Our Missing Heritage: The buildings along West Georgia Street
November 8, 2014
From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History I came across this photo* of downtown Vancouver in 1924 while I was playing on Vancouver Archive’s site a few years ago. It took me quite a while to figure out what I was looking at. There’s the Vancouver Block sticking up in the background—you can… Continue reading Our Missing Heritage: The buildings along West Georgia Street
The Georgia Viaduct
September 27, 2014
The Georgia Viaduct knocked out a lot of buildings in 1971 including Hogan’s Alley and Vie’s Chicken and Steakhouse. Urban Renewal: The photo (above) was shot in 1971 and appears in Sensational Vancouver’s Walk on the Wild Side chapter to illustrate “urban renewal”—the City of Vancouver’s excuse for trying to demolish Strathcona and Chinatown. It’s… Continue reading The Georgia Viaduct
Mayor Gerry McGeer’s $20 Million Tear-Down
August 2, 2014
Mayor Gerry McGeer lived at 4812 Belmont Avenue in Point Grey between 1927 and his death there in 1947. At around 10:00 pm on June 17, 2022 the house burned to the ground. It was unoccupied and apparently under renovation after not getting a demolition permit. Sixth most expensive listing: As of August 2014, the… Continue reading Mayor Gerry McGeer’s $20 Million Tear-Down
Our Missing Heritage: The Theatre District
October 20, 2013
In 1913 Vancouver had a thriving theatre district that included eight movie theatres as well as stock theatres like the Pantages and the Empress——both completed in 1908. Over the years we’ve managed to pretty well destroy all evidence of these theatres—the Capital, the Strand, two Orpheum theatres, and of course, most recently the Pantages Theatre at… Continue reading Our Missing Heritage: The Theatre District
Our Missing West Coast Modern Heritage: what were we thinking?
September 29, 2013
2895 Newmarket Drive, North Vancouver: “Steps to Edgemont Village – exceptional location! This three-bedroom Hollingsworth designed rancher has incredible potential to renovate or build new on this 8050 sq. ft. lot. Classic post and beam style w/open living areas including incredible gardens, a large private rear patio off the family room featuring a built in… Continue reading Our Missing West Coast Modern Heritage: what were we thinking?
Our Missing Heritage — What were we thinking? (Part 1)
September 8, 2013
The Marine Building is one of Vancouver’s most treasured buildings, a gorgeous example of Art Deco. So why did we destroy our other one? From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History The Devonshire Apartments, the Georgia Medical-Dental Building and the Marine Building were all designed by McCarter & Nairne architects.* The Devonshire was… Continue reading Our Missing Heritage — What were we thinking? (Part 1)
The Life and Death of the Englesea Lodge (1911-1981)
March 25, 2013
From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History On Sunday February 1, 1981 shortly before 9:00 a.m., George Wright, a 70-something caretaker was working at the Englesea Lodge when he spotted fire coming from the building’s basement storage area. “There was a big boom and the fire rushed out at me. It threw me… Continue reading The Life and Death of the Englesea Lodge (1911-1981)
The Pantages Theatre
April 11, 2011
I took a drive past the Pantages Theatre at East Hastings and Main yesterday. It was pouring with rain and the Downtown Eastside looked even bleaker than normal, like something out of a Dostoevsky novel. It’s hard to imagine that this skuzzy part of town was once the central business district, but go back a… Continue reading The Pantages Theatre