Building 517

Building 517 is located within the self-contained community of Pleasantville on the north shore of Quidi Vidi Lake. It is a long, one-storey, flat-roofed, rectangular garage with low, horizontal massing, and a white painted, shingle clad exterior. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Building 517 is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value

Building 517, as part of the former United States military base of Fort Pepperrell, is closely associated with the Second World War perimeter defence plan. This plan called for strategic continental outposts such as Newfoundland and Jamaica to be armed and fortified to prevent an attack on the United States. The base was vacated by the United States in the 1950s and is now owned by the Canadian government.

Architectural Value

Building 517 is a good example of a utilitarian wood frame garage integral to the military complex. The structure’s architectural significance lies in its contribution to the overall visual unity of this cohesive group of modernistic buildings.

Environmental Value

Building 517 maintains an ongoing relationship to its open site and the adjacent structures, and reinforces the 1940s character of the military base setting. It is familiar to those who live and work in the area.

Sources: Julie Harris, Pleasantville Site (41 Buildings) St. John’s, Newfoundland, Federal Heritage Building Report 86-016; Buildings 102, 202, to 207, 209, 501, 517 and T562, Pleasantville, Heritage Character Statement 86-016.

The following character defining elements of the Building 517 should be respected.

Its aesthetic and good quality materials and workmanship, for example:

- the scale and low massing of the long, rectangular, flat roofed structure;

- the white painted shingles on the exterior wood-framed walls;

- the size and spacing of the doors.

The manner in which Building 517 maintains an unchanged relationship to its open site, reinforces the military character of Pleasantville and is familiar to those living and working on the base, as evidenced by:

- its ongoing relationship to its open site, to the loading area and to the adjacent structures;

- the modern plain aesthetic of the utilitarian structure, which harmonizes with the cohesive grouping of buildings, and creates a strong visual unity on the base;

- its function as a garage that makes it a point of reference.