The Gordon Block: the final jewel.

The heritage building at 2-12 Downie St.,  commonly referred to as the Gordon Block, is on a five-sided parcel of land at one of Stratford's most prestigious downtown intersections. The architect of the three-storey red-brick building is unknown, but the date of construction has been traced to 1893-94. William Gordon, mayor of Stratford in 1894-1895 and 1907-1908, was the man behind the construction and planning. The unique form of the Gordon Block is the result of its location at the intersection of Downie, Ontario, and Erie streets in the heart of Stratford. Its large massing and two towers make it an urban landmark within the downtown, and its vertical character provides a unifying quality that matches much of the fabric of the area. The structure abuts a building to the south once known as the Beamish building (1888), and together they form an indoor shopping centre called Festival Square. 

The Gordon Block is representative of the early growth and development of the City of Stratford. Its construction was one of the projects commissioned by the city's first mayor, William Gordon. The building was also the last brick commercial building of the 19th century constructed in Stratford's downtown core, thus signifying the end of a period of intensive expansion and commercial development (1870 to 1900). Upon threat of demolition in the mid-1970s, the building was restored by a heritage-minded developer and now stands as one of the focal points in the downtown core. The preservation of the building's façade was historically significant, in that it launched heritage conservation practice in Stratford. 

William Gordon was the first Mayor of the new city of Stratford. Gordon Street is named after him.

Architecture

The Gordon Block is an excellent example of a late-Victorian commercial building that incorporates design influences from a variety of architectural styles. Among the most notable of the building's features are the two pyramid-capped corner towers along the main (north) façade and the intricate brick corbelling along the roofline. As impressive as those features may be, the Gordon Block is the first building in Stratford to be constructed of a cast-iron frame. Timber frame construction had been predominant throughout the downtown core in the early days of Stratford, but in 1863 a municipal bylaw was passed in an effort to reduce the hazards of fire. The adoption of a cast-iron frame not only helped to curb the threat of fire, it also expanded design opportunities by reducing the amount of space required for structural components. Given that new opportunity, the floor level of the building was designed as a solid curtain of plate glass, allowing uninterrupted views into the building from all three sides. Source: Historic Places 

The Plaque reads:   Gordon Block:  1893-94

The last significant structure created during the 30 years of building and rebuilding the downtown "in brick" 1870-1900. erected by Wiilam Grodon, Mayor 1884-85,1907-08    cast 1978