A building construction boom, one of Vancouver’s largest in history, is pushing the city skyline and benchmark for architectural creativity to new limits.
In 2014, the municipal government issued $2.83-billion in building permits, which exceeds pre-recession levels for an all-time record. This also represents an increase of 28 per cent from 2013’s $2.2-billion and 77 per cent from 2008’s $1.6-billion.
While the city is best known for its focus on residential development, much of the current construction boom is fuelled by an unprecedented office boom: about two million square feet of new office space is being built and most of the projects in this cycle will be completed in mid-2016.
Here is a construction update on the top 12 buildings being built in Vancouver as of March 2015:
Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver
Location: 1151 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
Budget: $360-million
Completion: 2016
Architect: Arthur Erickson | Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership | DYS Architecture
Height: 188 metres (617 feet); 63 storeys
Vancouver’s ‘tabletop skyline’ has been punctured with the construction of the Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver on West Georgia Street near Thurlow Street.
Work on the 188-metre tall, 63-storey building has already progressed to the point that it is now the second tallest structure in the city. It is only bested by the Shangri-La Vancouver across the street at 201 metres.
Trump Vancouver consists of a 147-room hotel, Drai’s pool bar nightclub and Mott 32 Chinese restaurant over the first 15 floors while the remaining storeys will be 217 luxury residential units.
The Arthur Erickson-designed tower features a 45 degree twist, highlighted by a lighting trim, from the base to the roof. The building will ‘top out’ in late-March, Holborn Group’s Joo Kim Tiah told Vancity Buzz.
Image: Holborn Group
Image: Holborn Group
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
TELUS Garden
Location: 520 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
Budget: $750-million
Completion: Office tower – spring 2015 | Residential tower – 2016
Architect: Henriquez Partners Architects
Height: Office tower – 90 metres (295 feet); 24 storeys | Residential tower – 136 metres (446 feet); 46 storeys
The $750-million TELUS Garden city-block sized redevelopment project is racing towards completion. It comprises of one office tower at the north of the city block facing West Georgia Street and a taller residential tower on the southeast corner of Robson and Richards streets.
The 457,000 square foot office tower component of the project aims to attain a LEED Platinum standard through green elements such as 10,000 square feet of green roofs, rooftop solar panels, and a rainwater capture system for non-potable water and irrigation.
Its major office tenants include the TELUS national corporate headquarters, Amazon Canada and Bull Houser, with tenancy expected to begin this spring. Completion on the LEED Gold 428-unit residential tower is scheduled for 2016.
TELUS Garden is one of the city’s most anticipated developments given the scale of the public amenities offered. The city-block length alleyway will be converted into a vibrant pedestrian space with art and retail space and a 96-square-metre projection screen between the 16th and 18th floors of the office building could help animate the urban landscape during the dark, grey winter nights.
There will also be three new restaurant offerings by the Glowbal Collection, including a relocation of the restaurant chain’s now-closed Yaletown flagship.
Image: TELUS
Image: TELUS
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
Marine Gateway
Location: 6486 Chester Street, Vancouver
Budget: $370-million
Completion: Office tower – spring 2015 | Residential tower – 2016
Architect: Busby Perkins & Will Architects Co.
Height: Office tower – 90 metres (295 feet); 24 storeys | Residential tower – 136 metres (446 feet); 46 storeys
Marine Gateway at the corner of Marine Drive and Cambie Street, adjacent to the Canada Line’s Marine Drive Station, is slated to become a new vibrant entertainment and retail hub for South Vancouver.
The project has three office towers for 460 residential suites, including 50 units of affordable rental housing, and 240,000 square feet of office space. Westport Innovations is the anchor tenant of the office tower, having secured a lease to half of the building’s area.
A Cineplex theatre, T & T Supermarket, restaurants and other retail will occupy the podium areas of the complex.
Image: PCI Developments
Image: PCI Developments
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
725 Granville Street
Location: 725 Granville Street, Vancouver (formerly Sears)
Budget: $66-million
Architect: James K.M. Cheng Architects
Completion: Pacific Centre expansion – spring 2016 | Nordstrom – September 18, 2015 | Office space – 2016
Height: 8 storeys
Built and designed in 1973 by César Pelli, the former Sears (and Eatons) building is now undergoing a transformation for its third iteration following the vacancy of Sears. The massive 7-storey space totals 578,000 square feet, of which 230,000 square feet (first 3 floors) will be converted into Nordstrom’s Canada flagship store.
Another 300,000 square feet, the four floors above Nordstrom, will be utilized for AAA class office space. Microsoft Canada and the headquarters for Sony Pictures Imageworks will occupy a majority of the office levels while Miller Thomson LLP has signed a lease to occupy approximately half a level.
The building’s basement level – the space used for Sears’ men’s clothing department – is slated to become a Pacific Centre mall expansion of about 12 additional retailers. There will also be a new direct entrance to the mall from the corner of Robson and Granville streets.
Image: Cadillac Fairview
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
‘Urban Casino Resort’ at BC Place (Site 10A)
Location: Site 10A adjacent to BC Place, Vancouver
Budget: $535-million
Architect: Le Groupe ARCOP / Panzini-Architectes / IBI Group
Completion: late-2016
Height: 93 metres (305 feet); 25 storeys
Construction is well underway on the 675,000-square-foot casino-resort on the southwest end of BC Place Stadium to become a new entertainment and hotel destination that replaces the existing Edgewater Casino at the Plaza of Nations.
The approved 72,000-square-foot casino floor is not be any larger than the existing Edgewater Casino and will maintain the 600 slot machines and 75 gambling tables currently found at the Plaza of Nations.
Other major elements to the Paragon Development project include 550 guest rooms between two Marriott luxury hotels, restaurants and lounges, retail, rooftop green space, and conference and meeting facilities. The gaming company has promised that 10 per cent of all employees working at the complex will be hired from the Downtown Eastside area.
Image: Paragon Gaming
Image: Paragon Gaming
Image: Vancity Buzz
The Exchange
Location: 475 Howe Street, Vancouver
Budget: $240-million
Architect: Harry Gugger
Completion: 2017
Height: 114 metres (374 feet); 31 storeys
The Exchange strives to restore Vancouver’s 1929-built Old Stock Exchange building while also attempting to attain a LEED Platinum environmental certification.
The office tower project is being driven by Credit Suisse and designed by Swiss architect Harry Gugger. Office levels will be added above the existing mid-rise structure to turn the site into a high-rise.
In addition to restoring the historic facade and old trading floor, project proponents will construct “seriously green” elements such as rooftop solar panels, integrated geo-exchange thermal regulators, storm water retention and reuse, and hydronic heating and cooling systems.
The National Bank of Canada, the largest bank in Quebec, will be the anchor tenant of the building.
Image: Credit Suisse
Image: Credit Suisse
Image: Credit Suisse
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
745 Thurlow Street
Location: 745 Thurlow Street, Vancouver
Budget: $150-million
Architect: Musson Cattel Mackey Partnership
Completion: 2015
Height: 92 metres (302 feet); 23 storeys
The 23-storey, 365,000-square-foot office tower at the southwest corner of Thurlow and Alberni streets will help bring additional foot traffic to the Robson Street and Thurlow Street shopping corridors.
The first three floors of the Bentall Kennedy building will be utilized for retail, restaurant and amenities, including the possible temporary home of Chapters’ downtown flagship location after it vacates its current space at Robson and Howe streets later this year. Quebec-based engineering giant SNC Lavalin will occupy 100,000 square feet of office space above the retail podium.
745 Thurlow Street is striving for a LEED Gold environmental certification.
Image: Bentall Kennedy
Image: Bentall Kennedy
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
MNP Tower
Location: 1021 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
Budget: $75-million
Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox / Musson Cattel Mackey Partnership
Completion: early-2015
Height: 143 metres (469 feet); 35 storeys
Wedged between the Guinness Tower on the west and Marine Building on the east, MNP Tower sits on the small heritage site of the University and Quadra Clubs. An office tower is squeezed into the small lot and it incorporates and revitalizes the heritage building at its foot.
Image: Oxford Properties
Image: Oxford Properties
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
One Pacific
Location: 68 Smithe Street, Vancouver
Architect: IBI/HB Architects
Completion: 2016
Height: 91 metres (299 feet); 18 storeys
Across the street from the Urban Casino Resort near BC Place, Concord Pacific is constructing a 18-storey residential project with 423 market units and 45,000 square feet of retail on the podium.
The building features curved glass facades, a sky garden, a podium with palm trees and a small lap pool with a cantilever glass feature that overlooks the building’s entrance.
Image: Concord Pacific
Image: Concord Pacific
Image: Vancity Buzz
Rogers Arena Towers
Location: 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Budget: $300-million
Architect: Walter Francl Architecture, Busby Perkins Will, B.H. Bunting Coady
Completion: Multi-tower project – 2015 to 2018
Height: Three towers between 26 to 31 storeys
Three towers with 614 residential rental units will enclose Rogers Arena in the coming years. The lower levels of the towers will be occupied by office space.
The West Tower is scheduled for a completion this spring, but a portion of its lower levels have already opened as expanded concourse, washroom and dining space for Rogers Arena.
Construction has begun on the South Tower and site preparation for the East Tower is expected to follow soon. A fourth tower, pending City approval, could be built on the northeast corner of the arena city-block – directly across from the SkyTrain entrance.
The Aquilini Group has noted that the number of concerts and events at Rogers Arena will be affected in order to appease the arena’s future residents: “We will lose some concerts, we know that. But we need to rent the places. It is in our best interests to control [the noise],” Aquilini Development president David Negrin told the Globe and Mail.
Image: Aquilini Group
Image: Aquilini Group
Image: Aquilini Group
Image: Vancity Buzz
Image: Vancity Buzz
Vancouver House
Location: 1400 Howe Street, Vancouver
Budget: $400-million
Architect: Bjarke Ingels Group
Completion: 2018
Height: 150.3 metres (493 feet); 52 storeys
One of Vancouver’s most architecturally daring buildings, designed by world renowned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, is slated to become an iconic ‘gateway’ into the downtown peninsula.
Vancouver House is located at the north end of the Granville Street Bridge. Its base is a triangle that gradually evolves into a rectangle as it ascends to the top and it carries a unique facade that mimics a honeycomb.
The mix-used project will consist of 407 market residential units and 95 market rental units within the main tower and podium. Two six-storey triangular shaped buildings are part of the project for office space and 80,000 square feet of retail such as grocery, liquor and drug stores.
A major public realm component to the development will also provide the quiet residential area with a vibrant and active entertainment and retail hub. This includes a new covered event space under the bridge with a capacity for 2,800 people and a spinning chandelier public art installation on the underside of the bridge deck.
Vancouver House is aiming for a LEED Gold certification. Site demolition has begun to prepare for active construction.
Westbank / Bjarke Ingels Group
Westbank / Bjarke Ingels Group
Image: Vancity Buzz
MC2
Location: Southwest Marine Drive and Cambie Street, Vancouver
Architect: James K.M. Cheng Architects
Completion: 2018
Height: Two towers at 26 storeys and 32 storeys
Intracorp’s MC² project across the street from Marine Gateway and the Canada Line’s Marine Drive Station will consist of 443 market residential units. The development will have a significant public art piece at the corner of Southwest Marine Drive and Cambie Street: a giant “golden” replica of Stanley Park’s Hollow Tree by Vancouver artist Douglas Coupland.
Image: Intracorp
Image: Intracorp
Image: Vancity Buzz