A decade after the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s central offices moved from Robson Street to the Cambie Corridor area, the man who helped lead the transition returned to share some memories.
Ten years after staff packed their final boxes and said farewell to the weary old building at 150 Robson Street, Daniel Moric, wearing a white hard hat, returned for a lunch-hour Mass and visit with staff at the John Paul II Pastoral Centre to mark the anniversary – and relive a few unforgettable moments.
Moric, who served as the first Archbishop’s Delegate for Administration and later as Superintendent of Catholic Schools, oversaw the complex move in 2015. Over lunch, he shared behind-the-scenes recollections that ranged from tight deadlines to a freight elevator that was filling up with water almost as fast as staff could exit the old Northern Electric Building.
Friday, Feb. 27, 2015, was the last official day at Robson Street. On the following Monday, March 2, staff gathered at 4885 Saint John Paul II Way for a welcome from Archbishop J. Michael Miller and Moric, who helped shepherd the transition to the purpose-built centre near Queen Elizabeth Park.
Since then, the new pastoral centre has become a hub for Catholic life in the Archdiocese: a home for ministry offices, staff collaboration, and archdiocesan events. And unlike its predecessor, the building’s elevators don’t resemble something from a horror movie.
Meanwhile, the story of 150 Robson Street is still unfolding. Local developer Amacon is building a 30-storey tower at 828 Cambie Street, incorporating and preserving the heritage brick façade of the building that once was home to the Archdiocese’s administrative offices.
The new project, called The Block Residences, will include 131 condo units, a 120-room hotel, and ground-level spaces for a restaurant and coffee shop facing Robson Street.
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