Demolished 1911 Rounsefell House to be Rebuilt in First Shaughnessy

First Shaughnessy, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

It’s been five years since a suspicious fire ravaged one of the oldest homes in Vancouver, British Columbia’s historic First Shaughnessy neighbourhood. Rounsefell House, designed by acclaimed architects, MacLure and Fox, and built in 1911 for Francis William Rounsefell, extended 11,415 square feet with 8 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. Purchased in 2012 by the current owners, the historic home had been left vacant for several years. Following the extensive fire, Global News reported, “the City of Vancouver twice told the owners to install weather-proofing tarps over the home, but they didn’t comply.” This effort was to prevent further damage to the structure. A January 2019 article from CTV News revealed that the City of Vancouver petitioned the British Columbia Supreme Court to force the owners to repair the property. After numerous reports by WorkSafe BC and engineers over several years, the City of Vancouver dropped the case, and as reported by The Globe and Mail, demolition would be approved as long as the new house would be a replica of the original Rounsefell House. As of November 2022, the Heritage-A Listed Tudor Revival has been reduced to a pile of rubble, as reported by The Globe and Mail, ending the multi-year conflict between the homeowner and the City of Vancouver. The owners submitted a development application in September 2022, which is still pending approval. An old listing described the Tudor Revival as being sophisticated and exuding elegance, warmth and character. 

1 of 9