The Sam Kee Building

The Sam Kee building on the corner of Carroll and Pender hold the Guinness book of Record as the shallowest building in the world. 

It wasn’t intentional, as the Sam Kee Company purchased a standard-sized lot in 1903 for future use. In 1912 Vancouver widened Pender Street and expropriated 24 feet or 7.3m of the above ground portion of the property. 

The neighbouring property offered to buy the narrow lot and expand on theirs, but See Kee declined. Involving architects, a steel framed building was designed to fit the property and maximizing all possible space.

The depth of the ground floor of the building measured 4’11” o 1.50m  was the store front. The top floor had more space with bay windows bringing the living space to 6ft or 1.83m.

The basement was the largest, extending beneath the sidewalk and originally housed public baths.