Description of Historic Place

The Westholme Hotel is a four-storey commercial building on the east side of the 1400 block of Government Street in Victoria's Old Town District.

Heritage Value

The Westholme Hotel adds value to Victoria's Old Town District because of the physical contribution it makes to the historic Old Town streetscape. Built in 1910 to the design of architect H.S. Griffith, this commercial building is representative of the mass development which occurred in Victoria between 1908 and 1913, characterized by larger floorplates than their predecessors, and the Edwardian aesthetic of the Chicago School of architecture.

The fact that this building was commissioned by the Westholme Lumber Company and originally contained hotel rooms, retail stores, and office space is significant to Victoria's heritage. It illustrates the diversification of commercial enterprise which occurred as the City's economic focus shifted to tourism-based commerce supported by the nearby E&N (Esquimalt and Nanaimo) Railway and the commencement of Canadian Pacific Railway steamship service to Victoria in 1901.

Although the Westholme Hotel has lost much of its original architectural detailing, it adds to the continuity of the historic street wall, and provides a connection between historic Government Street and nearby Centennial Square.

Source: City of Victoria Planning and Development Dept.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Westholme Hotel include:
- Its location at the north end of the east side of this block of Government Street, forming a connection with nearby Centennial Square.
- Elements of its original 1910 design which relate to the Chicago School of architecture, including the grid-like fenestration pattern.
- Surviving exterior and interior design elements which address its multi-faceted original functions of hotel, retail space, and offices.