After exchanging several PM's with trofirhen about the Birks building loss and amusing ourselves with some ways it could be brought back (in part anyway) here's an idea i formulated to at least rebuild the facade of the Birks building but on a larger scale then original and a mirror image on the opposite side of the Vancouver Block, it would be great to have a single cohesive edwardian era 'style' high end retail block.
I got a bit creative with an old image from the 50's and where the birks building once was i put a low rise version that would attach on the Georgia side to the Scotia tower (not pictured but i would definitely keep the scotia tower) making the Georgia facade smaller then original but making the Granville facade much longer on the original site and put a full height facade either on a rebuilt winners/Best Buy building or new office/retail building. If they can rebuild the facade of the Flack Block in the DTES then the Birks facade should be do-able. I also found some interior shots of the Birks building in the 70's and from what i can see and from what trofirhen had heard from someone who remembers the Birks building; the interior was beautiful but fairly typical for the era and rebuilding the interior isn't as important as the stately facade was. It would be nice if they did recreate a small lobby to mimic the large original retail arcade and mezzanine. I love the staircase and those balustrade lamps.
I hacked up the image quickly on MS paint and the mirror image where the winners/best buy is should be longer to be to scale and trofirhen thinks it should be full height on both sides, to each is own, there's many variations that can be done.
Original image:
From:
http://thevisiblecity.ca/upload/ense..._granville.jpg
my quickly hacked up version (not to scale)
from:
https://imageshack.com/i/pm4dv1kvj
Some interior shots also showing the model of the Scotia Tower in the lobby of the Birks building
pics from:
http://www.michaelkluckner.com/bciw1birks.html