8 March 2008
Heritage House Moving to Make Way for Mansion
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The historic Painter House is being removed from Glen Sather's
Banff property to make way for his new luxury home.
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Banff Alberta - Glen Sather, the general manager of the
New York Rangers hockey team, is removing one of Banff's most treasured heritage homes from his riverside holiday property to make way
for a massive new luxury house.
The Town of Banff has issued a development permit for Sather to build a fancy new house at 505 Buffalo Street, but has yet to approve
the necessary permit for the relocation of the existing house, known as the famed Walter Painter Residence.
Sather is under no legal obligation to save the A-ranked heritage house, and he has turned down all attempts to
incorporate the historic home into the design of his new 5,000-square foot house.
But he has found a home at The Banff Centre's Leighton Studios for the building.
"I didn't want to demolish it. We've had the house since 1974," said Sather, whose family spends most Christmases and few
occasions in the summer at the Buffalo Street home.
"It's a great old house, but it's not big enough for the family any longer. The Banff Centre wanted it, so it's a
win-win for everyone."
The home is considered important because of its association with Walter S. Painter, an American-born architect of national
significance, who designed the centre block of the Banff Springs Hotel, the original Cave and Basin building, and the Hotel Vancouver.
Painter designed and built Sather's home on Buffalo Street in 1913, attempting to blend it into the surrounding environment through its
position, local construction materials, and the preservation of mature tree growth.
After leaving the Canadian Pacific Railway as chief architect in 1916, Painter and his family returned to Banff every summer. The home
remained in the Painter family until 1974 when it was sold to the Sathers.
The Painter Residence's heritage significance is not only linked to Painter himself, but also the architecture and its location on
Buffalo Street, one of Banff's early prominent streets, where it is oriented looking south towards the Banff Springs Hotel.
The Banff Heritage Corporation fought to have the Painter residence remain on site at Buffalo Street, but in the end, supported the
relocation to a suitable location, rather than face its demolition.
In order to move the house along Buffalo Street via Surprise Corner to The Banff Centre, a large chunk of it has to be cut off, but
will be re-attached once on site at the Leighton Studios.
Herb MacAulay, chairman of the heritage corporation, said the whole project has been "very, very contentious".
"This is a sad loss in terms of heritage significance locally because Walter Painter is a nationally recognized icon. But I think
this is a real honest attempt on the part of Sather to try to do the right thing," said MacAulay.
"The residence will be substantially degraded in terms of its heritage value because it will no longer be on its original site. It
now becomes an object of interest, rather than a historically significant site."
The Town of Banff's planning and development had several meetings with Sather and his architects to discuss redevelopment options that
would see the existing structure remain intact, including possible exemptions to the land use bylaw and design guidelines.
But, after three years of discussions, Sather wanted to redevelop the property and remove the house.
Megan Squires, a planner with the Town of Banff, said the municipality believes relocating the Painter Residence is a better option
than permanently losing the house to demolition, although its relocation will compromise its heritage value.
She said removing a building from its original site eliminates its relationship with its surroundings, and has the potential to alter
its associations with historic events and people.
Squires said there is also the potential that a move may destroy historic features such as landscaping, foundations, and chimneys, that
may be important to the overall context of the building. That said, if care is taken in the relocation of the building, a certain level
of heritage integrity could be restored.
"The long term benefit is that the building continues to exist in the community and its associations with historic events and
people, though changed, are not lost," said Squires.
"Demolition is final and will undoubtedly result in the permanent loss of not only the building, but the stories and events that
may be associated with it."
Bill Marshall, of Calgary-based Marshall Tittemore Architects who has designed Sather's new home, said many of Banff's
heritage homes were moved from Bankhead, the historic coal mining town north of Banff.
"Relocation is not an unusual concept, particularly if it's done with dignity and with pride," he said.
"In this case, it's an interesting piece of history and I would say everyone has tried to do what they can," he added.
"It's wonderful having it at The Banff Centre. We still celebrate the history of places much better when they exist than if they
don't and it's just a plaque."
The existing Painter Residence has already undergone a series on alterations and renovations over time, and some of the original and
architectural detailing will form part of Sather's new home.
"I think people will be pleasantly surprised," said Marshall. "It will feel like a new cousin to the home that was
there."
Mary Hofstetter, president and CEO of The Banff Centre, said it is hoped the Painter Residence will be moved to the Leighton Studios
sometime in April. It will be used by visiting artists as a retreat for their artistic endeavours.
"We know it was important to the town that the house be preserved if at all possible. We appreciate the opportunity to preserve
this and welcome the addition of a spectacular new studio," she said.
Since 1993, the Town of Banff has lost close to 30 buildings considered historically significant. Of these 30, five have been
"A" ranked, nine have been "B" ranked, and 16 have been "C" ranked heritage
resources.
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