Former Halifax Alehouse Building Recommended for Heritage Registry
The Halifax Regional Municipality's heritage advisory committee has recommended adding the former Halifax Alehouse building at 1717 Brunswick Street to the heritage property registry, following a reversal by its new owner, Ramia Group, which had initially sought demolition.
A municipal committee is recommending that the downtown Halifax building that once housed the Halifax Alehouse be added to the heritage property registry. The structure, located at 1717 Brunswick Street, was constructed between 1893 and 1895 and designed by local architect Henry F. Busch.
The Halifax Alehouse closed in 2024 after a bouncer employed by the venue killed a patron on Christmas Eve 2022. The building sat empty for nearly two years before being sold to Ramia Group. In 2025, the new owner applied for a demolition permit, prompting a petition from the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia. Ramia Group later changed course and applied for heritage status for the building earlier this year.
On Wednesday, the Halifax Regional Municipality's heritage advisory committee voted that the building meets heritage criteria. The committee evaluated the property based on age, historical importance, architectural merit, and relationship to the surrounding area. Over the last 130 years, the property has housed bars, a printing company called Atlantic Printing Ltd., an abstinence club, and the Salvation Army.
The two-storey brick and beam structure features a heavy timber frame and load-bearing brick walls. A report noted the building's Italianate-style characteristics, including brick string courses and a central pair of round-headed windows. Tyler Brothers, chair of the heritage advisory committee, described the building as a rare example. Coun. David Hendsbee stated that the building is a great candidate for preservation with heritage status.
The committee’s recommendation will be considered by regional council at a future date.