As a counterpoint to some of the heritage building restoration that's been going on in Gastown and other parts of the city, this 2004 article from the Vancouver Review takes a skeptical view, noting that much of what winds up being restored is nothing more than the building's facade:
"In most cases, only one wall or corner segment remains, facing the public thoroughfare, its fancy details intact while the rest of the structure has been gutted. The gaping emptiness behind these old façades sometimes lasts for months; and the destiny of most sites is to be filled in by new structures that bear little relation, in style or scale, to their pasted-on frontage."
On the other hand, the author is careful to note that,
"...while demolition is forever, not all façadism is bad, of course. In the case of buildings from the late 19th century, made of unreinforced masonry, it’s better to shore up the façade and replace the rest than lose the whole thing to the first tremor."
