Historic c.1912 Shaughnessy Mansion Built For former Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Reduced To $16.888-Million

3333 The Crescent (Formerly 1402 McRae Avenue), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6H 1T6

Update June 2017: Reduced to $16,888,000 CAD Update April 2017: Reduced to $17,888,000 CAD An historic First Shaughnessy Tudor mansion with a storied past dating back to c.1912 is currently on the market in Vancouver, BC for $18,880,000 CAD $17,888,000 CAD $16,888,000 CAD. The imposing Tudor manor was built in 1912 by acclaimed Canadian architects Samuel Maclure and Cecil Fox for Walter Nichol, one of the original owners of the Province newspaper and a former Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, on a substantial lot along First Shaughnessy’s coveted The Crescent.  In 1924 Nichol sold the estate to William R. Wilson, who made his fortune in mining, and following his death the property was sold once more in 1939 to the Bentley family, who retained it until 2005 when it was sold for $7,000,000 CAD to developer Arthur Bell. A Vancouver Sun article from 2005 reveals that the Bentley family had kept the home as original as possible, stating, “It’s like a time capsule to 1912. It retains its original kitchen cupboards in the pantry, it still has a working dumb waiter that goes to the third floor, and it even has the original central vacuum system in the basement, not to mention the original tub and pedestal sink.” Just a few years later, Bell applied to city hall to rezone a substantial 2.3-acre section of the estate to build 16 townhouses with a 41-car underground garage on the property, and in return the house would receive a Heritage A-list designation protecting it from future alteration. Despite outcry from local residents, the project went ahead and the original backyard of the Nichol House was subdivided and developed. 

The remaining 1.04-acre estate, including the historic Nichol House, went on sale again in 2014, this time for $13,680,000 CAD, and again in 2015 for $14,680,000 CAD.  The property then changed hands once again, this time to investor Gang Yuan, who purchased it for an unknown amount. Yuan was found murdered in 2015 in his West Vancouver, BC home, he never moved into the Nichol House. A lawyer for the family of the victim stated the murder was motivated by financial greed. Throughout the years of different ownership many of the once regal and ornate interior details have been stripped and altered, it’s unknown when or who made these poor decisions. The home’s formal library had two windows removed, extensive glass cabinetry taken out, beamed ceilings brought down, and a beautifully unique fireplace altered, while the dining room saw a similar fate, also losing its beamed ceilings, and ornate fireplace surround. In more recent years the historic manor has remained empty and unused, like many of Vancouver’s heritage homes. The substandard listing photos show off gorgeous herringbone hardwood flooring in need of refinishing, carpets in need of replacing and ceilings with damage. If any house in Vancouver deserves to be restored and given its soul back, it is this one, but at the newly discounted price of $16,888,000 CAD, it’s unlikely. Nobody knows what the future holds for the historic Nichol House, we can only hope somebody with the funds and architectural interest will purchase and restore it to its formal glory. *All vintage photos Copyright to Maraquita Walters.