The Sammy Miller building was constructed in 1924 by one of the earliest Jewish settlers and businessmen of the area, Mr. Sammy Miller, as a retail outlet in the first major business district of the city. It was purchased in 1998 by Mr. Perry Butt and with the encouragement of the Corner Brook Downtown Business Association, he restored it as close as possible to its original appearance. The building had been re-modeled in the 70's with new brick, vinyl siding & aluminum storefronts. At the time of purchase by Mr Butt, the City was considering it for demolition due to its deplorable state. Mr Butt's approach to the re-model is the reason his project has been selected for a Southcott Award today. But it did involve several technical obstacles, such as asbestos, lead paint, as well as the National Building Code which placed restrictions on structures housing the general public. One of Perry Buttıs difficulties was in finding a heating system that would be economical to operate, yet not interfere with the historical atmosphere of the building, and he found one. The building itself was, in his view, important to Corner Brook and the problems he encountered did not deter his efforts to restore it. Not only was the building itself a challenge, but obtaining information about it was also difficult. The Broadway Business District did not become part of the City of Corner Brook till the 1940's so there was no documentation during construction or its early years of operation, with any record-keeping municipality.

The work carried out on the building included, removing all materials that were either, harmful to the environment, deteriorated or not suitable for an historically restored property. The original wood storefront with its large picture windows and small panes spanning the top were re-created with the energy efficient technology of a double glazed system. All wood siding and paneling was replaced with profile, shapes & proportions to match the original. Exterior details such as brackets and pilasters were also re-installed. The old wooden floors were restored & in-floor heating was installed so as not to be visible. The restoration has encouraged other building owners to follow suit and pay attention to the historical significance of their structures in the Broadway Business District of Corner Brook.