Astoria Hotel Sign

What started as a humble apartment building, originally known as the Toronto House Apartments, quickly became a significant landmark in Vancouver’s history. Developed by R.A. Wallace in 1912, Astoria’s journey began with a mere $53,000 building permit. Designed by Braunton & Leibert and constructed by Allen & Jones, it initially housed working-class tenants like dock workers and loggers.

In 1950, under the management of Alex Bayer and William Sawchuk, the Astoria Apartments transformed into the Astoria Hotel. The renovation brought a neon sign, split beverage rooms, and a 50-car parking lot to accommodate the 88 rooms. The hotel’s new identity quickly became a hot spot, though not always for the right reasons.

In 2005, Astoria was the subject of an undercover police sting. The investigation revealed not just drug dealing and welfare fraud but also substandard living conditions. Yet, despite its challenges, Astoria has continued to thrive, hosting events like Coffin Club, The Dark Eighties, and the infamous Rent Cheque.

The hotel also played an eerie role in the tragic story of Robert Pickton, the notorious Canadian serial killer. During the 1990s, Pickton was a regular at several Downtown Eastside bars, including the Astoria. One of his victims, Georgina Papin, was last seen at the hotel in 1999, a haunting footnote in its storied past.

Through its many transformations, Astoria remains a symbol of the area’s complicated history, where the past and present intertwine in equal parts charm and infamy.