BC Electric Building

49.281135°N 123.125233°W / 49.281135; -123.125233The BC Electric Building is a 22-storey office tower in Vancouver, British Columbia. The building was constructed as the headquarters of the BC Electric Company and was designed by Thompson Berwick & Pratt. The project's design architect was Charles Edward Pratt, who based the lozenge-shaped tower off the unbuilt Back Bay Center in Boston. In 1995 the building was converted from offices to residences and renamed the Electra.

BC Electric Building
General information
Address970 Burrard Street
Town or cityVancouver, British Columbia
GroundbreakingJuly 1955
Opened28 March 1957 (1957-03-28)
Technical details
Floor count22
Design and construction
Architecture firmThompson Berwick & Pratt
Website
theelectra.ca

History

The structure was built by John Laing & Sons in 1957[1] as the new headquarters for the BC Electric Company, under its president Dal Grauer. A few days after Grauer's death in 1961, it became part of a new provincial crown corporation named BC Hydro. The 22 story, 89 m (293 ft), building was designed by Charles Edward "Ned" Pratt. At the time it was claimed to be the tallest office building in the Commonwealth, although this was not true. After BC Hydro moved to new offices in Vancouver and Burnaby in the late 1990s, the building was sold, and in 1998, was renovated and converted primarily into residential condo space, although BC Hydro continues to operate the Dal Grauer Substation, whose space is integral with Electra.

Building Entrance
The Heritage Horns shown on the Pan Pacific Vancouver

While BC Electric's offices were in the building ten large air horns on top of the structure played the first four notes of O Canada at noon every day. The horns have since been moved to the Pan Pacific Vancouver roof. They are owned and managed by Canada Place.[2]

Early sketch of BC Electra Building by Charles Edward Pratt

See also

References
  1. Ritchie, p. 129
  2. "Heritage Horns". Canada Place. Archived from the original on 2013-04-03.

Sources
  • Ritchie, Berry (1997). The Good Builder: The John Laing Story. James & James.
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