Downtown Victoria Tour
Yates Street – 700 Block
The 700 Block of Yates Street is a one way street running east to west between Blanshard Street on the east and Douglas Street on the west.
It features several historic buildings, a theatre and some worthwhile and interesting shops and restaurants.
Here is a map showing the location of the 700 Block of Yates Street:
Here is a Google Street View image showing the 700 Block of Yates Street:
Yates Street – 600 Block continues
Douglas Street intersects
Here are some sights which are worth checking out in the 700 Block of Yates Street:
ScotiaBank at 702 Yates Street, built in 1923 with additions in 1963.
702 Yates Street / 1301-1309 Douglas Street
702 Yates Street / 1301-1309 Douglas Street was built for the Bank of Nova Scotia in 1923 by architect Alfred Arthur Cox (1873-1944).
It has been the downtown Victoria branch of Bank of Nova Scotia, now known as Scotiabank, ever since.
1225 Douglas Street (at Yates Street) – Bank of Montreal
1225 Douglas Street (at Yates Street) was built in 1907 by architect Francis Rattenbury for the Merchants Bank of Canada.
When the Merchants Bank of Canada was taken over by the Bank of Montreal in 1920, this building became the downtown Victoria branch of the Bank Montreal and has remained so ever ever since.
Bank of Montreal, 1225 Douglas Street. Built in 1907 by architect Francis Rattenbury for the Merchants Bank of Canada
718 Yates Street. Designed in 1913 by architect George C. Mesher as the Metropolis Bulding.
706-718 Yates Street was built in 1913 by architect George C. Mesher and opened as the Metropolis Hotel.
It was a hotel under various names until the 1980’s, when it was converted into its present configuration as an office building. The present exterior has been significantly changed from its original appearance.
709-715 Yates Street
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719 Yates Street – Finch Building
The Finch Building at 719 Yates Street was designed and built in 1910 by architect David Cowper Frame for the firm of Finch & Finch which ran a clothing business. It has been used continuously for commercial purposes since 1910.
719 Yates Street is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Finch Building.
721 Yates Street was originally designed in 1909 as a commercial building for the Victoria Building Company but was sold during construction and converted into a hotel on the upper floors with the main floor at street level divided into retail space. It was operated as the Portland Hotel.
This building is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places under the name Portland Hotel.
It is now called The Churchill and is presently configured as commercial space on the main floor with apartments on the upper floors.
727-729 Yates Street was designed and built in 1897 by architect John Teague as an investment property for Dr. F.W. Hall.
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
780 Yates Street – Odeon Theatre
The Odeon Theatre, 780 Yates Street, was built in 1948 by Vancouver architect Henry Holdsby Simmonds (1883-1954) for Canadian Odeon. The Odeon is still being used as a movie theatre.
The Odeon Theatre is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places, which considers it a leading example of Steamline Moderne architecture in Victoria.
749 Yates Street and 753 Yates Street (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)
784 Yates Street and 788 Yates Street. This small utilitarian building dates from the early 20th century (and possible earlier) and has always contained two shopfronts.
784 Yates Street / 788 Yates Street
This small utilitarian building containing 784 Yates Street and 788 Yates Street dates from the early 20th century or possible earlier.
Throughout its history it has always contained two shopfronts.
759 Yates Street – Dominion Rocket Apartments
759 Yates Street is now the Dominion Rocket apartments.
It was originally built in 1890 by Stephen Jones as the Dominion Hotel. Several additions to the original Dominion Hotel brought the building to its present size.
This building was operated as a hotel under the names Dominion Hotel and Hotel Dalton until being converted into the Dominion Rocket apartments.
The Dominion Rocket, 759 Yates Street. Originally built in 1890 as the Dominion Hotel
The Carnegie Library, 794 Yates Street. Built in 1904 by architects Thomas Hooper and C. Elwood Watkins with a grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.
794 Yates Street – Carnegie Building
794 Yates Street.was built in 1904 by architects Thomas Hooper and C. Elwood Watkins, with a grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, as Victoria’s Public Library.
It remained Victoria’s Public Library until the 1970’s when the building was sold to a credit union, which used it as its downtown Victoria branch. It is now an office building.
Here are links to some historic photos of the 700 Block of Yates Street:
- BC Archives photo G-06065 – Dominion Hotel, 1925
- BC Archives photo I-26512 – 1946
- BC Archives photo I-26513 – the Metropolis Hotel and Bank of Nova Scotia, 1957
- BC Archives photo I-26510 – ScotiaBank, Hotel Yates, 1975
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