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National Library Bibliothèque nationale I*m of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington Ottawa ON KtA ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive ticence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Biblothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, Ioan, distriie or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of thïs thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thése sous papes or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othenvise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. DEVELOPMENT AND DESTRUCTION IN DOMOWN ST. JOHN'S The Embodiment of Cultural Values in Architecture: A Case Study of Urban Development and Heritage Preservation in St. John's, Newfoundland, 1977-1997. by John A. Trahey A thesis subrnitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Geography Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John's Newfoundland Abstract Architecture is often interpreted as a reflection of the cultural values of the society that produced it (Gloag, 1975; King, 1980; Meinig, 1979; Penning-Rowsell and Lowenthal, 1986). Change in the architecture of the townscape is seen as indicative of change in the cultural constitution of a society. This study seeks to answer the question: What cultural values are embodied in the architecture of St. John's, Newfoundland - specifically, in the architectural changes evident in the construction of large-scale commercial architecture in downtown Sr. John's in the penod 1977 to 1997. This most dramatic recent change in the townscape of St. John's is characterized by two main physical results- development and destruction - as represented by the advent of large-scale commercial architecture and the concurrent complement of vacant sites and parking lots. The starting point of this study is the present state of the townscape - the physical reality of the city. In order to gain an understanding of the cultural values underlying this physical reality, the decisions made leading to that present state, and the context in which they were made, are examined. Through this study an attempt is made to read the physical reality of the city to determine what cultural values may be embodied therein. This is done through an examination of the case study sites of developrnent and non- development in downtown St. John's in the time penod given. Data, in the form of interviews and d~cumentar~sources, relating to the case study sites, were collected and compiled in case study reports. These case studies were then analyzed with a view to identifying the influences, motivations, and constraints affecting the decisions made about building and the context in which those decisions were made. Frequently recumng themes were identified, and the implications of those themes interpreted as to their importance with respect to the cultural values these decisions reflect. On the basis of this research, it is concluded that a predilection for the new over the preservation of the past is demonstrated through the case study sites of development and non-development in downtown St. John's. The primacy of progress, as identified with new development, is evident through the histories of:the case study sites examined, taken together and in context. The debates over development that emerged during this period were resolved in favour of development, despite the opposition of those advocating the preservation of older architecture. [t is concluded that the primacy of progress represents a cultural value that is embodied in the architecture of St. John's as examined in this study. Acknowledgments 1 would like to thank the following individuals who have helped me with the research and compilation of the thesis study: thesis supervisor Dr. Chnstopher Sharpe, associate professor, Department of Geography, Mernorial University of Newfoundiand, and members of my advisory cornmittee Dr. JO Shawyer, and Dr. William Allderdice, associate professors of the Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland; Helen Miller and Iris Power of the City of St. John's Archives; Ken O'Brien and Paul Boundrige of the Planning Department of the City of St. John's; William Tilley, CLB Archivist; Gary McManus and Charles Conway of Mernorial University of Newfoundland Cartographie Laboratory; Mark Smith, Milestone Communications; and Martha Trahey, Sandra Everson and Mona Rossiter for support and editorial assistance. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page .. Abstract ............................................. .. ............................. II Acknowledgments .................................................................... iv Table of Contents ...................................................................... v List of Illustrations .................................................................... x List of Tables ........................................................................... xi Introduction ................................................................................................. -1 Chapter I Architecture and Cultural Values .......................................... 6 1.1 Architecture as a Cultural Artifact ...................,.,, .... ,., ............... 6 1.2 Architecture, Cultural Values, and the Individual ......................8 1.3 Agents and the Decision-Making Process ............................... 11 1.4 Cultural Values and Value in Architecture .............................. 14 1.4.1 Cultural Values ........................................................... 14 1.4.2 Value ........................................................................... 17 1.4.3 ValueinArchitecture:TheRealEstateMarket ..........20 Chapter 2 Preservation. Speculation and Urban Form ....................... 23 2.1 Historic Preservation ............................. ........ Valuation of the Past in the Modem Era .................... 24 Preservation and Destruction ...................................... 28 Preservation and Economic Decline ........................... 32 Zone of Discard and Zone of Assimilation ................ 34 Transportation and Suburbanization ........................... 35 Gentrification and Social Displacement ..................... 38 Financial Institutions and the Decline of the Inner City ........................................................................ 39 Regulation ................................................................... 42 2.1.9 Modernism vs . Post-Modernism ........................... .,. ..49 2.2 Speculative Development and Economic Restructuring ......... 53 2.2.1 Global Economic Restructuring .................................33 - 2.2.2 The Globalization of Finance ..................................... 33c- 2.2.3 Insurance Companies and Integration ........................ 36- 2.2.4 Leveraging and Global Real Estate Development ......57 2.2.5 Local vs . Non-Local ................................................... 59 2.2.6 Form and Rhetoric in the Post-Modem City .............. 63 2.3 Urban Form/Built Fonn ........................................................... 67 2.3.1 Plan. Built Form, and Use .......................................... 67 2.3.2 Morphological Frame and Differential Change ..........68 2.3.3 Morphological Penod ................................................. 69 2.3.4 Catastrophic Change. Destruction, and Developrnent 70 Chapter 3 Context and Methodology ................... .. ................... ............. 72 3.1 Downtown St. John's ............................................................... 72 3.1.1 Fire 1892 ...................................... .. .......................... 72 3.1.2 Developrnent and Destruction in the 1980s ................ 73 3.1.3 Fire 1992 ..................................................................... 74 3.1.4 Suburban Expansion ................... .. ......................... 75 3.1.5 Planning Control ......................... .. ........................... 78 3.1.6 Heritage By-Law ....................................................... 79 3.1.7 The Municipal Plan ................................................. 80 3.1.8 Summary .................................................................... 82 3.2 Methodology ............................................................................86 3.2.1 Study Area: Downtown St . John's ............................. 86 3.2.2 CaseStudySites ....................................... 3.2.2.1 Downtown Development .......................... 87 3.2.2.2 Dow ntow n Non-Development .................... 88 3.2.2.3 Post-Fire Development ................................ 89 3.2.2.4 Post-Fire Non-Development .......................89 3.2.3 TirneFrame ................................................................. 90 3.2.4 Built Form ................................................................... 90 3.2.5 Development and Destruction .................................... 91 3.3 Data ........................ .........,,, ...................................................