Greenshields Building (West)

J.M. McLuckie constructed this former warehouse in 1901-02 as two separate buildings designed to appear as one.

Greenshields, Son & Company was a prominent Montreal-based dry goods firm, which opened its first Vancouver outlet in 1888. By 1907 they were the country’s largest supplier of both imported and domestic dry goods. The east half of the building was originally operated by Kelly, Douglas & Company, a successful wholesale grocery firm.

Architect James H. Cadham likely designed this building (he designed Greenshield’s warehouse in Winnipeg in 1903). The Greenshields Building was designed in the commanding Romanesque Revival style, with arched windows on the third floor and decorative carved sandstone capitals topping the lower stone pilasters.

In 2004 the west half of the building was rehabilitated and a new top floor was added, set back from the street facing. It is one of the few residential conversions on Water Street.

Source

City of Vancouver Heritage Program, Canada's Historic Places, Changing Vancouver wordpress

More information

http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=2555