PETROLEUM BUILDING

Firm: Rule Wynn and Rule

Address: 310 9 Avenue SW

Date of final plans: 1949

Status: demolished in 1985

The Petroleum Building was the first of two near-identical office buildings Frank and George McMahon built on 9th Avenue. The other, the Pacific Building, was constructed several years later. Originally, it was to be called the Derrick Building, but at some point early in the design process this changed to the Petroleum Building. Design began in late 1949 and concluded in 1954. The building's footprint is 120' by 75'. The seventh (penthouse) floor is set back several feet from the building line to provide a deck. Upon completion, the Petroleum Building became the head office of the McMahon brothers' company Pacific Petroleums. The boardroom was front-center on the penthouse floor and was flanked by Frank and George's offices, which had doors to the deck.

The defining feature of the RWR design is the 3'6'' egg-crate window shade on the front façade. This aside, the building is unspectacular. Although it wasn't completed until the mid 1950s, the aesthetic is 1940s.

In February 1985 the Petroleum Building and Pacific Building were torn down to make way for the new Bankers Hall.