Ever wanted to know more about the buildings that make Gastown such a beautiful neighborhood? We did too. With the help of the Gastown Business Improvement Society and the Vancouver archives you can now learn about each building in Gastown. The Landing is the first in a long Building History series to be profiled. Enjoy and keep posted for more history from the Gastown Blog.

The Landing - 375 Water Street

Built: 1905
Architect: W.T. Whiteway
Architectural Style: Edwardian Commercial
Renovated: 1988

This warehouse building, originally known as the Kelly Douglas Building, characterizes the general history of wholesaling in Gastown.  In 1896, Frank Douglas and Robert Kelly started a wholesale grocery business, known as the Kelly Douglas Company, to take advantage of the city’s importance as a distribution and shipping point between Europe, Eastern Canada and Asia.

Mr. Kelly was short, stocky, brusque and outspoken. With him business was business.  He met his obligations and demanded that others do likewise.  Mr. Douglas on the other hand was inclined to be easy going.  He was a good business man, keen and alert for opportunity but invariably cheerful and tactful.

The Kelly Douglas Co. prospered supplying prospectors with provisions during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898.  To meet the stiff competition of long established Seattle and Victoria merchants in the Yukon, Mr. Douglas decided to cover the gold mining centres himself.  Each summer he would travel north for several months.

In August 1901, after two months in Dawson City, he started back to Vancouver with his order book full.  He sailed on the ‘Islander’ and on August 15^th, 1901, at 2:00am, six miles northwest of Juneau in Lynn Canal, the ship struck a submerged iceberg.  Forty of the passengers drowned including Frank Douglas. Stories were current at the time of his death that between $50,000 and $60,000 was lost with him.  It was related that he had secured the gold in his clothing before he drowned.  His brother Edward succeeded him in the firm.