McLennan, McFeely and Prior Building

The McLennan, McFeely and Prior Building is significant for its contribution to the consistent and distinctive built form of Columbia Street, which dates from the time when New Westminster was the major centre of commerce and industrial output for the Fraser Valley area. Its construction at the end of the 1930s was an indication of the return of confidence and prosperity after the lean years of the Great Depression. First established in Victoria, McLennan, McFeely and Prior grew into one of the largest hardware and building supply importers and distributors in the province, indicating the growth of the local supply network that capitalized on rapid settlement in British Columbia. The company's branch outlets were serviced from their enormous warehouse in Vancouver, demonstrating the development of centralized distribution networks that serviced communities throughout the province.

Furthermore, the McLennan, McFeely and Prior Building is valued as an excellent example of the Streamline Moderne style. Part of a movement of architecture in the inter-war period, it heralded the new machine age that embraced technology and all things modern. The Streamline Moderne style was distinguished by long horizontal lines implying speed and aerodynamics. The smooth planar surfaces, rounded corners and geometric patterning demonstrate the development of a new architecture that rejected historical ornamentation in favour of a totally modern expression.

The McLennan, McFeely and Prior Building is additionally valued for its association with its architects, McCarter and Nairne, known for their landmark Art Deco designs for the Marine Building (1928-30) and the Medical-Dental Building (1928-29) in Vancouver. Throughout the long course of their prolific careers, John Young McCarter (1886-1981) and George Colvill Nairne (1884-1953) were recognized for the sophistication of their design work and a progressive approach to technology.