Sign of the Times: Vancouver’s Commemorates its History with Condos
Earlier this week I was walking past Vancouver’s City Hall when I noticed that the old White Spot restaurant across the street - one of the first in a chain of iconic family restaurants in the city - is being torn down and turned into - what else - a condo development.
But in case you forget what used to be there, the developers, Shato Holdings - who also own the White Spot chain of restaurants - have named the new condo project, “The Spot.”
Yes, there is a trend in Vancouver where clever real estate marketers name condos, and sometimes even rebuild or leave the old signage - to commemorate more historically important and interesting buildings that are being torn down. Here are some examples:
Arbutus Ridge:
Once a great old movie theatre built in 1950 (It opened with a screening of Henry V, starring Laurence Olivier, see image below), now torn down for a condo development called “Arbutus Ridge”, with a resurrected “The Ridge” movie sign.
Woodwards:
Once a great old department store, where I spent a lot of my childhood, now a mixed use condo development. Although, the new Woodwards may never have the same heart and soul of the old department store. The current incarnation, with its awesome courtyard, public art, theatre and university campus attached, is a beautifully designed building that will create history of its own.
Meccanica:
Once a spot where a boutique car manufacturer called Intermeccanica has been handcrafting replica Porsches here since 1982, now a condo development called Mechannica.
Perhaps this trend started with the horrible decision Vancouver made years ago, when it allowed a Toys “R” Us to be built where the legendary Bow Mac sign is.
According to the Museum of Vancouver, owners of a car dealership called Bowell McLean (BowMac) erected the 10-storey sign above their business in 1958. The orange sign was covered with hundreds of bulbs and neon lights. It was recognized as North America’s largest freestanding sign, and was visible from 18 miles away.
When Toys “R” Us purchased the BowMac property in the 1990s, they planned to demolish the sign. Heritage advocates protested that the Bow Mac sign was Vancouver’s largest neon sign.The sign was designated a heritage landmark in 1997.
Today, it is partially covered by a perforated metal sign with Toys “R” Us spelled in rainbow-coloured back-lit plastic letters. A perfect “sign of the times” that showcases how Vancouver values its history.
