A striking Art Deco apartment building that anchors downtown Fort William, now part of Thunder Bay. Built as a luxury hotel in 1928, it has served the community for nearly a century as both a commercial landmark and affordable housing.
At a glance
The Royal Edward Arms rises eight storeys above the corner of South May and George Streets in historic downtown Fort William. Its distinctive vertical form dominates the streetscape and reflects the early twentieth-century commercial ambitions of this resource-based city on Lake Superior’s north shore.
History
Constructed in 1928, the Royal Edward Arms opened as a hotel during the height of the Jazz Age, when Fort William was a thriving grain-handling and transportation hub. The hotel thrived through the mid-twentieth century, serving travellers and business people attracted to the city’s resource economy.
The building declined through the 1970s and stood vacant until 1985, when it underwent substantial renovation. It reopened as a 64-unit low-income housing facility, transforming the structure into mixed-income residential space. The building was designated to the Thunder Bay Heritage Register in 1988, recognizing its architectural and historical importance to the community.
What you see
The eight-storey structure exemplifies early twentieth-century commercial design. Its solid mass and vertical emphasis create a landmark presence at a key intersection in Fort William’s downtown core.
Cultural significance
The Royal Edward Arms documents the commercial vitality of early twentieth-century Fort William and the building typologies that served regional economic hubs. Its conversion from hotel to affordable housing reflects broader patterns of urban regeneration and adaptive reuse that have shaped Canadian downtowns.
Key facts
- Country: Canada
- City: Thunder Bay, Ontario
- Year built: 1928
- Height: 8 storeys
- Location: South May and George Streets
- Current operator: Habib Enterprises
- Heritage designation: Thunder Bay Heritage Register (1988)
- Coordinates: 48.383, −89.245
Practical information & getting there
The Royal Edward Arms is located in downtown Fort William, now the historic core of Thunder Bay, Ontario. It stands at the intersection of South May and George Streets. The building is privately owned and operated as an apartment building; public interior access is not available.
Sources & resources
- Royal Edward Arms – Wikipedia
- Cultural Heritage Online
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