Une enclave du passé au cœur de la ville

[English translation] , An enclave of the past in the heart of the city, The Kent-Aubry-Wright area includes about fifty buildings mostly dating from the early years of the 20th century. Its heritage value is primarily based on the age and architecture of its built environment. Designated a heritage site by the City of Hull in 1991, it enjoys protection that applies to the land and the exterior cladding of the buildings. Today, the area partly reflects what downtown Hull was like at the beginning of the 20th century. Spared from the redevelopment of the 1970s, some of Hull’s most impressive constructions proudly stand there. , The Aubry House , The Aubry House was built around 1908 by Dr. Edmond-Stanislas Aubry (1860-1936). A physician by profession, he was also an alderman and mayor of Hull between 1888 and 1906. In 1944, Dr. Lionel Pichette established his residence and office there. Thirty years later, the house passed into the hands of his son, notary Gérald Pichette (1933-2013), and then to the latter's daughter, Sylvie Pichette. , Built in a neo-Queen Anne style, the residence has the particularity of having two identical but reversed facades, one facing Aubry Street and the other facing Portage Promenade. The size and height of the rooms and the use of oak, walnut, and mahogany make the Aubry house one of the most sumptuous residences in Hull. , The former Chez Henri Hotel , Built in the Château style, the former Chez Henri Hotel was erected in several stages at the beginning of the 20th century. A rare example of this style in the Gatineau area, it was designated a heritage building by the City of Gatineau in 2003. Three and a half stories high, the former hotel stands out especially for its volume, its roof pierced with dormers, and its circular tower. , Henri Burger, originally from Switzerland, bought the building in 1928. Already the owner of a restaurant and a tavern in Hull, he wanted to turn the building into a luxury hotel. In 1929, the establishment had 32 rooms, all equipped with a telephone, a rarity at the time. Henri and his wife, Marie Monnin-Burger, managed the establishment, and their reputation attracted a distinguished clientele. However, Burger declared bankruptcy on December 30, 1930, ruined by the 1929 stock market crash. Although largely demolished and then restored in 2008 and 2009, the former Chez Henri Hotel still remains today a landmark of downtown Hull. , [captions] , . Doctor Edmond-Stanislas Aubry, around 1900. He also served as alderman and mayor of Hull. , . Aubry House, 177 Promenade du Portage (1988?). , . View of Aubry Street in 1930, with the Chez Henri Hotel in the background. , . Chez Henri Hotel, 179 Promenade du Portage, between 1970 and 1980.