55 Nassau Street

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Designed by architect Graham Lount for the Lount Corporation, there were many ways to market 55 Nassau Street following its 1970 opening. The most immediate, and visible, talking point was its height: standing at a grand 109 meters tall, it was the tallest apartment building in Western Canada at the time. The 30 storey apartment complex was pitched as being a “posh address” by the Winnipeg Free Press, with suites ranging from $108 for a one bedroom to $400-$800 for a penthouse.

An advertisement in the Winnipeg Tribune in 1971 boldly proclaimed “Life Begins at 55” and detailed the many amenities found within at the time. These included grocery and gift shops, a hair salon, a dry cleaners, banking services and a heated indoor pool. Building management was even hiring hostesses to provide “leisurely and informative tours” (Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 1975-09-26, pg 109).

This purported luxury carried through as 55 Nassau Street was converted into condominiums in 1979. “Your new lifestyle begins when you decide to become an owner at 55 Nassau Street,” a 1979 Winnipeg Daily Tribune ad boasts, before carrying on to offer in-house interior decorating services for those who purchased unfurnished condos.

55 Nassau is constructed of brown brick with vertical concrete (now-painted) bands to emphasis the building's height. There are a series of projecting balconies on several of the floors, with pierced metal fronts. Though 55 Nassau Place may no longer be the tallest apartment tower in Winnipeg, it is still a bustling residential complex in Fort Rouge.