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• 1 2025-08-26T19:32:42+00:00 The Maclean Block 5 plain 2025-08-26T23:42:41+00:00 In 1914, the Mclean Block, designed by Noffke, was built on Wellington Street. The Maclean block was originally called the Commercial Block for D.H. Maclean - Maclean was the building's patron and original owner. The two-storey brick structure spans 1008-1024 Wellington Street and consists of stores on the ground floor and apartments above.

  D.H. Maclean: Patron, Landlord

  D.H. Maclean worked as a barrister in Ottawa, and patron-ed the Maclean Block as an investment property. Maclean owned substantial residential property around Ottawa, so he also was a landlord. In 1980, a house at 61 Fairmont Street, owned by Maclean and rented to a man named Thomas Lewis, caught fire. Rumours were abound that Lewis was struggling to pay instalments for his house to Maclean, who was pressuring him for money.
  
  Lewis had added insurance to his house only 18 days before it mysteriously burned down. Consequently, many suspected the fire at 61 Fairmont to be the product of arson. After the house burned down, Lewis still owned Maclean a substantial amount of money for the loss. Lewis was eventually arrested for arson, and put on trial. After a long and publicly documented trial, he was found not guilty. Despite his innocence, his reputation remained damaged, and he held a grudge against Maclean.
  When WW1 began, D.H. Maclean enlisted in the army. In 1915, he went overseas with the military. He returned to Ottawa after the war. Sadly, the patron of 1008-1024 Wellington died in 1924.

  The Maclean Block in the Community

  The Maclean block has been a staple of everyday life for many Hintongburg dwellers since it was built. The building has always been home to many practical and necessary amenities within the community. In the year the Maclean Block was built, 1010 Wellington was known as Wellington Hall, and rented out space to clubs like the YWCA and the Knights of Columbus for events and meetings. 1016-1020 was home to Doucet and Charbonneau Dry Goods. 1024 was home to the Banque Provinciale du Canada. The apartments above housed single individuals and families. 
  
  Throughout the years, a variety of grocery stores, gift shops, restaurants, and banks have occupied the first-floor units. Today, you can visit the Maclean Block to enjoy a hot cup of coffee at Bridgehead or drink a cold glass of beer at the Hintonburg Public House.

  The Mysterious Third Floor

  If you compare the Maclean Block today to Noffke's architectural drawings of the building, some differences can be seen. Most obviously, Noffke designed the Maclean Block as a three-storey building. Why this third storey is not a part of the current building is a mystery. Many sources on Noffke's architecture never mention a third storey of the Maclean Block, referring to it only as a two-storey structure. Some sources leave out information regarding the number of storeys all together. One source even mentions a fourth storey! The roof of the Maclean Block is also different today than as appears in Noffke's drawings. Today, the roof is flat with a straight edge, as opposed to the undulating roof designed by Noffke in 1914. There are also fewer windows that Noffke's drawing shows. Those that adorn today's building are oriel windows - protruding tripartite windows - while Noffke's windows appear flat with balconies.
  
  It's hard to say why all of these changes were made. Most likely, Noffke's design was too expensive, and it was simplified for financial reasons. However, it's also possible that the many fires the building experienced throughout its lifetime played a role in its structural changes. Let's dive into those fires and explore how they affected not only the Maclean Block but the entire city of Ottawa.