Vancouver votes to demolish 115-year-old Dunsmuir Hotel

Vancouver city council voted Wednesday to approve the demolition of a heritage building in the downtown core. The city’s Chief Building Officer (CBO) recommended the demolition after declaring the 115-year-old Dunsmuir Hotel posed a danger to public safety.

Built in 1909, the property contains 167 single-unit accommodations. The property has been vacant since 2013.

During an on-site inspection, the CBO determined that years of neglect and exposure to the elements resulted in severe water damage which has compromised the structural integrity of the building. Since the inspection, the southeast corner of the ground floor has collapsed into the basement.

But not every councillor was happy about the order to demolish the building. Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung says a number of amendments were brought forward with the passed motion to attempt to hold onto some of the heritage value.

She said a motion was brought forward “to look at closing the gap in our policy so that vacant buildings like this aren’t allowed to decay to this degree.”

“Finally I brought forward an amendment around on coming back to council on what legal options and recourse we have against the property owner which is Holborn for letting the building decay to this state.”

Holborn told 1130 NewsRadio that it purchased the property with the intention of redeveloping it.

“From the outset, we have wanted to redevelop this location into a broader vision for revitalization to the benefit of the community, and we remain committed to that. Efforts have been made continuously over the years to secure the building and preserve its viability while working on redevelopment plans, and while concepts have been put forward, progress on our plans has not materialized,” Lee Medd, Director of Asset Management at Holborn, said.

“However, we are committed to continuing to work with the city and community on a project that addresses housing needs, contributes to revitalization and safety, and respects the area’s significance,” Medd added.

Kirby-Yung said she is disappointed with the lack of progress so far.

“We want people that want to contribute economically to our city and are building great commercial buildings and great housing,” she said. “But we also want people that are going to contribute to the fabric of the city and not erase it.”