Overview
Address
91 E 27th Ave, Vancouver, BC
Neighbourhood
Riley Park
type
Residential
Protection & Recognition
- M: Municipal Protection
Description
The Shirley Houses at 73 – 91 East 27th Avenue consist of five houses that were built on this site in 1913. They are a reflection of the unprecedented economic boom in British Columbia immediately preceding the First World War. These homes were built on a speculative basis, for rental income purposes, anticipating continued population growth in Vancouver.
The Shirley Family were the original builders and long-time owners of these houses. Isabella Shirley (1866-1937) was listed as the co-property owner when the houses were started in 1912, and her son Jame Alexander Shirley (1880-1951) was the builder. The Shirley family maintained ownership until 1962.
After more than 50 years of the Shirley family’s ownership, the homes were sold and changed hands several times. By 2004, they were rundown and in danger of demolition. The site was bough by reSource Rethinking Building, who chose to keep the historic buildings and revitalize them using green building technologies.
The design of the houses is simple vernacular, an early Craftsman style with modest front porches fronting the street. The significance is in their contribution to the collective streetscape.
91 East 27th Avenue was a stop on VHF’s 2008 Heritage House Tour.
Source
VHF Files, VHF 2008 Heritage House Tour Brochure
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