The Georgia Medical-Dental Building
May 27, 2017
On May 28, 1989, we blew up the Georgia Medical-Dental Centre, a building on West Georgia designed by McCarter & Nairne, the same architects behind the Marine and the Devonshire Apartments.* What were we thinking? The Devonshire was first, designed as an apartment building in 1924. Next came the 15-storey art deco medical building. The… Continue reading The Georgia Medical-Dental Building
The Marine Building and the Little House Next Door
April 15, 2017
It’s hard to imagine today, but when the Marine Building opened in 1930 it was the tallest building in Vancouver and stayed that way for more than a decade. If you look at the photo (below), you can see that when architects McCarter and Nairne, designed it, four of the 22 floors were built into… Continue reading The Marine Building and the Little House Next Door
Heritage Streeters with Michael Kluckner, Jess Quan, Lani Russwurm and Lisa Anne Smith
September 26, 2015
Continuing on with a series I started earlier this year, I’ve asked a few friends to tell me their favourite Vancouver building and the one they miss the most. Michael Kluckner Michael is the author of a dozen books. His most recent is Toshiko, a graphic novel set in BC in 1944. He… Continue reading Heritage Streeters with Michael Kluckner, Jess Quan, Lani Russwurm and Lisa Anne Smith
Michael Kluckner’s Toshiko: a graphic novel
July 11, 2015
If you are like me and have a couple of Michael Kluckner’s books at home, you might be surprised to learn that his latest effort is a graphic novel. In his latest book, Toshiko, Michael has replaced his paint brush with a pencil, and he’s taken a leap into fiction. Turns out, Michael kicked off… Continue reading Michael Kluckner’s Toshiko: a graphic novel
The Orpheum Theatre and a conversation with Paul Merrick
August 23, 2014
A couple of weeks ago, Judy Graves, Tom Carter and I took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Orpheum Theatre. The “new” Orpheum was designed in 1927 by Marcus Priteca, a Seattle-based architect who fashioned the theatre in a Spanish renaissance style and gave it an opulent air with some sleight of hand tricks. For instance,… Continue reading The Orpheum Theatre and a conversation with Paul Merrick
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 Marine Building – Built on Rum
August 9, 2013
I thought the Marine Building was built by the Guinness family until I started doing some research on this Art Deco icon—one of my favourite buildings in Vancouver. And while the Guinness family did eventually own it, the developer was a local guy who made a fortune during Prohibition. From Sensational Vancouver Joe Hobbs: Joe… Continue reading The Marine Building – Built on Rum
The Livestock Building at the PNE
June 30, 2010
During WW2 more than 3,000 Japanese-Canadian women and children were ripped from their homes and housed in the Livestock Building in Hastings Park