The Remington Group proudly accepted an Award of Excellence for the restoration of the Alexander Bradburn House at Heritage Markham’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, held at the Markham Museum on November 13, 2025.
A cherished landmark in Downtown Markham, the Bradburn House at 20 Mackenzie’s Stand Avenue—beside Roseberry Park—was once home to some of the area’s earliest settlers. Built in the 1850s, the farmhouse reflects the story of the Bradburn family, who lived and worked the surrounding farmland for 22 years. In 1869, the property was purchased by fellow farmer John Jacob Lunau, whose father Joachim was among Markham Township’s original Berczy settlers—further connecting the home to the region’s early development.
Architecturally, the Bradburn House is a striking example of a mid-19th century, two-storey Georgian dwelling rendered in the Ontario vernacular. Its refined symmetry, solid brick construction with Flemish bond detailing, buff brick quoins, arches, horizontal banding, and gable-end chimneys showcase craftsmanship rarely seen today. With its rectangular footprint, three-bay façade, deep eaves, half-moon attic windows, classical eave returns, and paired wooden corbels beneath the soffits, the home stands as a remarkably preserved representation of the period.
The house, however, has not been untouched by time. Mid-20th-century alterations—including white-painted brick, widened picture windows, and the resizing of the upper central window—changed its appearance. During restoration, Remington’s team meticulously removed the outer brick layer, rotated each piece 180 degrees, and re-laid it to reveal the original clay brick façade.
But the restoration was not only about honouring the past—it also quietly prepared the house for the future.
Beneath the historic structure, an entirely new foundation was constructed to support a modern addition: a fully built basement housing a Markham District Energy plant. This plant now provides heating and cooling to the surrounding townhomes, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge energy infrastructure into one of Markham’s most significant heritage assets. It is a blend of tradition and innovation—historic preservation meeting contemporary sustainability.
Today, the Bradburn House stands as a dignified testament to Markham’s agricultural roots and the determination of the pioneering families who shaped the community. Through its thoughtful restoration and forward-looking infrastructure, it continues to bridge the past and the present, inspiring future generations with both its history and its hidden modern engineering.