Downtown Victoria Tour
Douglas Street – 1600 Block

1601-1609 Douglas Street – Fairfield Block

The Fairfield Block was built in 1912 by architect Henry S. Griffith for the firm of Grant & Lineham, which used the upper storeys as a hotel and the main, or street level, as commercial space. The building still retains this original 1912 design configuration.

The Fairfield Block is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. Arthur Lineham, one of the partners in Grant & Lineham, also built 1 Cook Street, now the Dashwood Manor, as his personal residence.

The Fairfield Block, 1601-1609 Douglas Street (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

Here is a map showing the location of the Fairfield Block, 1601-1609 Douglas Street:

Here is a Google Street View image of the Fairfield Block, 1601-1609 Douglas Street:

Additional Information About the Fairfield Block, 1601-1609 Douglas Street

  • Assessed Value (July 2018): $3,672,000; Land: $2.380,000; Buildings: $1,292,000
  • Assessed Value (July 2017): $3,462,000; Land: $2.173,000; Buildings: $1,289,000
  • Assessed Value (July 2016): $3,619,000; Land: $2.066,000; Buildings: $1,553,000
  • Assessed Value (July 2015): $3,379,000; Land: $1.781,000; Buildings: $1,598,000
  • Canadian Register of Historic Places

A Brief History of the Fairfield Block

The Fairfield Block was built in 1912 by architect Henry S. Griffith for the firm of Grant & Lineham, which used the upper storeys as a hotel and the main, or street level, as commercial space. The building still retains this original 1912 design configuration although the upstairs floors are now small apartments.

The Fairfield Block is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. Arthur Lineham, one of the partners in Grant & Lineham, also built 1 Cook Street, now the Dashwood Manor, as his personal residence.

The apartments on the upper floors of the Fairfield Block were leased by Pacifica Housing Advisory Association in 2017, under an agreement with the City of Victoria, which committed to pay $500,000 to Pacifica Housing Advisory Association over 10 years to provide subsidized housing units in the Fairfield Block.

In November 2019, Pacifica Housing Advisory Association announced it could no longer provide housing units in the Fairfield Block. Here are some links to local newspaper reports about this situation:

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