Big collapse risk: Vancouver orders demolition of Dunsmuir building | Daily Hive

Imminent collapse risk: City of Vancouver to order demolition of heritage Dunsmuir Street SRO building

Exterior condition (right) and the dangerous interior condition (left) of 500 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver. (ADB Structural Engineering/City of Vancouver | Google Maps)

A heritage building adjacent to the Hudson’s Bay parkade in downtown Vancouver is in such a poor condition that it must now be swiftly demolished as it poses an imminent major public safety issue.

This is the recommendation being made by the City of Vancouver’s Chief Building Official in an urgent report that will be deliberated by the Vancouver City Council for final approval in a special meeting on Wednesday. Given the highly dangerous conditions described by City staff, approval is expected.

There is a real danger of the partial collapse or a catastrophic, cascading collapse of the entire building.

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City staff are recommending that the “Hotel Dunsmuir” building be declared a danger to public safety and that the property owner be directed to demolish the property within 21 days, including the removal of the demolition debris. If the property owner fails to follow this timeline, the City will carry out the demolition on the property owner’s behalf and require the property owner to reimburse the municipal government for all costs related to hiring a private contractor.

This is the property of 500 Dunsmuir Street at the southwest corner of the intersection of Dunsmuir Street and Richards Street, and it is owned by local developer Holborn Properties.

500 dunsmuir street vancouver holborn properties

500 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

City staff charge that the five-storey building constructed in 1909 has been neglected since it was made vacant in 2013. It was previously an SRO building with 167 units of single-room accommodation.

The most glaring issue that makes this building a danger to the public is the neglect of the building’s rooftop, with the southeast and southwest corners ponding water due to a lack of maintenance.

According to the City’s findings and confirmed by third-party engineering inspectors, water has been entering the building from the ponding areas over the past 10 years, which has resulted in significant damage to the building’s wood structure.

Substantial rotting conditions can be found two to three storeys below the southwest corner of the rooftop, while the damage extends from the rooftop all the way to the basement level of the building at the southeast corner. In fact, the southeast corner’s ground level has now collapsed into the basement.

Dangerous condition of 500 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver. (ADB Structural Engineering/City of Vancouver)

“Although the floors above the ground floor are still more or less intact, the structure is extremely compromised,” state City staff.

“In buildings of this construction type, the exterior masonry walls are supported laterally by the floor framing. Because of the extremely deteriorated and weakened state of the structure in the southeast corner, the walls there are not laterally supported.”

In addition to a significant portion of the wooden structure, there is pigeon guano inches deep in some areas, fallen plaster, and broken windows. As well, the sprinkler and fire alarm systems no longer appear to be operable.

City staff note that they were aware of the building’s deteriorating condition, but the full extent of the damage only became evident recently, at which point they immediately conducted inspections, hired third-party experts, and began to take urgent actions to protect public safety.

“This is incredibly frustrating and disappointing that Council are being put in the position of being asked to vote on the demolition of a heritage building that was built in 1909,” wrote ABC city councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung in a post on X this afternoon, in reaction to City staff’s released report outlining their urgent recommendations.

“We have such little remaining heritage this makes me angry. I’ll be asking a lot of questions at Council to get the full facts.”

Dangerous condition of 500 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver. (ADB Structural Engineering/City of Vancouver)

The building was originally designed by Parr & Fee. Initially used as a hotel, it was later used as barracks for sailors during the Second World War. After the war, it was converted into a hostel to help meet the housing needs of returning soldiers before being taken over by the Salvation Army for use as a men’s shelter and, more recently, as social housing.

For over a decade, Holborn Properties has been eyeing a redevelopment of the Hudson’s Bay parkade, with 500 Dunsmuir Street preserved, restored, and integrated as a heritage component of a wider mixed-use development of most of the city block.

Holborn Properties previously privately held an international design competition for the city block’s redevelopment, but the developer has yet to advance on this project opportunity. Some previous concepts envisioned reusing 500 Dunsmuir Street as a hotel.

“We acknowledge the recommendation put forward today by the Chief Building Official to Vancouver City Council regarding the demolition of 500 Dunsmuir Street and are committed to acting responsibly in the best interests of public safety, the community, and the future of this site,” said Lee Medd, Director of Asset Management for Holborn Properties, in a statement today to Daily Hive Urbanized upon inquiry.

“We have long held intentions to redevelop this location, which have included extensive discussions with the City, incorporating 500 Dunsmuir Street into a broader vision for revitalization to the benefit of the community. We remain committed to this process.”

hudsons bay parkade holborn group vancouver mad architects

Artistic rendering of a concept for the Hudson’s Bay parkade redevelopment in downtown Vancouver. (MAD Architects/Arc Shadow)

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