August 28, 2012

Conversion and Transition (cont’d) – The Orillia

Further to this post, a much better shot of The Orillia passed on by a PT reader:

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Taken in 1968, this Vancouver Archives image shows the disco in the southeast corner.  Faces, the fabled gay bar, would emerge in the northeast corner where you can see a discrete door behind the parked car on Seymour Street – back in the days when gay bars were discreetly hidden and you could park at rush hour on Seymour Street.

Though it was never grieved when demolished, the midrise commercial block to the left of The Orillia came down to be replaced by the Winners/Future Shop box.  I always thought it was a very nice example of the modernist style of the time, nicely proportioned and pleasantly coloured.  Nothing spectacular, but better than what replaced it.

Ron Chin makes a similar point in his comments about the block to the east in the photo below:

The William Farrell Building across the street – in an art deco / art moderne style that was completely destroyed by Busby & Associates when the “second skin” was added (the brick was stripped off).    The reno did improve the retail streetfront, which had previously been a high stone wall, but the art deco style was probably one of the few facades of its kind in the city.

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Comments

  1. Agreed on the old Royal Bank building on the other corner.
    I think what did it in was the grade separation of the retail space (banking hall) from Robson Street, which must have been a foot or two above the sidewalk as you headed east, probably reflecting the prominence of Granville over Robson at the time it was built.

  2. The northwest corner of Granville/Robson April 13 1969. The closing out sign on the East/West Gift Centre suggests the end is near for the 1906 Granville Mansions

    http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/uploads/r/null/9/0/901946/a17da14e-76fc-4572-a2d7-bbd2d3a54836-A21876.jpg

    May 4. 1969. Mr Jakes moved to the 800 block and continued to compete with Mr. Mikes. Replaced by…. a blank white wall.

    http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/uploads/r/null/1/2/1219745/ff31e761-bed4-42dc-a0f8-fb3ead10d2f0-2010-006.096.jpg

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