Allen House

This unique Craftman Style house was designed by Frank Mountain. Frank Mountain was a British architect who came to Vancouver during WWI and opened a practice in 1919. He designed Tatlow Court and Melton Court.

The house was built in 1922 by F.G. Sherbourne for $10,000 and owned in 1924 by Mrs. Mary Allen (widow of Ira Allen). From 1926 until 1942, owners included George A Truesdell, Ken Kitamura, and Mrs. Harriet A Johnston.

Elements of the Craftsman style include an open verandah, projecting bays, groupings of multi-pane window and a steeply pitched roof with a picturesque arrangement of gales and dormers. This building is a unique combination of structural exterior granite work with long spanned lintels and broke granite in the gable and bay windows.

The house was rezoned for professional office use as part of a heritage designation agreement in 1987 and was renovated in 1991. Architect Peter Wardle saved it from demolition to be converted and rezoned to commercial office space.

Source

Henderson’s Greater Vancouver City Directories, City of Vancouver Heritage Plaque Program, Vancouver Sun article by Robin Ward