Dunn Block (1900)

Overview

Vancouver Heritage Site Finder
Photo Credit: Bob Hare

Address

1-7 Alexander St, Vancouver BC

Neighbourhood

Gastown

type

Commercial

Protection & Recognition

  • M: Municipal Protection

Description

Noble Stonestreet Hoffar, one of Vancouver’s first architects, built the Dunn Block in 1900 for Thomas Dunn, a city councillor on the first Vancouver City Council and a leading pioneer businessman.

The three-storey plus attic Romanesque revival warehouse originally housed the office of the Union Steamship Company, a hardware and ship chandlery operation. The location on the main intersection of the original settlement of Gastown, at the foot of the city’s first wharf, and fronting onto the main CPR rail yards was ideal for business.

Dunn suffered financial difficulties after the Gold Rush, and sold the building to Boyd, Burns and Company Ltd., dealers in engineering and mill supplies. In 1907-08, a four-storey addition was constructed to the east of the building, designed by Parr and Fee.

Source

Canada's Historic Places, Exploring Vancouver, The Architectural Guide by Harold Kalman & Robin Ward

Map

Dunn Block (1900)

Directions

Directions in Google Maps

Contact

Please Share Your Stories!

Send us your stories, comments or corrections about this site.

If you have any images of this site, please share it with us!

Once you hit submit, an email will be sent to you to confirm that we have received your story submission. Please reply to the confirmation email with a few photos of this site!