Langevin Block
50 Wellington Street
Written by Bytown Museum
on
03/Dec/2009
Completed in 1889 using New Brunswick olive sandstone, the Langevin Block was the first federal government office built beyond Parliament Hill.
Named for then-Minister of Public Works Sir Hector Langevin, the structure was designed by Thomas Fuller, the government's chief architect, who had earlier designed Parliament's original Centre Block.
The federal government's expropriation of land on which the Langevin Block was built ignited a controversy. The expropriated property had formerly contributed taxes to municipal coffers, which the City of Ottawa believed it should receive in compensation for services provided to the federal government. Today, the city and federal government continue to battle over jurisdiction and funding in the nation's capital.
This national historic site, once known as the “Southern Block,” currently houses the Prime Minister's Office and the Privy Council Office.
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