The Army & Navy’s former complex uniquely punctures through the city block, fronting both West Cordova Street and West Hastings Street.
The larger north parcel at 36 West Cordova Street, with a four-storey building, containing over 100,000 sq ft of total floor area, was first built in 1893. It still boasts a heritage brick frontage, spanning a considerable street frontage length of 245 ft (75 metres).
However, the south parcel, a 1913-built, five-storey building at 15 West Hastings Street with about 35,000 sq ft of total floor area, has lost all of its heritage value over the years due to decades-old retrofits that removed the original facades. Currently, this smaller building is leased to the municipal government and BC Housing for use as a temporary homeless shelter with a capacity for up to 60 people. The shelter opened this past spring as part of a broader strategy to end homeless encampments.