500 Dunsmuir Street demo begins Friday

VANCOUVER — Prep work and the demolition of Dunsmuir House at 500 Dunsmuir St. is set to take place this Friday (Jan. 17) and is expected to be complete by Monday (Jan. 20) morning.
This news comes after a resolution was brought forth by the Chief Building Official (CBO) and approved by city council on Dec. 18, 2024, declaring the building a danger to public safety due to severe structural deterioration.

“The city is disappointed that the owners of Dunsmuir House, a building with significant heritage value, neglected the building to the point where demolition became the only viable option to ensure public safety,” the city states in a release. “Property owners have a responsibility to maintain their buildings, and allowing a property to fall into disrepair and become a hazard to public safety is unacceptable. The city is exploring stronger measures to prevent the neglect of vacant buildings by private owners.”

City council had required the property owner to retain heritage features of the building, provided it could be done safely, but ultimately this could not be carried out.

“While every effort has been made to retain these features, a third-party demolition consultant experienced with retaining similar heritage elements estimated that preserving the cornice would take approximately 14 months, posing significant safety risks,” the release continues. “Based on this assessment and the imminent risk to public safety, the CBO has determined that the condition requiring safe preservation of heritage components cannot be fulfilled and the demolition must proceed without delay.”
Street closures and the setup of excavators and high-reach equipment will take place on Friday. Active demolition will commence on Saturday (Jan. 18) and will continue without interruption until expected completion on Monday morning.
The following road closures will be in place from the afternoon on Friday until the morning on Monday: