Friday's Follies

I walked today - just like I have done most days. And I took photos and I talked with people. I met an interesting character - Crazy Frog - who guides a delivery truck through the perils of the city of Vancouver.

Doesn't he look vicious? I wouldn't want to mess with that frog - Kermit he ain't!

I was walking along Beatty Street when I happened across Senor Frog. I was taking photos of the Bowman Block.

This building was built in 1906 and was the first of a line of continuous line of warehouses in this area. These structures were designed to take advantage of the natural escarpment that gave access to the rail line.

Originally this was the local outlet for the British Columbia Columbia Soap Works and the British American Paint Company - both owned by businessman W.J. Pendray. In 1913 two floors were added to this late Edwardian style building.

Next door the Chicago based company, Crane, had this building built in 1911. It served as the local offices and a showroom for the plumbing and heating products. It was designed to unload inventory from rail cars at the rear and extends three floors below street level at the back. (I will get a photo of that another time.)

In the 1950s The Crane Company moved to a location better suited for truck transportation and this building was used for warehousing various items. In 2008 it was converted to residential. The street level display windows are in the style of 1911 and more originality has been retained with the tin clad oak entry floors, stone panel sign above and glass blocks within the sidewalk.

Interesting note. If you walk along Pender Street in Chinatown you will also have a glimpse of glass block sidewalks.

Let's head over to Granville Street now. This simple looking building sandwiched between those reaching for the sky has its own unique prestige.

The Hunter Brothers Block built by none other than the Hunter Brothers is one of the last surviving Granville Street Buildings from the 1890s. Built in 1892 for landowner Samuel Knox Twigge it was designed in the Victorian Italianate style that was a common commericial architectural style at the time. I wonder if when Samuel and Thomas Hunter built this they had any inkling that 118 year s later I would be taking photos and writing on it. Did they even think it would still be standing all these years later?

I was walking along Robson Street later, doing a bit of window shopping and dreaming of what I would buy if I could when I saw something I wanted to share.

This is a building of condos and I like the way it shines pink in certain lighting. Really makes it stand out.

I hope you find the beauty around you.



TAGS:Vancouver, Karen Magill, Bowman Block, Crane Company,Hunters Block,Granville Street,walk,history,