1863 Comox Street

1863 Comox Street - about 1910 - detail from postcard - Gilford Street - Vancouver BC - Valentine and Sons Publishing Co
1863 Comox Street – about 1910 – detail from postcard – Gilford Street – Vancouver BC – Valentine and Sons Publishing Co

1863 Comox Street was on the north side of Comox Street, between Denman Street and Gilford Street.

Legal Description: District Lot 185, Block 69, west half of Lot 36.

1800 Block Comox Street - Detail from Goad’s Atlas of the city of Vancouver – 1912 – Vol 1 – Plate 8 – Barclay Street to English Bay and Cardero Street to Stanley Park
1800 Block Comox Street – Detail from Goad’s Atlas of the city of Vancouver – 1912 – Vol 1 – Plate 8 – Barclay Street to English Bay and Cardero Street to Stanley Park.
1863 Comox Street and 1859 Comox Street; detail from Goad’s Atlas of Vancouver, volume 1; Plate 54 Denman Street to Comox Street to Stanley Park boundary to English Bay]; Vancouver City Archives, 1972-582.38; https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/plate-54-denman-street-to-haro-street-to-chilco-street-to-comox-street.
1863 Comox Street and 1859 Comox Street; detail from Goad’s Atlas of Vancouver, volume 1; Plate 54 Denman Street to Comox Street to Stanley Park boundary to English Bay]; Vancouver City Archives, 1972-582.38; https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/plate-54-denman-street-to-haro-street-to-chilco-street-to-comox-street.

There is one reference to this property in Heritage Vancouver Society’s database of historic building permits: http://permits.heritagevancouver.org/index.php?cID=1 [searched February 23, 2019].

District: Vancouver
Permit:
Owner: Stewart, S. D.
Architect: Grant & Henderson
Builder: Allan, J. C.
Legal Address: DL: 185 Block: 69 Sub: Resub: Lot: W 1/2 of 36
Date (Y-M-D): 1910-03-07
Street Number: 1863
Street Name: Comox Street
Value: $5,000.00
Remarks: Frame dwelling house [WP 15139 issued Apr-23-1910 to E. D. Stewart]
Reference ID: VN-3100-3101-1502

Vancouver directory listings from 1910 to 1920:

1910 to 1916 Stewart, Samuel Dinsmore
1918 Busteed, Francis Ferguson
1919 to 1920 Frind, Herbert Otto

In 1918, the contents of the house were for sale.

Vancouver Province, December 16, 1918, page 19, column 6.
Vancouver Province, December 16, 1918, page 19, column 6.

In 1929, the house was available to rent.

Vancouver Province, May 16, 1929, page 23, column 7.
Vancouver Province, May 16, 1929, page 23, column 7.

From the 1930s to the 1960s, the house offered rental accommodation.

Vancouver Province, September 26, 1935, page 17, column 2.
Vancouver Province, September 26, 1935, page 17, column 2.

 

1863 Comox Street and 1859 Comox Street; detail from First Beach, 1954; BO-54-211; http://vintageairphotos.com/bo-54-211/.
1863 Comox Street and 1859 Comox Street; detail from First Beach, 1954; BO-54-211; http://vintageairphotos.com/bo-54-211/.

 

Vancouver Sun, September 16, 1961, page 37, column 3.
Vancouver Sun, September 16, 1961, page 37, column 3.

 

1863 Comox Street and 1859 Comox Street; 1962; detail from West End from the air, Vancouver City Archives; Air P96; https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/west-end-from-air.
1863 Comox Street and 1859 Comox Street; 1962; detail from West End from the air, Vancouver City Archives; Air P96; https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/west-end-from-air.

In 1964, the lot became part of the site of a rental apartment building.

1800 Block Comox Street (north side), Vanmapp, City of Vancouver; http://vanmapp.vancouver.ca/pubvanmap_net/default.aspx. [Includes 1912 Goad’s map of Vancouver and property addresses in 2019.]
1800 Block Comox Street (north side), Vanmapp, City of Vancouver; http://vanmapp.vancouver.ca/pubvanmap_net/default.aspx. [Includes 1912 Goad’s map of Vancouver and property addresses in 2019.]

A new 12-storey apartment building on the site was under construction in June 1964. Three men were working on a construction crane when it toppled over and crashed into some upright reinforcing rods. One worker was injured.

Vancouver Sun, June 8, 1964, page 25, column 5.
Vancouver Sun, June 8, 1964, page 25, column 5.

By January 1965, the new rental apartment building was on the site. It was called “The Ocean Bay,” and the address was 1845 Comox Street.

Vancouver Sun, January 16, 1965, page 38, column 2.
Vancouver Sun, January 16, 1965, page 38, column 2.

 

1845 Comox Street; Google Streets; searched February 23, 2019; image dated August 2011.
1845 Comox Street; Google Streets; searched February 23, 2019; image dated August 2011.

 

Sources

Ocean Bay, 1845 Comox Street; https://www.emporis.com/buildings/113168/ocean-bay-vancouver-canada

Ocean Bay, 1845 Comox Street; https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=15683.