Sam Kee Building
National Park Vancouver's famously narrow heritage commercial building
A compact commercial building in Vancouver’s Chinatown, notable for its unusually shallow lot and façade; a frequent photographic stop illustrating early-20th-century urban land use.
The Sam Kee Building is a narrow commercial building on West Pender Street in Vancouver’s Chinatown. It is widely known for its extremely shallow ground-floor depth and distinctive facade squeezed between neighbouring structures.
The building functions as a commercial property and is commonly photographed for its unusual proportions. A plaque and street-level signage identify the site and its place in the neighbourhood’s built heritage.
The structure dates from the early 20th century and is associated with Chinese Canadian entrepreneur Sam Kee, after whom the building is named. It was constructed to make use of a remaining parcel of land following changes to the street layout and remains a local landmark.
The building sits in downtown Vancouver within the historic Chinatown neighbourhood, on West Pender Street close to commercial streets and transit.
- Unique dimension: Often cited as the narrowest commercial building in the world, its unusually thin street frontage makes it a frequent stop on walking tours of Vancouver's Chinatown.
How to Get to Sam Kee Building #
Walkable from Vancouver’s Waterfront and Gastown districts. From Waterfront Station, it is about a 7-10 minute walk; several bus routes and SkyTrain connections serve the area.
Tips for Visiting Sam Kee Building #
- Pause at the building's narrow façade on West Pender and imagine a carriage swing before you step inside.
- Look up: the building's signage and cornices tell the story of Vancouver's turn-of-the-century mercantile past.
Best Time to Visit Sam Kee Building #
The Sam Kee Building is an urban curiosity best admired year-round; spring through autumn is most pleasant for street-level exploration.
Weather & Climate near Sam Kee Building #
Sam Kee Building's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 1°C to 23°C. Abundant rainfall (1743 mm/year), wettest in November.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 6°C and lows of 1°C. Heavy rain (236 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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February
February is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 2°C. Significant rainfall (165 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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March
March is cold with highs of 10°C and lows of 4°C. Significant rainfall (164 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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April
April is cold with highs of 13°C and lows of 6°C. Significant rainfall (128 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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May
May is cool with highs of 17°C and lows of 9°C. Regular rainfall (98 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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June
June is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 12°C. Regular rainfall (81 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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July
July is mild with highs of 22°C and lows of 14°C. Moderate rainfall (54 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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August
August is the warmest month with highs of 23°C and lows of 14°C. Moderate rainfall (55 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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September
September is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 11°C. Moderate rainfall (74 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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October
October is cool with highs of 14°C and lows of 7°C. Significant rainfall (176 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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November
November is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of 4°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (278 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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December
December is cold with highs of 7°C and lows of 2°C. Heavy rain (234 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
