We saw the story of the early days of this building in the previous post. Developed as the Quadra Club in 1929, designed by Sharp and Thompson, the club ran into financial difficulties, were unable to pay their property taxes, and the building was auctioned off. The club moved to cheaper premises, and this building continued as the Moose Lodge, (moving here from Burrard Street). Dances and events continued to be run by other organisations, as they had under the previous ownership.
The Quadra had always have female participation in many of their events, but The Women of the Moose took that further, with practice and posture classes and tea and sale afternoons. There were dances and socials throughout the war, with modern and old-time dancing. In 1945 the Divine Science Church met here on Sunday evenings. In 1947 there was a dance to raise funds for the gymnasium of the Loyal Protestant Home for Children, featuring the Len Holland’s 15-piece Accordian Band, as well as a comedienne, a concert violinist, a soprano, and a 30 voice male choir. We assume the Moose lodge found these premises less than ideal as in 1948 they moved to a new Lodge on Howe Street that had cost $100,000.
In 1948 The park Board acquired this building, which became known as the Theatre Under the Stars building, and also home to the BC Institute of Music and the Youth Symphony. Societies like the Gaelic Society continued to hold concerts and dances in the premises, but in 1950 it was sold to the Federal Governmnet for $160,000 to become home to the Royal Canadian Air Force Reserve. That lasted until 1957, when the Department of Defence evicted the Air Force and leased the building at $1,000 a month to a newly reformed University Club. After spending $100,000 on renovations the club opened in 1958. Gentlemen could use the entire club premises (very similar in use to its Quadra days), but ladies were permitted to use the first floor. There were 275 members who had paid $600 each, and $150 a year fees.
The premises weren’t leased out to other organisations, so continued as a private club. In 1987, with declining membership, the club closed, merging with the nearby Vancouver Club. BCE Development Corp bought it and hired Richard Henriquez to design a replacement office building, but it was never built. Instead, in 1996 the Terminal City Club moved in while their adjacent premises were redeveloped.
In the early 2000s (when we shot this image), it was the sales office for the Shaw Tower, but was redeveloped as an office building in 2014. The MNP tower was developed by Oxford Properties, who co-own it with the CPP (and the adjacent Marine Building and Guinness Tower). The facade of the club was retained and incorporated into the building, home to a lawyer, a mining company, a real estate business and accountants MNP. Designed by the San Francisco office of KPF, it won numerous accolades, including a heritage preservation award.
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Changing Vancouver 