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Online Heritage Inventory

Atagi Building

General Information
Thumbnail photograph of Atagi Building
Click to see full image
Type of Resource: Building
Common Name: Redden Net Company
Address: 3700 Moncton Street
Neighbourhood (Planning Area Name): Steveston
Construction Date: 1911
Current Owner: Private
Designated: No

Statement of Significance
Description of Site
The Atagi building is part of a row of commercial buildings along Moncton Street in downtown Steveston. All of the buildings are of a similar age and scale, and present a continuous façade of small retail shops flush to the sidewalk. The building occupies a prominent corner location.

 Statement of Values
The heritage value of the Atagi building is in its historic role as part of an almost-continuous façade of simple, wood frame, false front style commercial buildings along Moncton Street. The building is of a similar scale to the majority of the buildings, oriented and built flush to the street, emphasizing the flow of pedestrian traffic which would have occurred early in the century along Steveston’s main street.
The Atagi building is significant as part of the early pattern of commercial development which characterized Steveston in the early part of the twentieth century as the area boomed in population and economic wealth from farming and fishing. This early and continuing historic pattern is rare in the city of Richmond.
The Atagi building has aesthetic value as a very good example of a false-fronted commercial structure in a prominent corner location. It managed to survive the 1918 Steveston fire, which makes it one of the earliest commercial buildings on Moncton Street

 Character Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the site include:
· The building’s front gable roof and the distinctive stepped parapet false front, and its typical rectangular building from behind
· The height, scale, colour and massing of the building typical of the streetscape
· Its orientation and relationship to Moncton Street
· Its presence as part of the historical development form of the street which creates a diverse, articulated edge and a sense of enclosure, and its contribution to the liveliness and diversity of the area

 History
The Atagi building is part of a row of commercial buildings along Moncton Street in downtown Steveston. All of the buildings are of a similar age and scale, and present a continuous façade of small retail shops flush to the sidewalk. The building occupies a prominent corner location.

 Architectural Significance
Architectural Style
Commercial Building or Boomtown

 Building Type
Commercial - Retail

 Design Features
The building is rectangular in plan with a front gable roof, a false front, and a shed roofed bay on the east side. The foundation is a concrete foundation footing of a later (undocumented) date; there is evidence of past foundation problems. The building is clad in what appears to be the original horizontal drop-siding on the front façade, but the sides and back is sided in vinyl. The roof cover is galvanized sheet metal and there is a large gable roof addition to the rear, with triangular brackets in the gable ends. All of the windows in the front façade have been replaced and are now large plate glass with wooden trim. The side windows are wooden sash. The building is painted blue with white trim, and has had a large blue awning installed across the false front.

 Construction Method
Wood frame construction.

 Landscape Significance
(No information available)

 Integrity
Alterations
There have been several alterations to the building, including the replacement of the front windows, the application of vinyl siding and the addition of the rather large canopy over the front façade which completely hides the characteristic false front. The alterations to the storefront are considered recognizable and therefore reversible.

 Original Location
Yes

 Condition
The building is in fair condition, with some evidence of settling in the addition at the rear.

 Lost
No

 Documentation
Evaluated By
Denise Cook BLA, PBD (Public History)

 Date
Sunday, September 24, 2000

 Documentation
Inventory Sheets by Foundation Group Designs, January 1990
“Heritage Inventory Phase II” by Foundation Group Designs May 1989

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