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 Holland Block, home to  One of a Few, Two of a Few, and Shine Nightclub. Check out our previous Building History posts on the Hotel Europe, the Landing, Leckie Building and Hotel Dominion.

The Holland Block – 354 Water Street
Built: 1891-1892
Architectural Style: Victoria Italianate

Holland Block. Photo Credit of Vancouver Public Library no.19846. Year 1892

The Holland block is a flatiron Victorian Italianate masonry building constructed in 1891-92 for James M. Holland, a Vancouver real estate developer.

It is built on a triangular lot at the junction of Water and Cordova streets. This unusual lot shape was created when the subdivisions adjacent to the original 1870 Granville Townsite were created. Until the north side of Water Street was filled in at the turn of the nineteenth century, the Holland block would have faced the waterfront across the street. The wedge-shaped lot allows street-level retail stores access to two street frontages, both Water and Cordova Street.

Holland Block. Photo Credit of City of Vancouver Archives: STR.P.251,N.160. Year 1895

The repetitive bay windows of the Holland Block provided increased light and space and are evidence of the influence American architecture had on Vancouver. In the case of the Holland Block, the bay windows were derived from buildings in San Francisco.

Holland Block. Photo Credit of City of Vancouver Archives: STR.P.28,N.336.

Ground floor cast iron columns, manufactured by B.C. Ironworks enabled large storefront windows which maximized merchandising display space and also took advantage of natural light.

Holland Block. Then and Now.