An historic Halifax building that housed the Salvation Army and other businesses for more than a century could become a heritage property. The Heritage Advisory Committee will discuss the building at 1717 Brunswick St. at a special meeting on Wednesday. They could decide to recommend to Halifax Regional Council that the site be added to the municipality’s registry of heritage properties. To be considered for the registry, a property needs to score at least 50 points on a 100-point scale in six categories: A staff report for the advisory committee recommended a minimum score of 59 for the Brunswick Street property. It gave substantial weight to its age (13 points), historical importance (11 to 15 points) and architectural integrity (11 to 15 points). According to the report, the site was originally part of the Ewers Division in the original fortified city of Halifax. John Mahoney built the Waterloo Tavern at the site after buying it in 1813. The Salvation Army later used the building before it burnt down in 1892. Henry Busch, a well-known architect at the time, designed the building that currently sits at 1717 Brunswick St. It was built between 1893 and 1895, and was used by the Salvation Army until 1961. The report notes the building is a two-storey brick and beam structure that is a rare example of an Italianate commercial/institutional building with a Gothic Revival influence. “The existing structure is a landmark building, that contributes significantly to the heritage character of the surrounding neighbourhood through its architectural integrity, age, and form,” the report reads. The Halifax Alehouse later operated in the building until closing its doors in 2024. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
