Here’s the same street that we looked at in the previous post just fourteen years later (in 1902). There’s been extraordinary change in that relatively short period. On the extreme right hand edge McDowell, Atkins and Watson have had John Parr design a building that’s still there today (as the Cambie Hostel and bar). Next door is a building from 1888, occupied here by James Rae’s boot and shoe store, that had been built in time to show up in the previously posted 1888 image.
There’s a two storey building next to the telegraph pole that also pre-dates 1888; next door is a 2-bay building that was built in 1889, the Grant Block at 148 Cordova. Beyond that is the building designed in 1887 by T C Sorby for the Hudson’s Bay Company – although by the time this picture was taken they had already moved up to a new Granville Street location.
Towards the end of the block (about where the Woodwards pedestrian bridge crosses the street these days) McLellan and McFeely, who would later build some impressive warehouse buildings, built premises for themselves on Cordova in 1891. The Daily World reported “This is one of the most enterprising firms in the city, as well as being the leading in its line. They are wholesale and retail dealers in and carry a complete assorted stock of hardware, paints and oils mantles, grates and tiling, gas fixtures and lamp goods, plumbers and tinners’ supplies, stoves and house furnishings, and are manufacturers of galvanised iron cornices, hot air furnaces, ate. They also do plumbing and gas fitting. The building they occupy, at 122 Cordova street, is owned and was built by the firm and is two stories in height, each floor ’25 x 132 feet.”
We’ve looked at the buildings on the left in an earlier post: the Whetham block built around 1889, designed by N S Hoffar and the Savoy Hotel, built as the Struthers Block, which was also completed in 1889 and also designed by N S Hoffar.
Today it’s a virtually windowless telecoms hub, while on the right the Woodwards development with its 43 storey tower has transformed the neighbourhood.
Image source: City of Vancouver Archives CVA 2 – 143
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Changing Vancouver 