743 Keefer St

While undergoing renovations in 2023, the home caught fire and burned down.

This two storey single-family dwelling with shiplap exterior was likely built in 1901. The building has since been altered but is a good indication of early streetscape and architecture in the area. The house is first listed in City Directories in 1901 to William Doig, a caretaker at Admiral Seymour School. While Doig applied for a water permit in 1897, the building is not listed until 1901.

This block of Keefer maintained an interesting social and cultural mix of families, and 743 Keefer was home to Italian, Chinese, British, and Japanese residents.

From 1935 until their eventual internment in 1942, Itsuko, Mataichi, and J.A. Okimura lived here and ran the Nippon Cleaners at 2365 W. Broadway.

Source

City of Vancouver Directories and Vancouver Heritage Resource Inventory