With the help of the Gastown Business Improvement Society and the Vancouver archives you can now learn about each building in Gastown through the Gastown Blog Building History Series. Enjoy and keep posted for more history from the Gastown Blog.

In this week’s addition, we are profiling Buscombe Building, home to Brioche and Rocket Repro on the West Cordova Street side and Brioche and Cigar Connoisseurs on the Water Street side. The upper floors are offices.

Check out our previous Building History posts on the Hotel Europe, the Landing, Leckie Building, Hotel Dominion, Holland Block, Packing House, Canadian Fairbanks Building, The Boulder, Springer-Van Bramer, Ferguson Block and Winters Hotel

The Buscombe Building – 342 Water Street/403 West Cordova Street
Built:  1899
Architecture Style:  Romanesque

PHOTO: VPL 15727 – 1938. This photo shows the Water Street side of the Buscombe Bulding

This triangular shaped building was built in 1899 and has entrances on both Water Street and West Cordova Street.  The two top stories were added in 1911.  The building was restored in 1978 for office and retail use.

The façade for both the Water Street and West Cordova Street sides are Gulf Island sandstone. The stone blocks were deliberately chiseled by local masons to create a rough surface look. The entrance arches are adorned with carved capitals and interesting keystone heads. Although the smaller capitals appear to be the same, there are some subtle variations making each one unique.

PHOTO: VPL 1572A 1938. This photo shows the West Cordova Street side of the Buscombe Building

The keystone head on the Water Street entrance features Medusa, one of the three sisters of Greek mythology known as the Gorgons. Medusa is also known as the serpent goddess since her hair is made of snakes.  She was considered a “guardian or protectoress”.

Medusa

The West Cordova Street façade features two keystone heads. The one at the 403 West Cordova Street entrance is Pan, the ancient Greek god of flocks and shepherds.  He is identifiable by his horns as he is half human and half goat.  The one at the 401 West Cordova Street entrance is thought to be either Zeus or Neptune.

Pan

Buscombe (Cordova Street). Then and Now.