In 2009, TAD was retained by VIA Rail to undertake a heritage renovation and seismic upgrade of the exterior facades and roofs of the Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, British Columbia. The project began with detailed surveys of the existing conditions, summarised in a series of reports, concluding with a list of proposed remediations to refurbish and upgrade the station’s facades and roofs.

The station had suffered from years of poor maintenance and an original design that was not suited for the rainy west coast of British Columbia. Water infiltration and damage was present in numerous areas, including the andesite stone on the primary facades, the stucco and brick on the secondary facades, as well as the roofs and the wood window frames throughout.

The extent of the proposed work included the repair of the damaged andesite stone, the re-pointing of damaged joints, the removal of any paint that had prohibited the water from properly evaporating, the installation of zinc flashing on most stone overhangs, the repair and replacement of rotted window frames, the pinning of the brick facades to the concrete structure and a general waterproofing of the roofs and parapets.

The challenges included meeting the current seismic requirements while maintaining the heritage aspect of this listed building. The assistance of a Heritage Consultant ensured the refurbishment was in line with the current heritage guidelines. The station also had to remain operational during the duration of construction.

The project is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in November of 2011.