The Canadian Fairbanks Building (Also known as the Mclennan & McFeely Building): 111 Water Street
Built: 1905
Architectural Style: Edwardian Commercial
Architects: William Tuff Whiteway & Edward Evans Blackmore
[VPL6717] 1905 Looking West from Abbott & Water Street
The Canadian Fairbanks Building is a three-storey masonary commercial building located on the North East corner of Water and Abbott Street. It was originally built for hardware merchants McLennan and McFeely Street.
The building was leased to the Canadian Fairbanks Company which was the largest machinery and mill supply company in Canada. This reflects the growing importance of the resource industry in B.C. and the need for large-scale supplier machinery and equipment to B.C.’s logging and mining industry.
[VPL 10549] 1930 When the building was occupied by Thompson Elliott Limited.
Like many of the buildings on the North side of Water Street, the Canadian Fairbanks building was built on piles on in filled water lots. By the 1980’s it’s foundations had decayed to the point where collapse was inevitable. Extensive renovations in 1987 reclaimed the nearly condemned building for office and retail use.
Today, the ground floor of the Canadian Fairbanks building is home to the Aveda Institute – www.avedainstitute.ca
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