Vancouver heritage building to be demolished this weekend

While the city had required the owner of Dunsmuir House to preserve heritage features during the demolition if it could be done safely, a third-party consultant recently determined it would pose risks.

The 115-year-old Dunsmuir building has been used over the years as a hotel, military barracks and a shelter

Michelle Gomez · CBC News · Posted: Jan 17, 2025 6:46 PM EST | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

A building is pictured with a road blocked off and large cranes in front of it. — Demolition workers at 500 Dunsmuir St. as the demolition of the 115-year-old building begins in Vancouver on Friday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Crews worked in front of the more than 100-year-old Dunsmuir House Friday, as they set up to demolish the heritage building.

Vancouver City Council declared the structure a danger to public safety in December and ordered the property owner to demolish the building, which has remained vacant for the past decade.

Built in 1909, Dunsmuir House was initially the Hotel Dunsmuir. It was later used as a barracks for sailors during the Second World War, a shelter run by the Salvation Army, and more recently, social housing.

The active demolition will begin Saturday morning and is expected to be finished by Monday. The following road closures are in effect until Monday morning:

Dunsmuir Street between Homer and Seymour streets.
Richards Street between West Georgia and Pender streets.

Sidewalks will remain open.

A black and white photo shows a standalone large building. — The Hotel Dunsmuir is pictured in 1923. (City of Vancouver Archives)

The city has also approved an exception to noise bylaws to allow the work to continue nonstop throughout the weekend.

"The City thanks residents and businesses in the area for their understanding and patience as this critical work proceeds," reads a statement from the city.

It noted efforts are being made to complete the work as planned, but said unforseen circumstances may arise and impact the demolition schedule due to the size of the operation.

Heritage features not being preserved

City council had required the owner to preserve heritage features in the process of the demolition, provided it could be done safety.

However, an update from the city last week noted a third-party consultant estimated preserving the building's front would take over a year, posing significant safety risks.

An old fashioned car is pictured in a black and white photo in front of a building. — A car is pictured in front of the Hotel Dunsmuir in 1924. (City of Vancouver Archives)

At the time of the decision, city councillors expressed disappointment in the building's owner, Holborn Properties, at the state of the building and asked staff to look into legal avenues the city could take against property owners who do not maintain historic buildings.

Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung called the issue "incredibly frustrating" and said the owners had acted "egregiously."