Opsal Steel, a prime example of early 1900's construction.
The Opsal Steel building is a landmark at the corner of East 2nd and Quebec and is a very visible reminder of the area’s industrial past. Originally the Columbia Block and Tool Company, the building was designed by T.H. Bamforth and built by Dominion Construction in 1918.
The new construction at the corners of both, Ontario and East 2nd Avenue will frame the Opsal Steel building with modern industrial towers.
The Opsal Steel is composed of a pair of long gable-roofed ranges parallel to East 2nd Avenue , made of heavy-timber frame, two storey high bays. The exterior of the building is largely original, although there have been some changes over time. Inside the building are a number of interesting artifacts related to the casting and manufacture of steel equipment for the logging industry, including a gantry crane and wooden casting moulds.
One of the mandates of the project is to salvage and incorporate the heavy timber framework, wooden siding and windows of the building into the new development. The timber frame will be documented and numbered, dismantled, removed and stored off-site. Much of the original cladding will be salvaged and reused for partitions in the interior courtyard. Historical artifacts will be salvaged and conserved for display in the building. The wooden Opsal sign will be conserved and remounted on the building as an artifact, as will the Art Moderne metal letters.
The restored building will serve as commercial space with high open vaulted ceilings leaving the thrust system exposed.
The Opsal Steel is composed of a pair of long gable-roofed ranges parallel to East 2nd Avenue , made of heavy-timber frame, two storey high bays. The exterior of the building is largely original, although there have been some changes over time. Inside the building are a number of interesting artifacts related to the casting and manufacture of steel equipment for the logging industry, including a gantry crane and wooden casting moulds. 
