The building was constructed as the headquarters of the BC Electric Company and was designed by Thompson Berwick & Pratt.

The project's design architect was Charles Edward Pratt, who based the lozenge-shaped tower off the unbuilt Back Bay Center in Boston.

The structure was built by John Laing & Sons in 1957[1] as the new headquarters for the BC Electric Company, under its president Dal Grauer.

After BC Hydro moved to new offices in Vancouver and Burnaby in the late 1990s, the building was sold, and in 1998, was renovated and converted primarily into residential condo space, although BC Hydro continues to operate the Dal Grauer Substation, whose space is integral with Electra.

While BC Electric's offices were in the building ten large air horns on top of the structure played the first four notes of O Canada at noon every day.