Monday, March 29, 2010

Demolished or Moved

To be demolished or moved, that is the question. Both are possibilities for the 1921 house built by A. A. McLean at 243 West 6th Street. The architect for the 1921 house was G. D. Curtis. He designed it for owner Alexander McLean, a compositor for the World newspaper.  The contractors that built this $2900 house were John Mclean & Sons. (City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994, page 154.) In 1925 Alexander McLean added a $100 garage. He was still living in the house in 1933. "Famous Canadian artist, E.J. Hughes (1913-2007), lived in the house with his grandfather, John McLean, and uncles, Alexander and John McLean, for four years (1929-1933) while studying at Vancouver's School of Decorative and Applied Arts."(See Link 2.)

After Alexander McClean there were a series of owners. Mrs. Mary Sloane, a widow, owned it in 1940. J. A Renfrew a salesman at an establishment at 123 East 3rd Street owned it in 1950. David J. and Vivian M. Nicoll owned it in 1971. David still owned in in 1971 and continued to work making signs at a company at 1140 Lonsdale. However in 1971 Mrs, Elsie G. Millar an accountant at Borsholt Furniture also was a resident at 243 West 6th Street. Y. Marisol lived there in 1980 and Frederick L. Willis is listed in both the 1991 and 1995/96 City Directories and year 2000 phone book.


The present owners of the 89 year old Craftsman style house are Douglas Fugger and Abigail Kinch. They purchased the heritage home in 2008 intending to renovate it. However, they couldn't reach an agreement with the city over the renovations and decided to demolish it and build a new house. After much jockeying they got the demolition permit but then came up with the idea of giving to anyone that would like to move it. Nickel Brothers house moving suggest that the price of moving it locally would be about $75,000. A final solution is hoped for by mid-April 2010. 

The quaint house with the sun room entrance hall sits on the south side of Ottawa Gardens. The front porch and door are on the left side of the windowed sun room. A living room fireplace is also evident in the photo above. There are also three bedrooms, a den, a dining room, and a kitchen with a nook.  All are wonderfully lit with many multipane windows.  To see all these lovely rooms look at the web site reference to interior photos in Link 2. Ottawa Gardens is a wide boulevard on West 6th Street between Chesterfield Avenue and Mahon Avenue. St. Edmunds Catholic Church anchors Ottawa Gardens on the west side.


Thank you: To Nickel Brothers for the information and photos on their web site-Link 2.
Photo: Taken in February 2010 by SW. There is also a photo on file at the North Vancouver Archives as part of Suzanne Wilson's Year 2000 Project, Your House/Our Home.

Link 1: http://www.bclocalnews.com/greater_vancouver/northshoreoutlook/news/82818882.html?period=W&mpStartDate=01-20-2010&
Link 2: http://www.nickelbros.com/102431.html  
Later Note: One night in May 2010 the house was moved, first to the Automall at the foot of Fell Street in North Vancouver, then on a barge, finally to its new home on a water front lot in Fanny Bay on Vancouver Island.  It was sold for $1.(Thank you to Sharon Proctor editor of the North Vancouver Museum and Archives publication  the "Express" for this information.)
2011 Note: In April 2011 Suzanne Wilson photographed the home at its new location at 301 Stern Rd., Fanny Bay.  Photographs are available on request and at the North Vancouver Archives.
Ref# 10-243-1
Located: Vancouver Office: Vancouver
Price: $75,000.
Sq feet: approx 1800 (over two floors)

Dimensions:

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms:1

Floors:original fir

Roof:asphalt shingle

Exterior:wood shingle

Heat Type:

Type: craftsman

FEATURES
This classic craftsman style house is ready for another life. Built some 80+ years ago it still stands the test of time. Upgrades yes but the overall feel of the house has remained. Two bedrooms upstairs with a master bedroom on the main floor. Check out the floor plan and make your offers today. Call for details.

House HIstory: This house was designed by George D. Curtis, Architect in 1921. The one-storey bungalow was built for Alexander McLean, a compositor for the World newspaper.
Famous Canadian artist, E.J. Hughes (1913-2007), lived in the house with his grandfather, John McLean, and uncles, Alexander and John McLean, for four years (1929-1933) while studying at Vancouver's School of Decorative and Applied Arts.
click for more interior photos
 

Ref# 10-243-1