New mural at Cineplex Rec Room construction site in downtown Vancouver

Sep 23 2020, 8:46 pm

A public art mural on wooden boards was recently installed at the construction site for Cineplex’s new The Rec Room in downtown Vancouver.

Construction is well underway on The Rec Room at 855 Granville Street, with crews well into the process of gutting the interior of what was previously the Empire Granville 7 theatres.

The mural by local artist Irvin Hernandez was funded by Vintage Ink Wine, with the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association assisting with the installation’s coordination.

Construction on the project, which is expected to help revitalize the Granville Entertainment District, began early this year and is scheduled for completion in late 2021.

855 granville street vancouver cineplex the rec room

New mural at 855 Granville Street; construction progress of Cineplex’s The Rec Room in downtown Vancouver, as of September 17, 2020. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

855 granville street vancouver cineplex the rec room

New mural at 855 Granville Street; construction progress of Cineplex’s The Rec Room in downtown Vancouver, as of September 17, 2020. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The redevelopment incorporates three buildings that formed the theatre complex, with the facades of two heritage structures — built in 1893 and 1913 — restored and adapted for the uses of The Rec Room.

Empire Theatre closed this seven-auditorium location in 2012, and the complex has been sitting unused ever since. The property is owned by Cineplex, which previously attempted to lease an earlier version of the redevelopment for retail and office uses.

The new entertainment centre will have a total floor area of about 45,000 sq. ft., including an 11,000-sq-ft performance and event base in the basement for up to 640 people.

855 Granville Street The Rec Room

August 2019 design of 855 Granville Street, Vancouver for Cineplex’s The Rec Room Granville. (Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership / Cineplex)

855 Granville Street The Rec Room

August 2019 design of 855 Granville Street, Vancouver for Cineplex’s The Rec Room Granville. (Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership / Cineplex)

The buildingā€™s space is roughly divided into two uses; half will be devoted to dining and live entertainment, while the other half devoted to amusement games and feature attractions.

The Rec Room will feature a gaming area with over 100 amusement games, including air hockey, pool, ping pong, as well as the latest immersive virtual reality experiences and luxury bowling.

There will be multiple dining options, such as Three10, an upscale casual restaurant that will offer a menu of shareables and handcrafted dishes.

855 Granville Street The Rec Room

August 2019 design of 855 Granville Street, Vancouver for Cineplex’s The Rec Room Granville. (Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership / Cineplex)

855 Granville Street The Rec Room

August 2019 design of 855 Granville Street, Vancouver for Cineplex’s The Rec Room Granville. (Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership / Cineplex)

Several bars throughout the space will allow sports fans and cocktail lovers to grab a drink, eat, and watch the big game on large screens.Ā A significant rooftop patio space is also planned.

Cineplex initially planned on opening Metro Vancouver’s first The Rec Room location at The Amazing Brentwood this past summer, but this was delayed due to COVID-19. The Brentwood location also features five VIP Cinemas auditoriums for a total capacity of about 380 theatregoers in luxury reclining seats.

Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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