MARINE BUILDING

When it was opened in 1930, the Marine Building was the tallest building in Vancouver at 97.8m (321 feet, or 21 floors). The architects, McCarter and Nairn, intended the office building to look like, "some great craig rising from the sea, clinging with sea flora and fauna, tinted in sea-green, touched with gold". The exterior is adorned with decorative ships, fish, and seaweed. The lobby's clock has sea creatures instead of numbers. The elevators are inlaid with 12 varieties of hardwood and the walls are decorated with depictions of crustaceans. 

Along with its unique design, the Marine Building is also known for its economic failings. The building cost $2.3 million to build, $1.1 million over budget. Due to the Great Depression, it was sold to Ireland's Guinness family for $900,000. The property has certainly made up its value since then - in 2014 the assessed value (including the building and the land) was $75,420,000.

The building is now on the City's heritage list but continues to be used as an office building. 

A: 355 Burrard Street