New Executive Group hotel building approved for downtown Vancouver

Artistic rendering of the Executive Group hotel building at 833 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Studio One Architecture)

An extremely narrow building site with just 52 ft of street frontage in downtown Vancouver’s Central Business District will be redeveloped into a 13-storey, 154-ft-tall hotel building operated by Executive Hotels & Resorts.

833 West Pender Street Vancouver Executive Group Hotel

Location of the Executive Group hotel building at 833 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Studio One Architecture)

833 West Pender Street Vancouver Edward Chapman

The existing Edward Chapman building at the site at 833 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps Streetview)

The City of Vancouver’s Development Permit Board recently approved an application by the hospitality chain to redevelop the Edward Chapman building at 833 West Pender Street into a hotel with 106 guest rooms.

There will also be a ground-floor restaurant with a folding glass wall system that can be opened during fair weather conditions and help “animate” the street.

Artistic rendering of the lobby entrance of the Executive Group hotel building at 833 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Studio One Architecture)

Artistic rendering of the Executive Group hotel building at 833 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Studio One Architecture)

Hotel guests will have access to a large rooftop garden amenity space designed with bar and seating areas, landscaping, and a reflecting pool. It will be an all-season space as the hotel operator plans to install a glazed canopy to provide shelter to much of the deck’s area.

Artistic rendering of the rooftop hotel amenity space at the Executive Group hotel building at 833 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Studio One Architecture)

Layout of the rooftop hotel amenity space at the Executive Group hotel building at 833 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Studio One Architecture)

As well, a total of 20 parking stalls are squeezed into the building within two underground levels accessed only by a vehicle elevator from the laneway – just like the adjacent Jameson House tower. This super-sized elevator for vehicles will be operated by a valet service.

The project’s approval was based on a revised design submitted by Studio One Architecture.

Artistic rendering of the Executive Group hotel building at 833 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Studio One Architecture)

“The building exterior has a sleek modern look congruent with the urban context of the site. Having a narrow site frontage and flanked by strongly articulated buildings, a glazed window wall elevation is proposed for the building exterior animated with a playful pattern of coloured accent panels,” reads the design rationale. “A sculptural arc at the base of the building acts as an architectural feature that defines the hotel entrance and engages pedestrians’ gaze.”

“The hotel will service the business and tourism community alike. The project will infill the block and add to the fabric and development of the street. Consistent with the Land Use and the Development Policies and Guidelines of the District, the hotel access and restaurant on Pender Street will engage the street and animate the pedestrian experience.”

With a floor area of about 64,400 sq. ft., the project has a density 10.33 times the size of its tiny lot.

Artistic rendering of the Executive Group hotel building at 833 West Pender Street, Vancouver. (Studio One Architecture)

This hotel property is one of two Executive Group hotels planned for the city block: another hotel within the lower floors of The Exchange building, located immediately east of the Edward Chapman site, will open this summer.

Although both hotels are owned by the same company, the properties will operate as separate hotels.

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