Redevelopment? Closure of downtown Vancouver substations in sight

Potential redevelopments? Closure of two downtown Vancouver substations in sight

Existing condition of Dal Grauer substation at 944 Burrard Street (left) and Chinatown's Murrin substation at 781 Main Street (right). (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The end is now in sight for BC Hydro’s historic use of two sizeable properties in downtown Vancouver to fulfill critical electricity supply needs.

The utility has longer-term plans to decommission the substation in Chinatown at 781 Main Street, known as the Murrin substation — located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Main Street and Union Street, immediately east of Andy Livingstone Park, and south of Chinatown Parkade.

Also eyed for decommissioning is the Dal Grauer substation at 944 Burrard Street, located mid-block between Smithe and Nelson streets — immediately adjacent to Scotiabank Theatre and Robert Lee YMCA.

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BC Hydro spokesperson Susie Rieder told Daily Hive Urbanized both existing substations, which are aging and do not meet long-term electrical demand, will continue to operate and serve Vancouver until the mid-2030s.

In order for both substations to be decommissioned, two new replacement facilities need to be constructed.

Advanced planning and approvals have already been achieved for the new underground West End substation beneath Lord Roberts elementary school annex at Nelson Park. Construction on this substation at 1150 Nelson Street — the southeast corner of the intersection of Nelson and Bute streets — will begin in 2025 after the BC Hydro-funded new school on the Coal Harbour waterfront opens for its initial use as a replacement school facility. A new, permanent replacement school, also funded by the utility, will be built above the underground substation, at which point the new Coal Harbour school will become a net gain in school capacity.

The other new replacement substation facility will be located in the Downtown Eastside at 303 Vernon Drive — replacing existing light industrial uses near the northwest corner of the intersection of East Hastings Street and Vernon Drive. However, planning for this East Vancouver substation has not reached the same advanced stage.

nelson park west end substation vancouver

Artistic rendering of the excavation process for the underground substation at Nelson Park in downtown Vancouver. (BC Hydro)

bc hydro substations downtown vancouver map

Map of downtown Vancouver electrical infrastructure, existing and future. Click on the map for an expanded version. (BC Hydro)

Of the two substations that are set to be decommissioned in just over a decade from now, the substation in Chinatown is by far the largest in terms of its footprint. It spans an area of roughly 3.5 acres, framed by Quebec Street to the west, a laneway to the north, Main Street to the west, and Union Street and the Dunsmuir Viaduct to the south.

Rieder says the entire Murrin substation both indoors and outdoors will be decommissioned, but the building shell at the northeast corner of the lot fronting Main Street will remain.

According to Parks Canada, the concrete building was built between 1945 and 1947 as a product of the post-war boom. Its heritage value comes from the use of Art Deco architectural motifs and classical references. Moreover, it was designed by celebrated Vancouver architectural firm McCartner and Nairne, which also designed the Marine Building and the former Canada Post office (now The Post for Amazon).

BC Hydro notes that it considered building a new modern substation on the existing Chinatown site, but determined that it is not feasible due to poor soil conditions for seismic stability. The site’s renewed use for a modern substation is deemed not technically feasible and cost prohibitive. As well, the primary need for additional electricity supply has now shifted away from the Chinatown site area to the east as far as Nanaimo Street.

bc hydro murrin substation chinatown 781 Main Street Vancouver

Existing condition of Murrin substation at 781 Main Street in Chinatown. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Existing condition of Murrin substation at 781 Main Street in Chinatown, and remnants of the original Georgia Viaduct. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Existing condition of Murrin substation at 781 Main Street in Chinatown. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

As for the Dal Grauer substation on Burrard Street, its lot size is significantly smaller at just about 0.3 acres.

The three-storey Dal Grauer substation was constructed between 1953 and 1954 to meet the growth of the West End and the new Central Business District. Its design is an example of early works of Modernist architecture in Vancouver, with the Burrard Street frontage featuring floor-to-ceiling glass and steel curtain walls, according to Heritage Vancouver. During the nighttime, the interior lighting illuminated the multi-coloured backdrop as a celebration of electricity and the playful design, which was created by local architect Ned Pratt and artist BC Binning.

The glass was transparent during the building’s first two decades, but after multiple explosions, the original glass was replaced in 1977 with shatterproof plexiglass, which significantly changed the building’s appearance.

The plexiglass has since lost its transparency, the interior colours have been painted over, and for years a large portion of the centre windows has been used as a canvas for rotating murals and other works of art. Local architect Busby Perkins of Perkins&Will previously conceived a restoration plan for BC Hydro, but it has not been executed.

bc hydro dal grauer substation 944 Burrard Street Vancouver

Existing condition of Dal Grauer substation at 944 Burrard Street, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Dal Grauer substation construction in 1952. (Vancouver Public Library Archives)

Dal Grauer substation in 1953. (Vancouver Public Library Archives)

Dal Grauer substation in 1953. (Vancouver Public Library Archives)

Both Pratt and Binning also designed the adjacent 1957-built, 23-storey BC Electric headquarters office tower, which was renovated into primarily condominium uses in the late 1990s — now known as the Electra Building.

Murrin and Dal Grauer substations are named after the respective presidents of BC Electric, who were responsible for spearheading the construction of the facilities. BC Hydro as it exists today is the predecessor of BC Electric, which was expropriated by the provincial government in 1961 for its conversion into a crown corporation.

In the City of Vancouver’s Heritage Registrar, the Murrin substation is a B-listed heritage building, while the Dal Grauer substation is a top-valued A-listed heritage building. Any potential redevelopments of these sites would likely have to retain, restore, and integrate these heritage structures to a very high degree.

Rieder says there are no plans yet for the long-term future use of both sites after the substations are decommissioned.

But based on BC Hydro’s history of its methods of disposing of unused or under-utilized properties, the sale of both high-valued properties for their redevelopment potential is within the realm of possibility.

Jordan Eng, the president of the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association Society, told Daily Hive Urbanized a redevelopment of the large Murrin substation site would ideally contain a mix of housing options, including housing for low-income Chinese seniors and market rental housing.

Existing condition of Murrin substation at 781 Main Street in Chinatown. (Google Maps)

Existing condition of Dal Grauer substation at 944 Burrard Street, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The Murrin substation site is immediately adjacent to major development parcels of the City of Vancouver’s Northeast False Creek Plan, specifically a city block-sized development parcel that is currently occupied by the Dunsmuir and Georgia viaducts. The timeline of the viaduct removal is currently unclear due to the steep cost escalation of the project, including the construction of a new surface road network.

Based on the area plan, this city block immediately south of the substation and west of Main Street is envisioned to become a mixed-use development with mid-rise and high-rise buildings containing affordable rental housing, cultural and community facilities, and retail and restaurant spaces. This particular block, owned by the municipal government, will be an expansion of Chinatown oriented around its unique character, according to the area plan.

As for the Dal Grauer site, its redevelopment potential is challenged by its smaller footprint, combined with the higher heritage value of the building occupying the entire site, and potentially the municipal government’s tower separation rules, given that the high-rise towers of Electric Avenue (residential uses perched atop the Scotiabank Theatre) and the Electra Building closely surround the substation to the north, east, and south.

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