As described in a previous post, Strathcona was the subject of aggressive “urban renewal” or “slum clearance” efforts in the 1950s. The Vancouver City Council initially approved a plan that would have resulted in the destruction of nearly all old buildings, including the building at 823 Jackson Avenue, and replace them with rental housing. The image above illustrates a development proposal, the 1957 Vancouver Redevelopment Study, showing the complete destruction of the majority of buildings in Strathcona. Below is a newspaper clipping from 1950 describing the neighborhood as a “blighted slum”.
