Historic Vancouver Photos

[officedweller]

Excavation of the 3rd CP Station :

https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/cons...-of-third-cpr-station-site-excavation-42

Another pic of the station showing the platforms.
https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/cpr-vancouver-terminal

https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/canadian-pacific-railway-vancouver-passenger-terminal

[jollyburger]

Vancouver in the 1970s



https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/nst-5535

[officedweller]

Here's a pic of that unique retail facade on Hastings St:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXr7NkGE7pB/?igsh=dTBrNGV1N2V5NGhs

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Here's a pic of that unique retail facade on Hastings St:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXr7NkGE7pB/?igsh=dTBrNGV1N2V5NGhs

That project is still on the market the last time I checked.

Image of it under construction in 1948?

https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/corn...ngs-where-first-survey-stake-was-located

Better photo of the building



https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/neon-products-of-western-canada-tip-top-tailors-front

The store design of a Tip Top Tailor (inside an Eatons?) is also quite interesting for the 1940s

https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/tip-top-tailors-for-t-eaton-co-interiors-floors-etc

[officedweller]

That looks like a former theatre with the stairs - so could it be the Hastings store?
Was that a theatre before?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by officedweller

That looks like a former theatre with the stairs - so could it be the Hastings store?
Was that a theatre before?

No, Tip Top commissioned the design for their new store in 1948. They had been in the city since the 1920s, and this was their first purpose-built premises. They hired Charles Bentall to design and build it - he was an engineer, not an architect, and his Dominion Construction company were the builders.

I'm not sure why the Archives have the Eaton reference, but Tip Top were independent, based in Toronto. The link is to the interior of the 1948 store - it's also shown in newspaper articles from the store opening. Tip Top bought out rival tailors William 🞵🞵🞵🞵 in the 1950s and sold this building off in 1955, moving across the street.

There's a longer version of the story on the Changing Vancouver blog.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

No, Tip Top commissioned the design for their new store in 1948. They had been in the city since the 1920s, and this was their first purpose-built premises. They hired Charles Bentall to design and build it - he was an engineer, not an architect, and his Dominion Construction company were the builders.

I'm not sure why the Archives have the Eaton reference, but Tip Top were independent, based in Toronto. The link is to the interior of the 1948 store - it's also shown in newspaper articles from the store opening. Tip Top bought out rival tailors William 🞵🞵🞵🞵 in the 1950s and sold this building off in 1955, moving across the street.

There's a longer version of the story on the Changing Vancouver blog.

Such a cool design for a purpose-built retail store. I suspect most, like me, assumed it had been a movie theatre.

[officedweller]

Thanks for the info!

[jollyburger]

Moved from the Oakridge Park thread

Originally Posted by officedweller

Good point about the sequence of openings, but the bridge does provide a barrier to shopping travel.
Each of the majors - Woodward's, Eaton's and The Bay had stores at Park Royal along with stores downtown. Sears was at Capilano.
Woodward's was an original tenant on the north side (maybe involved with development?), Eaton's opened on the south side (where SportChek/Atmosphere are), and I seem to recall that The Bay may have been an addition on the south side in the 1980s (where Winners is)(before it moved to the former Woodwards on the north side).

Park Royal history:
https://shoppingmallmuseum.blogspot.com/2015/11/above-we-see-malls-south-anchor-which.html

Woodwards was originally going to relocate to the south expansion:

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/viewer...%2520BWVA%2520F060-S294-IT347.pdf#page=1

I forget if The Bay ever moved into the Eatons spot before they moved to the north mall or not.



https://archives.westvancouver.ca/link/descr42415

The Super-Valu was on the side facing Taylor Way. In the 1970s expansion Super Value relocated to the west of the Eatons. And the Bay opened sort of near where the Super Value is located but futher south next to the river/rear service road.



https://archives.westvancouver.ca/link/descr42395

High rise development that never happened at Park Royal



https://archives.westvancouver.ca/link/descr13689

[connect2source]

Amazing photos thanks Jollyburger!

You can still see The Bay building from the 1970's expansion, it currently houses Staples, Winners and Best Buy. The Eatons building became the current SportCheck location on the ground levels and The Brick on the second level.

[officedweller]

Nice, thanks!
That Eaton's of Canada sign looks like the old Brentwood signage:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/45379817@N08/7558383110

I guess those proposed highrises are on the reserve lands?

Here's one shows the Eaton's and Super-Valu on the south side.
August 24, 1964


https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

1971

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

1977
Super-Valu on the west end and The Bay being built.

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

1978
Fully wrapped by parking decks!

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)


https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

Interior pic of the north mall before conversion to a strip mall. 1972

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)


https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

Christmas decorations in the north mall. Dec. 1970

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

Interior pic of the south mall. 1972

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

Christmas decorations in the south mall. Dec 1970.

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

Construction of south mall "Winter Garden" west of Eatons between it and the new Super-Valu. 1977.
Probably demolished for the Simons wing (?).
The brutalist concrete and angles are very "Battlestar Galactica".

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

Winter Garden Food Fair 1978.

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)


https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

1980s

https://archives.westvancouver.ca/list?q...ng%20Centre%20(West%20Vancouver,%20B.C.)

[connect2source]

Wow, amazing find officedweller, thanks! Brings back some good memories!

The north mall, before the conversion, was nicer than the south mall IMO, I actually remember when The Bay was Woodward's and the present day London Drugs was Woodward's Food Floor. During the 80's and 90's, the North Mall seemed like the dominant and busier side, often parking was tough to find.

The 'winter garden' was demo'd around 2012 for the new Simons while the old Super Valu became a large Extra Foods during the 90's and 00's.

[jollyburger]

Yes the towers would have been on reserve land and were prepare for British Pacific Properties.

Seems like they were in the 350 feet range



https://archives.westvancouver.ca/link/descr13687

You can see the slanted skylights of Winter Garden in this aerial photo



https://archives.westvancouver.ca/link/descr14671

Another weird concept plan from the 1960s for a whole grid of apartment blocks (shorter)



https://archives.westvancouver.ca/viewer...%2520BWVA%2520F060-S294-IT104.pdf#page=1

Some cool looking architecture in this Nahini Project proposal with a hotel next to the river



https://archives.westvancouver.ca/link/descr42940

This plan has some shorter towers along the south bank and a pyramid-esque hotel



https://archives.westvancouver.ca/link/descr42942

[officedweller]

I wonder if the Squamish will ressurrect anything similar?

The Winter Garden seems like had a similar feel to the original layout of the Toronto Eaton Centre's "Dundas Atrium" which also has a slanted skylight with terraced plantings and restaurants below.
(It has all been filled in now)

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I wonder if the Squamish will ressurrect anything similar?

The Winter Garden seems like had a similar feel to the original layout of the Toronto Eaton Centre's "Dundas Atrium" which also has a slanted skylight with terraced plantings and restaurants below.
(It has all been filled in now)

I doubt it's a huge priority since they have so many other projects to deal with and maybe they'll wait on the mall lease to end/renegotiate to do a masterplan.

The south mall expansion seems to have been designed by John Graham Jr. from Seattle (Space Needle, Yorkdale Shopping Centre)

https://pcad.lib.washington.edu/firm/476/

[Migrant_Coconut]

I'd add that Brentwood, Oakridge and Lougheed all had preexisting SkyTrain connections - if I were the Squamish, I'd wait for the Purple Line.

[officedweller]

That originsl south mall did resemble Yorkdale a lot.