2609 E 6th Ave

The house at 2609 E 6th Avenue was constructed in 1929 on a double corner lot. The house is an example of the Colonial Revival style and features a hipped roof, belt course, operable shutters, ornamentation and pillars at the front. There are elements of both Georgian and Norman Revival style of the 1920’s featuring decorative quion (bricks) around the doors, windows and corners. A 1944 “Houses for Sale” ad in the Vancouver Sun, indicates the house has 8 rooms. Sometime after 1985 the wood terrace balcony was changed to a decorative metal one, as indicated by an archival photo.

Two permits were issued to Guiseppe Alonzo on April 13, 1929, both for “Dwelling/House; New” for a value of $4,500 and $200. Guiseppe is listed as the builder for both. The building permits additionally show that Guiseppe owned a third lot beside the house, making the property encompass lots 32, 33, and 34 at the time. A bungalow house was built on lot 32 (2615 E 6th Ave.) in 1944 though it is unclear if it is related to Guiseppe.

Guiseppe Alonzo was born in Italy and came to Vancouver in 1911 when he was 25 yrs old. He worked as a plasterer and bricklayer and listed as living at 2609 E 6th Ave. from 1929-1947. Several editions of The Vancouver Sun and The Daily Provence in 1942, reported on Guiseppe being involved in a bicycle collision accident with a delivery driver for Olymic Pie Co. at the intersection of Grandview Highway and Nanaimo Street in 1941, only several blocks from his home.