Showing posts with label homes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homes. Show all posts

Friday, June 26, 2015

George William Grant




When I "discovered" the Heather Pavilion, the first thing that caught my attention was this - a statue of one of my heroes, Rick Hansen. For 17 years, it resided on the grounds of Rogers Arena but was displaced due to condo developments. Now, this sculptor by Willliam (Bill) Koochin has a new home.

I was looking for information on the architect, George William Grant, who helped design the Heather Pavilion. The biography seems to be under construction but I did find a list of places he designed. So I will list those.

The first list is places designed under the name of George William Grant alone and I am only including those in Vancouver.

CORDOVA STREET, at Abbott Street, commercial block for W.B. Wilson, 1887
EDMONDS BLOCK, Abbott Street at Water Street, for Henry V. Edmonds, 1888-89
BROWNING BLOCK, Granville Street at Dunsmuir Street, for J.M. Browning, 1894
WATER STREET, a 3 storey block for Major Twigge and E. Cook, 1895
STEVESTON, B.C., Phoenix Cannery Co., 1896-97
WEST END PUBLIC SCHOOL, Hornby Street, additions, 1897
DONALD SMITH BLOCK, Georgia Street at Granville Street, conversion and renovation of the existing building for residential flats on three floors, 1898
LORD STRATHCONA BLOCK, Granville Street at Georgia Street, remodelling and interior alterations, 1898
W.H. LECKIE CO, Granville Street, commercial block with Imperial Bank, 1898
B.C. SUGAR REFINERY CO. LTD., on the waterfront at Raymur Avenue, warehouse, 1898; with addition of a two storey office block by Grant and Henderson, 1904
HASTINGS STREET, near Carrall Street, four-storey block for B.B. Johnston and Co., 1899
HASTINGS STREET, between Cambie Street and Abbott Street, block for Johnston and Kerfoot, 1899 HASTINGS STREET, three storey block for F. Rathgeber "adjoining the Henderson Bros. Block", 1899 WALKER BUILDING, Hastings Street, "...next to the Free Library building", for Sam Walker, 1899 McLENNAN, McFEELY and CO., Pender Street, warehouse, 1900
McKAY BLOCK, Pender Street, stores and dwellings, 1900
ORMIDALE BLOCK, West Hastings Street, 1900
CARNEGIE LIBRARY, Main Street at Hastings Street, 1901-03
PENDER STREET, warehouse for J. Lewerke, located "...beside the warehouse of McLennan, McFeely and Co.", 1902
TUNSTALL BLOCK, Granville Street at Dunsmuir Street, for Dr. Simon J. Tunstall, 1902
GRANVILLE STREET, commercial block for B. Davidson "...immediately south of Ms. R. Leigh Spencer Real Estate and Mining Co.", 1902
HENDERSON BROTHERS, Pender Street, warehouse, 1902
CORDOVA STREET, near Columbia Avenue, a three storey brick stable for Atkins and Johnson, 1902-03
Carnegie Centre


BC Sugar Refinery

Here is a list of buildings designed under the name of Grant and Henderson

CORDOVA STREET, commercial block for S. Willams of San Francisco, 1903
HASTINGS STREET, commercial block for John Lewerke, 1903
MINT BUILDING, Carrall Street at Hastings Street, for Mrs. Templeton, 1903
NELSON STREET, residence for Dr. W.E. Emmons, 1903; demol. 1976
VANCOUVER GENERAL HOSPITAL, Heather Street at West 10th Avenue, 1904-05; Isolation Hospital, 1905; addition 1908; Southwest Wing, 1911
ROAF BLOCK, Richards Street, 1905
TEMPLE BUILDING, Pender Street, for Richard V. Winch, 1905
PENDRILL STREET, near Bute Street, residence for Walter H. Ker, 1905
BURNABY STREET, near Cardero Street, residence for Edgar S. Lee, 1906
NELSON STREET, residence for Almeron S. Cross, 1906
WALSH BLOCK, Pender Street at Richards Street, for William Walsh, 1906
NEW WESTMINSTER, residence for Dr. E.J. Rothwell, 6th Street, 1906
EVANS, COLEMAN & EVANS, Cordova Street, warehouse, 1906
CLARK and STUART CO., Seymour Street at Cordova Street, warehouse, 1906
GEORGIA STREET, at Burrard Street, hotel for Benjamin T. Rogers, 1906
PENDER STREET, at Bute Street, block for A.R. Stevenson, 1906
PENDER STREET, block for Dr. E. Newton Drier, 1906
ST. ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgia Street at Richards Street, additions and alterations, 1906
LIGHTHOUSE HOTEL, Cordova Street at Homer Street, additions, 1906
GAVIN BROTHERS LTD., Hamilton Street, 'near the Oddfellows Hall', warehouse, 1907
FIRE HALL, for West Fairview, 1907
FIRE HALL, for Cedar Cove, 1907
PIONEER STEAM LAUNDRY, West Hastings Street, 1907
EMPRESS MANUFACTURING CO., Homer Street at Helmcken Street, warehouse, 1908-09
FORTIN HOTEL, West Cordova Street, for C.S. Douglas and Co., 1909
ECHO APARTMENTS, Davie Street, 1909
NELSON COURT APARTMENTS, Nelson Street, 1909
1st AVENUE WEST, near Trafalgar Street, residence for Robert P. McLennan, 1909
FALSE CREEK GRAIN ELEVATOR, Front Street at Scotia Street, for A.E. Burnett, 1909
ST. PAUL'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, Jervis Street at Pendrill Street, rectory and Parish Hall, 1910-11
SILVER LEAF ROOMS, West Pender Street, 1910-11
WATER STREET, warehouse for W. and E.C. Taylor, 1911
HAMPTON COURT APARTMENTS, Thurlow Street at Burnaby Street, for Dr. E.N. Drier, 1912
MATTHEWS AVENUE, residence for Miles P. Cotton, 1912
NIAGARA HOTEL, West Pender Street at Homer Street, 1912



Finally, places designed by Grant, Henderson and Cook.


GRANVILLE STREET, near 17th Avenue, mansion for John West, 1912
WOLFE AVENUE, at Douglas Street, residence for Frank C. Taylor, 1912
KING EDWARD AVENUE, near Pine Crescent, residence for David McNair, 1912
CARTIER STREET, residence for Arthur B. Pottenger, 1912
HUDSON STREET, at Balfour Avenue, mansion for Hugh McLean, 1913; demol. 1977

As you can see, Grant was responsible for many buildings in the Vancouver area. From iconic buildings such as the Carnegie Centre and the Heather Pavilion to industrial structures like the BC Sugar Refinery to homes and apartment buildings, George William Grant left his mark on Vancouver.




The information above was supplied by the Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada website.

I hope you find the beauty around you.





Friday, August 27, 2010

The Variety Show

I went grocery shopping today and did take a few photos. But I don't have a theme to today's entry so you get a variety of things.

This building at the corner of Commercial Drive and East 1 is listed as a heritage building. I haven't found anything about it though.  A few doors down there is a vintage clothing store in what looks to be heritage as well.
Thanks tovancouverneon.com where I was able to find a little bit of information on this sign.

Star Weekly was a magazine that was inserted into papers around Canada starting around 1910. There are signs like this around Canada.

I was surprised at the lack of information on this building.

The St. Francis of Assisi Church and rectory are listed on the names of heritage buildings. However there is no plaque and nowhere can I find information on the history. A mystery. A beautiful set of buildings though.

I enjoy looking at these buildings and marvelling at the things they have seen. The events that have played out inside and around the walls. It saddens me when I see buildings that no one seems to care about any more.

This one on East 12 looks like it is there until it falls down or is condemned. And although work is being done on this one on Victoria Drive I wonder if it is just being torn down.



It would be wonderful to see this majestic building rebuilt even if it was divided into multiple units. Logically a home this big for a single family isn't feasible anymore but I feel pain as I watch it being gutted. I believe homes of this age hold many souls inside. Getting rid of them is like banishing a piece of our history.

Okay I admit that the previous paragraph was a bit dramatic. So a switch of focus. While walking one day along Prior Street I looked over and saw a gaggle of visitors.

These Canada Geese look so relaxed and maybe even a little haughty. They are a protected species due to the fact they were almost eliminated at one time so I guess they have a right to be arrogant. These stunning fowls strut and preen for viewers and remind us that very little we can create will equal the beauty of nature.

Another bird, perhaps not as awe inspiring as the Canada Goose, is the crow. I see a lot of those around and this one I was cute.

He's smart. He didn't go scrounging for food, he waited for someone to dump their leftovers in the garbage. He waited patiently until he was rewarded.

I hope you find the beauty around you. Even if it is just an old building and a hopeful crow.

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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Home Sweet Home

Last night I did a little research and found addresses for a few heritage homes in the area. My first stop was going to be at 1098 Salsbury Drive.

This grand home is named Kurrajong after bushes on the Australian sheep farm where the original resident was from. J.J. Miller came to Vancouver with his brother in 1903. This house was built for J.J. in 1908 after had and his brother had made a fortune in real estate. His brother's home was built two blocks east and named Wilga. Both brothers lost their fortunes in the crash of 1913 but their fine homes remain. Having gone through alterations and upgrades of course.

On the way to Kurrajong I passed this apartment building.


This is either an older building or one that has been constructed to fit in with the heritage look of many residences and buildings around here.

This house, across the street from Kurrajong is older. I am pretty sure about that.

The house above was built in 1908. That must have been a banner year for Grandview, that is what this area is called. And I can see why. The glimpses I get from in between houses and buildings while walking is gorgeous. Imagine what it was like over a hundred years ago when there wasn't as much in the way to block the view.


I used to live a few houses away from this building. It doesn't have a heritage plaque but it does have this.

I used to like to stand outside this building and imagine what it must look like inside. It just looks so classy and elegant. I imagined that living here would make others think I was refined. I was nineteen at the time. I still think it is a nice building though.

This alluring abode is located across the street from John Hendry Park and Trout Lake. A quiet area filled with nature's gifts. Right in the middle of the city. I don't know much about this house just that it has a heritage plaque.

Now I don't think this house has a heritage plaque and I don't know how old it is. Yet you have to admit the paint job is interesting.

I walk, sometimes with a goal in mind, and take pictures of what I see. Sometimes I am able to get information on them and sometimes not. Some things I see strike me as interesting. Like this.

This door does not appear to actually lead into a home made of grass rather a back yard. Yet when Canada and the US were first settled those gathering on the prairies didn't have access to luxuries like lumber so their houses were made of sod. The native sod of the prairies was a thicker, tougher root structure making a Soddy a liveable structure.

There are many more homes and information to pass on another time.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

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