Hastings Street is a major street that runs east-west through mostly east Vancouver and Burnaby but also downtown. I concentrated on Hastings from Burrard downtown to Gore, which is in the Downtown Eastside, as shown on the map. I wanted this photo tour to not concentrate on the poverty and drug addiction that has riddled much of Hastings, but on the architecture and fabulous potential the area has. Enjoy!
The lovely Marine Building, finished in 1930, is an Art Deco gem and pretty much terminates Hastings as a major street. It continues on for a few blocks as a one-lane street:
The Vancouver Club:
Another shot of the Marine Building:
A newer building on West Hastings:
Three different eras of architecture:
Brutalist? I love it though!
Some old facades are beind the hording that will be incorporated into a new tower beside the old building in the picture:
And a rendereing of said building:
Some Chicago-style architecture if I'm not mistaken:
A couple old gems line this block. From the left is The Winch Building, The Federal Building and the former Eaton's Building. That tower is Harbour Centre, Vancouver's version of the Space Needle:
Entrance to the Winch Building:
Canada Line Sky Train subway construction. That's Hastings Street that crosses over top:
Bank of Commerce Building, occupied by Birks Jewlers:
New & old:
I bet there's a nice old building hiding under that hideous metal:
Recently repainted:
Looking back down Hastings, towards the West:
Looking East down Hastings. That building under construction is the Woodward's development which is expecting to jumpstart a revitalization to the Downtown Eastside:
The wonderful Dominion Building which at one point, was the tallest in the British Emprire:
Another look up at the Dominion Building:
Ground-level of the Dominion Building:
Victory Square Park:
The building in the forground is the newly restored Flack Building, with the Woodwards tower looming overtop:
Entrance to the Flack which had been covered up from past bad renos. Too bad it's already graffitied...grrr:
Looking West again:
Ground level of the Woodward's project:
One of the only older buildings in decent shape in the area:
The original building of the Woodward's department store (the rest was imploded) will be restored:
Old ghost sign:
More Woodward's retail, just off Hastings:
The Woodward's tower, taken from Cordova, the next street North of Hastings:
An abandoned building used to stand here but caught fire in the winter. Hopefully there are plans to fill in the gap:
Some new construction along Pender, the next block South of Hastings:
Save-On Meats:
This blue Army & Navy Building at one point was an ornate Edwardian building:
Pigeon Park:
Looking East down Hastings from Carral:
Another look at Pigeon Park:
The building on the right is undergoing a restoration which includes adding the cupola on the corner once again:
Some wonderful old neon signs still dot the streets:
Some new construction on Hastings:
Facing East up Hastings:
One of Vancouver's oldest wood commercial buildings, built after the 1886 great fire:
Former vacant lot turned into a community garden:
At the corner of Hastings & Main:
Another Splendid sign:
The pink-ish lower rise building is the Pantages Theatre which will be undergoing restoration:
Hastings & Main again:
The Carnegie Centre, also at Hasting & Main now houses a community centre for the Downtown Eastside:
The Ovaltine Cafe, another Vancouver institution:
And has a great sign out front:
Looking further east up Hastings: