This story has been updated since it was first posted (updates at bottom of page).

Since this past weekend, the heritage building has been closed and sidewalk access has been prohibited. Some of the building’s tenants initially shared on social media channels that this closure would be temporary.

This situation really started almost a year ago, when scaffolding was erected around the structure after some of the building’s brick facade fell off almost hitting someone on the sidewalk below. This was ostensibly due to vibrations from subterranean Broadway Subway boring. After this incident, sensors were applied to the building by the Broadway Subway team, as a precaution, to measure any potential movement in the structure. New scaffolding was put up about a week ago by a masonry company that was hired to do the repairs (see photo above). Why it the took building’s owners almost a year to get repairs underway, I’ll never understand.

Problems started again last Friday (February 9) when one of the masons working on the building noticed an alarming crack in the brickwork (presumably larger than the ones they were hired to fix?) which then started a chain of events involving structural engineers, the city, and the building’s closure.

The local rumour mill has been spinning ever since! Some claim that the onsite consulting engineer said that the building is condemned as it is structurally unsound. This would mean that the Vernon Building and the parking lot beside are all coming down! Another source said that this latest brick event has been over-stated as the building is constructed of reinforced concrete with a brick facade. Meaning that even though the bricks may be compromised, the building itself is structurally sound. Apparently the consulting engineer was unfamiliar with the buildings construction and also unaware that special motion sensors had been applied.

Inquiries made by one of my heritage friends to the City’s heritage department earlier today were met with no knowledge of the situation. The heritage planner had not heard anything about a permanent closure or any effects to the building structure. The fact the the city’s heritage department was unaware of any situation is either good news or very bad news indeed. (The Vernon Block is listed as a Category “C” building on the Vancouver Heritage Register).

Apparently, there is a big meeting planned for tomorrow (February 13th) where all the parties involved will be updated to the actual situation. I will update this post once I’ve heard some concrete information (no pun intended).

I’m sure the building’s latest tenant, Trees Organic Coffee, which just opened up earlier this month, is wondering what the heck they have gotten themselves into!

Time to learn some history about the subject of all this fuss. The Vernon Building, or Vernon Block (225-245 East Broadway), was built in 1930 for F.T. Vernon. It was designed by the esteemed Vancouver architectural team of Townley & Matheson. They were the team who designed another iconic Mount Pleasant building, Vancouver City Hall (1936).

The building’s original owner was Frederick Thomas (F.T.) Vernon. He emigrated (along with with his parents and siblings) to Vancouver from Liverpool, England in 1905. The family initially settled in Mount Pleasant. An active member of the local auto club, it is possible that it is his car that is seen outside his Flour and Feed store in the photo above. It is that same wood frame building that first occupied the site of today’s Vernon Building. The Vernon Bros. Flour and Feed store opened shortly after Vernon’s arrival in the city.

When the Vernon Block first opened in 1930 it was under the management of H.A. Roberts Ltd.. At that time, rents for the ground floor stores were $45 to $85 per month, that’s the equivalent of $783 – $1480 per month today.

The second floor of this handsome Clayburn brick clad building was initially much smaller; occupying approximately 30% of the floor space we see today. The remaining portion of the second floor was added at a later date.

This current situation isn’t the first time the building had “structural issues”. In 1960, a “runaway street sweeper owned by the city crashed into the front of Brownie’s Florists, 225 East Broadway” causing an estimated $2000 damage. Proprietor Boise Brown is seen in the newspaper photo above clearing up the debris.

A long-time building tenant, Brownie’s Florist occupied the storefront at the southwest corner of the Vernon Block from around 1938 to the 1990s. In their early days they were known as Brownie’s Richmond Florist. Brownie’s continue to operate in Mount Pleasant to this day, now across the street at 273 East Broadway.

For a time in the mid 2000s, the space at 225 E. Broadway was occupied by the JEM Gallery. The name JEM stood for Just East of Main.

The current upstairs tenant, Mintage Mall, occupies the space that was previously tenanted by Household Finance Corporation or HFC. You can see their neon signage on the building in the 1978 photo above. They were in the Vernon Block for over 40 years.

Along the Kingsway side of the building past occupants have included a Junior League Thrift Shop and a Radio and TV repair shop. The latter first occupied the space at 76 Kingsway as a radio shop starting in 1933. Later in the 1950s, the business expanded to include the new technology, television.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the quirkiest part of the Vernon Block—the gravity-defying parking lot that is attached to the north side of the building. Pointing out this peculiar parking lot to attendees is a personal highlight of my Mount Pleasant walking tour.

The Vernon Block (and its occupants) has been an integral part of the Mount Pleasant streetscape and community for 94 years. Let’s keep our fingers crossed it makes it to at least 95.

This post will be updated once more information is available.

Update Tuesday February 13th: Unfortunately, there has been no change to the situation. Nothing new to report. Earlier this afternoon, I walked by the Vernon Block and the construction flag people were still stationed at each access point of the building. The sidewalk and a portion of the street surrounding the building were blocked off. Hopefully there will be more to report tomorrow.

Update Wednesday February 14th: After I alerted Vancouver Sun reporter John Mackie to the situation yesterday morning, a story appeared in the Sun (yesterday evening online and this morning in print) about the Vernon Block:

Following Tuesday’s inspection, [Neil] Wyles [MP BIA] said it would still be “a couple of days” before the full scope of repairs or maintenance required would be clear. “But all indications are it is not as bleak as first thought,” he told Postmedia.

Stephanie Ip, Vancouver Sun