like the Brownstone Plaza, the conversion of Weston's Bakery was sustainable in two ways: using adaptive reuse practices and opening a food hub.
Conclusion
Adaptive reuse is a sustainable practice in which buildings no longer functioning are restored to be used for a different purpose than originally intended. Converting abandoned or underutilized structures can be environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. The Warehouse District in Regina is one of the city's oldest areas, and in the mid to late 1900s became an area in decline. Since the 1990s, adaptive reuse practices have been undertaken in the district, which has aided in stimulating the economy, preserving its historical significance, and creating a sense of community and place. Three warehouses were examined: the Ackerman Building, Brownstone Plaza, and Weston's Bakery. The Ackerman Building, built in 1911, was the oldest structure examined and was built by B. F. Ackerman to run his leather business. In 1994, the Ackerman Building was remodelled into condominiums, and it was the first warehouse in the district to be converted from an industrial to a residential property. The Brownstone Plaza, constructed in 1914, was previously operated by the John Deere Company and was the province's farm equipment company's distribution centre. The structure was renovated in 2001 by Equinox into a retail, office, and housing complex, and it is a form of adaptive reuse that utilizes the sustainable planning practice of mixed-use development. Lastly, the Weston's Bakery factory was built in 1929 and was the former distribution centre for Crown Bakery Limited before being sold to George Weston Limited, which operated at 1337 Hamilton until 2012. The All-Rite Group of Companies bought the old bakery and converted it into a food hub, a form of sustainable food production and distribution. Although only three warehouses were discussed, the Warehouse District contains other examples of adaptive reuse, which also helps in making Regina a more sustainable city.
Figure 5: The Crown Baker Limited Building after construction in 1929.
Figure 6: 1377 Hamilton Street, Regina in 1977 when George Weston Limited operated in bakery.
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