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The Central Library and the old Vancouver Post Office are two of the most distinct buildings in the city, anchoring their respective quadrants at West Georgia and Homer Streets with dramatically disparate designs. On the opposite corner is an office tower and low-rise pavilion occupied by the Bank of Montreal, bringing a glassy aesthetic to the intersection.
Before the 1985 completion of the complex, which is now managed by Oxford Properties, the site was occupied by a surface parking lot and a series of modest buildings along Homer Street. An image dated 1981 demonstrates that the Harbour Centre and the Holy Rosary Cathedral along Dunsmuir Street were once visible from West Georgia and Homer.
The office complex, designed by Aitken Smith Carter, now stands in the middle of the block, a calculated design decision to preserve views of the cathedral from Dunsmuir Street. The configuration also permitted the creation of a wide sidewalk and trees that frame sightlines of the church. A recent development application submitted to the City would replace this end of the block with a nine-storey commercial building.
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