The historic Wilmar mansion in Vancouver's Southlands neighbourhood has returned to the market with a price tag of $10.998 million. This century-old Tudor-revival estate at 2050 Southwest Marine Drive has undergone a meticulous restoration that preserves its 1925 exterior while offering a virtually new interior spanning 11,000 square feet.
Old meets new in a grand renovation
The property, originally built in 1925 for railway baron Willard Kitchen, now features eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms across four levels, with an elevator for easy access. A notable addition is a formal living room on the main floor's eastern end, complete with a grand marble fireplace, expanding the main level to 3,300 square feet.
Realtor Clair Rockel describes the mansion as "a deal in this market" for a luxury estate. At approximately $1,000 per square foot, Rockel notes that anyone familiar with Vancouver real estate understands this is a very competitive price for such a property.
Historical background of Wilmar
Wilmar was commissioned by Willard Kitchen, who amassed his wealth as a railroad contractor in New Brunswick before moving to British Columbia and becoming involved with the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, now B.C. Rail. In 1925, he hired architects James Anderson Benzie and William Bow to construct a 9,000-square-foot home on nearly a hectare of land. The original construction cost was $40,000, and the property offered views of the Fraser River, Vancouver Island, and Mount Baker.
Heritage expert Don Luxton explains that Shaughnessy lacked the views and open spaces of Southwest Marine Drive, attracting wealthy individuals in the 1920s and 1930s who sought larger properties further out.
The name "Wilmar" combines the first three letters of Willard and his wife Mary's names. Three generations of the family resided in the mansion until the death of granddaughter Judith Jardine in 2006. In her will, Jardine left her $40 million estate to the Vancouver Foundation, putting Wilmar on the market.
Challenges and redevelopment
The home retained original features such as oak floors, lead-glass windows, plaster ceilings and walls, and state-of-the-art amenities from 1925, including an icebox and servant call buttons. However, its large size and heritage status made it difficult to sell or redevelop. Property records show sales for $2.836 million in 2011 and $7.5 million in 2015.
Public outcry arose when demolition seemed imminent. In 2023, the property was part of Coromandel Properties' bankruptcy, which had plans to preserve the mansion and garage/coach house while building four luxury townhomes. The mansion and coach house were sold to Jaswinder Kaur Bhugra in 2024 for $4.025 million, completing the project. One townhome sold for nearly $3.7 million in January 2025.
Early proposals suggested dividing the old mansion into two units, but architect Stuart Howard designed it as a single residence, maintaining its grandeur.
