Dunsmuir House to be demolished this weekend; expect road closures

The historic Dunsmuir House is set for demolition this weekend.

The Dunsmuir was built in 1909 as a hotel and was eventually converted into a shelter.

The 116-year-old building, located on the corner of Richards and Dunsmuir, has been deemed unsafe by the City of Vancouver.

The city says it’s disappointed with the owners of the building and says it plans to implement stronger measures to prevent the neglect of vacant buildings by private owners in the future.

The city plans to close the following streets, starting Friday:

• Dunsmuir between Homer and Seymour; and
• Richards between West Georgia and Pender.

Sidewalks will remain open for pedestrian access, and businesses in the area say they plan to stay open during the demolition process.

The demolition is expected to be complete by Monday.