One of Vancouver’s oldest and most beautiful mansions – Gabriola House, is on the market for $10 million. The 114-year old, 17,327 square foot mansion sits on a large 0.60-acre estate with 198′ of frontage along Davie Street & 131′ of frontage along Nicola Street. The lavish Victorian home was built in 1900 for Benjamin T. Rogers, the founder of Rogers Sugar, and was designed by famed New Westminster architect Samuel Maclure.
The estate originally spanned an entire City block and included stables, greenhouses, and several outbuildings. The mansion has also housed a handful of restaurants including Hy’s Mansion and Romano’s Macaroni Grill however it has remained vacant since 2008.
The former home of the “Sugar King” as well as Hy’s Mansion, was completely renovated in 1979, including restorations, the installation of modern sprinklers, new heating & air conditioning systems and other work to meet City requirements.
“It was described as probably the most lavish private home ever constructed in British Columbia. The stonework comes from Gabriola Island and the stained glass was designed by James Blomfield. It’s pretty special and important as far as we’re concerned.”
The the property listing (three-storeys plus basement) boasts an elaborate terra cotta fireplace in the main hall carved by master carver John Bruce (known for creating the stone lions guarding the Vancouver Court House) and woodcarvings in the billiard room by Edward Baston.
Ghosts of Vancouver reports sightings of apparitions on the estate, and legend has it that there’s an underground tunnel that once connected the mansion to a nearby club, the tunnel was used for bootlegging and prostitution running during Vancouver’s prohibition era. Ghosts or no ghosts this is still a very special property.
