BC Permanent Building

CITY OF VANCOUVER

HERITAGE BUILDING

BC Permanent Building

Architects: Hooper & Watkins

This small-scale, well executed example of Neoclassical revival design dates from 1907, when the city’s financial district was beginning to shift westward. It was designed by Thomas Hooper, who also designed the Hycroft mansion in Shaughnessy, in partnership with Elwood Watkins. It was built for Thomas Talton Langlois, owner of the BC Permanent Loan Company. In 1935 the Bank of Canada took over the building and installed a machine-gun emplacement to defend an enlarged vault. The Bank remained here until 1966. The impressive interior features a large Tiffany-style stained glass dome, mosaic tile floors and a series of fine windows displaying the coats-of-arms of eight provinces, Yukon Territory and Great Britain.

Photo of the front door: http://imgur.com/RQ97EbO

Submitted byJennie Eggleston