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The Province
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Province
Major skyscraper proposal prompts debate about Vancouver's evolving skyline
Dan Fumano: The evolution of Vancouver's skyline is on the minds of many locals, after a developer unveiled a proposal last week for three huge towers that would transform the downtown peninsula An illustration showing Holborn Group's proposed development that includes four towers at two different sites in downtown Vancouver. - Submitted image: Holborn Group / Henriquez Partners Architects Photo by Ian Kobylanski Holborn Group / When Vancouver's Marine Building was completed on Burrard Street in 1930, it was derided by some as a 'modern monstrosity.' At nearly 100 metres tall, it towered over everything around it. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Now revered as an art deco gem, the 19-storey Marine Building is today dwarfed by neighbouring glass skyscrapers. The evolution of Vancouver's skyline is on the minds of many, after a developer unveiled a proposal last week for three skyscrapers that would transform the downtown peninsula. The towers, designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, are being pitched by developer Holborn Group for a parcel of almost two whole downtown blocks. In illustrations of the proposed buildings, they stand out both by virtue of their size and shape. At 239, 271 and 315 metres, they dwarf most neighbouring buildings, including recently built towers. The 315-metre hotel would be B.C.'s tallest tower, 55 per cent taller than Vancouver's tallest existing skyscraper, the Shangri-La. The three towers feature a distinct, curving design, with a 'sculptural exoskeleton' which the architect says are inspired by the rare and ancient glass sea sponge reefs found off the B.C. coast. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It is worth talking about because city skylines are symbolic,' Michael Geller, an urban planner and retired architect, said. 'That's not to say that this particular proposal shouldn't go ahead. I don't have any views one way or the other on this proposal, but I do feel that it is time to have a discussion about the relative importance of the appearance in the city, whether it's the skyline or just the look of new buildings,' Geller said. 'I think this is prompting what will hopefully be a conversation, so we can hear what people think about the skyline.' The Marine Building at 355 Burrard Street in 2016 Photo by RICHARD LAM / PNG Geller pointed to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which was hated by many when first unveiled in 1889, but went on to become the city's internationally renowned — and beloved — landmark. Back in the 1990s, Vancouverites were complaining that the city's skyline was 'flat, uninteresting and dominated by 1970s bank towers,' Vancouver Sun reporter Frances Bula reported in 1997. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. City council hired consultant Ray Spaxman, who had been Vancouver's director of planning from 1973 to 1989, to complete a 'downtown Vancouver skyline study.' Spaxman said he recalls discussions about how the city's skyline should — or should not — change, dating back to the 1970s. Cities around the world have to grapple with various versions of this question, Spaxman said. In European cities, for example, building heights might be limited to preserve views of a historic cathedral, he said. 'Each community sort of looks at its assets and says: 'How do we want to allow development to occur around what we consider our assets?'' Spaxman said. For Vancouver, he said, some of its most important 'assets from prehistoric times' are the mountains to the north of the city and the views of them. Illustrations showing a development proposed for downtown Vancouver, from Holborn Group and designed by Henriquez Partners Architects. Photo by Norm Li Coming out of Spaxman's study, city staff recommended increasing building height limits in the central business district to 183 metres from 137 metres, while still ensuring building heights would not intrude into protected view corridors, including those of the North Shore mountains. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Over the following decades, the city continued to update its 'higher buildings policy.' A big recent change under the current ABC-majority council was to loosen the rules protecting some public views, including mountain vistas. This paved the way for taller buildings on Holborn's Georgia site, as well as other major proposed development sites such as the former Expo lands. Former Vancouver city planner Michael Gordon helped lead the city staff work on the skyline study in the 1990s. Gordon said it will be important to see more illustrations of how Holborn's proposal would alter the skyline before offering an opinion on the project. This consideration matters, he said, because one thing that makes Vancouver special is how its built form connects with its natural setting. 'Really, the skyline is three lines. It's the water's edge, it's the line of when you connect the dots of the buildings, and then it's the mountain ridges. … There's a balance between the three lines, and you've got to be careful,' Gordon said. 'It's a Zen thing.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Illustrations showing a development proposed for downtown Vancouver, from Holborn Group and designed by Henriquez Partners Architects Photo by Norm Li Gordon has heard, over the years, from people who say: 'There's no view crisis, there's no heritage crisis, there's no shadow crisis, there's a housing crisis.' The argument is that those other considerations should not prevent tall buildings that contribute significantly to the supply of homes, or hotel rooms, or other priorities. Gordon is not so sure. 'As Joni Mitchell sang: 'You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone,'' Gordon said. 'I'm not on board with just saying: 'It's a housing crisis, let's just let 'er rip.'' Vancouver architect James Cheng has had a hand in shaping the city's skyline, designing some of its tallest buildings including the Shangri-La (200 metres) and the Stack office building (162 metres). Cheng said he is not interested in superficial 'beauty pageant' discussions about which big buildings are attractive or not, or how tall they should be. He does, however, spend a lot of time thinking about what he calls 'the role of highrises in Vancouver in historic, social, cultural, economic, and artistic terms, as a barometer of our city's health.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Some people may be nostalgic for the way Vancouver's skyline looked before Expo in 1986 and the ensuing development boom. But, Cheng says: 'If we do not have an evolving skyline, it's a barometer showing our economic health is weakening. … highrises will not happen if there is no economic justification for it.' 'The downtown skyline is the crown jewel. And that has to constantly be polished.' dfumano@ Read More Sports Vancouver Canucks News Sports National
Vancouver Sun
13-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Major skyscraper proposal prompts debate about Vancouver's evolving skyline
When Vancouver's Marine Building was completed on Burrard Street in 1930, it was derided by some as a 'modern monstrosity.' At nearly 100 metres tall, it towered over everything around it. Now revered as an art deco gem, the 19-storey Marine Building is today dwarfed by neighbouring glass skyscrapers. The evolution of Vancouver's skyline is on the minds of many, after a developer unveiled a proposal last week for three skyscrapers that would transform the downtown peninsula. The towers, designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, are being pitched by developer Holborn Group for a parcel of almost two whole downtown blocks. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. In illustrations of the proposed buildings, they stand out both by virtue of their size and shape. At 239, 271 and 315 metres, they dwarf most neighbouring buildings, including recently built towers. The 315-metre hotel would be B.C.'s tallest tower, 55 per cent taller than Vancouver's tallest existing skyscraper, the Shangri-La. The three towers feature a distinct, curving design, with a 'sculptural exoskeleton' which the architect says are inspired by the rare and ancient glass sea sponge reefs found off the B.C. coast. 'It is worth talking about because city skylines are symbolic,' Michael Geller, an urban planner and retired architect, said. 'That's not to say that this particular proposal shouldn't go ahead. I don't have any views one way or the other on this proposal, but I do feel that it is time to have a discussion about the relative importance of the appearance in the city, whether it's the skyline or just the look of new buildings,' Geller said. 'I think this is prompting what will hopefully be a conversation, so we can hear what people think about the skyline.' Geller pointed to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which was hated by many when first unveiled in 1889, but went on to become the city's internationally renowned — and beloved — landmark. Back in the 1990s, Vancouverites were complaining that the city's skyline was 'flat, uninteresting and dominated by 1970s bank towers,' Vancouver Sun reporter Frances Bula reported in 1997. City council hired consultant Ray Spaxman, who had been Vancouver's director of planning from 1973 to 1989, to complete a 'downtown Vancouver skyline study.' Spaxman said he recalls discussions about how the city's skyline should — or should not — change, dating back to the 1970s. Cities around the world have to grapple with various versions of this question, Spaxman said. In European cities, for example, building heights might be limited to preserve views of a historic cathedral, he said. 'Each community sort of looks at its assets and says: 'How do we want to allow development to occur around what we consider our assets?'' Spaxman said. For Vancouver, he said, some of its most important 'assets from prehistoric times' are the mountains to the north of the city and the views of them. Coming out of Spaxman's study, city staff recommended increasing building height limits in the central business district to 183 metres from 137 metres, while still ensuring building heights would not intrude into protected view corridors, including those of the North Shore mountains. Over the following decades, the city continued to update its ' higher buildings policy .' A big recent change under the current ABC-majority council was to loosen the rules protecting some public views, including mountain vistas. This paved the way for taller buildings on Holborn's Georgia site, as well as other major proposed development sites such as the former Expo lands. Former Vancouver city planner Michael Gordon helped lead the city staff work on the skyline study in the 1990s. Gordon said it will be important to see more illustrations of how Holborn's proposal would alter the skyline before offering an opinion on the project. This consideration matters, he said, because one thing that makes Vancouver special is how its built form connects with its natural setting. 'Really, the skyline is three lines. It's the water's edge, it's the line of when you connect the dots of the buildings, and then it's the mountain ridges. … There's a balance between the three lines, and you've got to be careful,' Gordon said. 'It's a Zen thing.' Gordon has heard, over the years, from people who say: 'There's no view crisis, there's no heritage crisis, there's no shadow crisis, there's a housing crisis.' The argument is that those other considerations should not prevent tall buildings that contribute significantly to the supply of homes, or hotel rooms, or other priorities. Gordon is not so sure. 'As Joni Mitchell sang: 'You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone,'' Gordon said. 'I'm not on board with just saying: 'It's a housing crisis, let's just let 'er rip.'' Vancouver architect James Cheng has had a hand in shaping the city's skyline, designing some of its tallest buildings including the Shangri-La (200 metres) and the Stack office building (162 metres). Cheng said he is not interested in superficial 'beauty pageant' discussions about which big buildings are attractive or not, or how tall they should be. He does, however, spend a lot of time thinking about what he calls 'the role of highrises in Vancouver in historic, social, cultural, economic, and artistic terms, as a barometer of our city's health.' Some people may be nostalgic for the way Vancouver's skyline looked before Expo in 1986 and the ensuing development boom. But, Cheng says: 'If we do not have an evolving skyline, it's a barometer showing our economic health is weakening. … highrises will not happen if there is no economic justification for it.' 'The downtown skyline is the crown jewel. And that has to constantly be polished.' dfumano@
Global News
08-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
New development pitched for downtown Vancouver would include B.C.'s tallest tower
A massive new development is being pitched for downtown Vancouver. The Holborn Group says the project is about an ambitious city building on currently underutilized land and would include supportive housing, a hotel and what would be B.C.'s tallest tower. The four towers, spanning three sites at 501 and 595 West Georgia and 399 Abbott St., would be designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, drawing inspiration from 'rare and ancient glass sea sponge reefs, whose ecological strength and resilience have shaped both form and structure.' The tallest tower — a stand-alone hotel — is proposed at 1,033 feet (315 metres) and would reference the skeletal lattice of sea sponges, according to the proposal. Three of the four towers would range from 783 to 1,033 feet (239 to 315 metres) on West Georgia Street, and a fourth tower at 402 feet (122 metres) on Abbott Street. Story continues below advertisement The fourth tower, which Holborn said would be gifted to the City of Vancouver, will contain 378 social housing units, including three artist-in-residence studios, a child-care centre and a public Indigenous Art Gallery. View image in full screen View of the proposed plaza at Seymour and West Georgia Streets. The Holborn Group 2:44 Vancouver council votes unanimously in favour of Jericho Lands megaproject In total, the development will create 1,939 new homes, a 920-room hotel, 70,130 square feet of conference space, Indigenous-led reconciliation through art and introduce significant public amenities across both sites. Story continues below advertisement At the top of the hotel tower, the project aims to include a publicly accessible observation deck designed by PFS Studio envisioned as a 'forest in the sky.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In addition, the proposed 17,000-square-foot public plaza would connect West Georgia Street with retail and restaurant pavilions, programmed cultural space and Indigenous art. Musqueam artist Susan Point has been invited to transform the public plaza, interfacing the Randall Building into a site of storytelling through contemporary Indigenous expression. At Abbott, there would be a 5,150-square-foot Indigenous art gallery and community space, along with three artist-in-residence suites for the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh (MST), guided by consultant Gordon Grant. 'The project will showcase a genuine and informative act of Truth and Reconciliation,' said Grant. 'It will provide a platform for Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh artists to display a small piece of rich and powerful cultures that all of the Nations can be proud of.' Holborn has been trying to develop the area for eight years but the proposals have been rejected by city hall. This proposal was submitted to the City of Vancouver on May 2.
The Province
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Province
A massive development is being proposed for downtown Vancouver that would transform the city's skyline
The Holborn Group has been trying to develop this downtown site for eight years, and the city hasn't supported earlier proposals. Now, Holborn is proposing to build what would become Metro Vancouver's tallest skyscraper. An illustration showing Holborn Group's proposed development that includes four towers at two different sites in downtown Vancouver. Photo by Ian Kobylanski Holborn Group / A Vancouver developer wants to transform the downtown skyline with a massive development encompassing nearly two entire downtown blocks. It would include a trio of skyscrapers, the largest of which would reach more than 300 metres — the tallest in the city. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The project would be almost 50 per cent taller than the current tallest in Metro Vancouver, which is Two Gilmore Place in Burnaby at 218 m (64 storeys). The project has been nearly two decades in the making. Now is the right time to move forward, says the president of developer Holborn Group, as Vancouver is growing bigger with 'ambitions to be more like a world-class city.' Holborn has applied to build a project, designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, which involves a total of four towers at two different downtown locations. An illustration showing a development proposed for downtown Vancouver from the Holborn Group and designed by Henriquez Partners Architects. Sectional view from Seymour Street looking east. Credit: Holborn Group / Henriquez Partners Architects Photo by Norm Li On the larger of the two sites, Holborn proposes to build three towers between 68 and 80 storeys, including condos, market rental homes, commercial space and a 920-room hotel on the parcel between the 500-block of West Georgia and Dunsmuir streets. This parcel includes the now-vacant site at 500 Dunsmuir St., where a heritage building Holborn bought in 2006 was emptied in 2013 and then ordered demolished earlier this year after the city declared it was at risk of imminent collapse. The parcel also includes The Bay parkade, and the Randall building at 555 West Georgia St., which for years featured a beloved six-storey mural. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The proposal also includes developing a second site owned by Holborn, a Downtown Eastside parking lot, where the company is pitching a 38-storey tower with social housing, child care and an Indigenous art gallery. The entire building would be turned over to the city upon completion. Demolition of a heritage building at 500 Dunsmuir Street on Jan. 20. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO / 10106970A Holborn acquired The Bay parkade and 500 Dunsmuir St. in 2006, and then over the next 18 years acquired most of the other properties on that two-block parcel, with the exception of 570 Dunsmuir St., an eight-storey commercial building that houses private educational institutions and has a different owner. The final piece for Holborn was the acquisition of the Randall building , a 1929-built commercial structure at 555 West Georgia St., last year. For at least eight years Holborn has been in touch with city hall about developing the downtown site. City hall didn't support a series of earlier proposals designed by different architects and submitted on behalf of Holborn between 2017 and 2023. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. An illustration showing a development proposed for downtown Vancouver from the Holborn Group and designed by Henriquez Partners Architects. View of observation deck looking west. Credit: Holborn Group / Henriquez Partners Architects Photo by Norm Li 'We were told, 'No, no,' so many times, so we know what not to do this time,' Holborn president Joo Kim Tiah said with a laugh this week. 'I want to say it in a very respectful way. But I think the idea was probably too big at first, because, Vancouver was, maybe, not really used to such an ambitious project.' But after 'having persevered so many years,' Tiah said, he believes city planning staff now see 'the city growing bigger and has ambitions to be more like a world-class city.' The project aligns with priorities of the current city council and planning staff, such as boosting the supply of hotel rooms and homes downtown, Tiah said. 'So as all these things became more and more pressing, now I guess they are now more open to the fact that, 'Hey, actually a big project like this does bring a lot of benefits' … I think more and more, over time, they warmed up to the idea.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. An illustration showing a development proposed for downtown Vancouver from the Holborn Group and designed by Henriquez Partners Architects. View of the plaza at Seymour and West Georgia streets. Credit: Holborn Group / Henriquez Partners Architects Photo by Norm Li Conversations with city hall about the earlier proposals only ever reached the pre-application inquiry stage. About 18 months ago, Henriquez Partners Architects started working on the newest iteration, and last week, the partnership submitted the first formal rezoning application for the project. Said Gregory Henriquez, the company's managing principal: 'We learned a lot from what the other architects did and tried to incorporate all the lessons learned and comments given, over the years, into this design.' Henriquez said the design is inspired by ancient glass sea sponge reefs found off the B.C. coast, and they believe the project will be a 'landmark in the heart of Vancouver.' The project has evolved over time. Earlier versions of the project included office space, but the new design has removed that component, responding to the dwindling demand. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Another major change in the project's evolution was city council's decision last year to revise rules protecting public views, which enabled this site to go higher. Henriquez Partners' earlier version of the project, designed last year, planned to incorporate the heritage building at 500 Dunsmuir St., Henriquez said. After Vancouver's chief building official recommended the derelict building's demolition last December, saying it had become a 'danger to public safety,' it was demolished in January. That unexpected development prompted a redesign of the whole project, Henriquez said, changing it from two thicker towers to three thinner ones. An illustration showing a development proposed for downtown Vancouver from the Holborn Group and designed by Henriquez Partners Architects. View of 388 Abbott St. Credit: Holborn Group / Henriquez Partners Architects Photo by Norm Li The Abbott Street site that forms the other part of this proposal has been owned by Holborn since 2004. In 2018, Holborn applied to build a 10-storey market rental building on that site, which was approved by the city. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Asked why that rental housing project never moved forward, Tiah said that the company decided it made sense to tie the development of both the Georgia and Abbott properties together, 'revitalizing two areas of town.' The project would include a total of 1,939 new homes, a 920-room hotel, 64,000 square feet of retail space and a public plaza on West Georgia Street. The Abbott site would include 378 non-market homes, in a 38-storey building, roughly the same size as the Woodward's tower across the street, which was also designed by Henriquez and completed in 2010. Holborn is a local development company owned by one of Malaysia's wealthiest families. The developer is known for building Vancouver's Trump Tower on West Georgia, which has since been renamed, and the Little Mountain project, which was criticized because of delays in delivering the social housing units that were promised to replace those demolished on the site. dfumano@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Columnists National Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Sun
08-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
A massive development is being proposed for downtown Vancouver that would transform the city's skyline
A Vancouver developer wants to transform the downtown skyline with a massive development encompassing nearly two entire downtown blocks. It would include a trio of skyscrapers, the largest of which would reach more than 300 metres — the tallest in the city. The project would be almost 50 per cent taller than the current tallest in Metro Vancouver, which is Two Gilmore Place in Burnaby at 218 m (64 storeys). The project has been nearly two decades in the making. Now is the right time to move forward, says the president of developer Holborn Group, as Vancouver is growing bigger with 'ambitions to be more like a world-class city.' Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Holborn has applied to build a project, designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, which involves a total of four towers at two different downtown locations. On the larger of the two sites, Holborn proposes to build three towers between 68 and 80 storeys, including condos, market rental homes, commercial space and a 920-room hotel on the parcel between the 500-block of West Georgia and Dunsmuir streets. This parcel includes the now-vacant site at 500 Dunsmuir St., where a heritage building Holborn bought in 2006 was emptied in 2013 and then ordered demolished earlier this year after the city declared it was at risk of imminent collapse. The parcel also includes The Bay parkade, and the Randall building at 555 West Georgia St., which for years featured a beloved six-storey mural. The proposal also includes developing a second site owned by Holborn, a Downtown Eastside parking lot, where the company is pitching a 38-storey tower with social housing, child care and an Indigenous art gallery. The entire building would be turned over to the city upon completion. Holborn acquired The Bay parkade and 500 Dunsmuir St. in 2006, and then over the next 18 years acquired most of the other properties on that two-block parcel, with the exception of 570 Dunsmuir St., an eight-storey commercial building that houses private educational institutions and has a different owner. The final piece for Holborn was the acquisition of the , a 1929-built commercial structure at 555 West Georgia St., last year. For at least eight years Holborn has been in touch with city hall about developing the downtown site. City hall didn't support a series of earlier proposals designed by different architects and submitted on behalf of Holborn between 2017 and 2023. 'We were told, 'No, no,' so many times, so we know what not to do this time,' Holborn president Joo Kim Tiah said with a laugh this week. 'I want to say it in a very respectful way. But I think the idea was probably too big at first, because, Vancouver was, maybe, not really used to such an ambitious project.' But after 'having persevered so many years,' Tiah said, he believes city planning staff now see 'the city growing bigger and has ambitions to be more like a world-class city.' The project aligns with priorities of the current city council and planning staff, such as boosting the supply of hotel rooms and homes downtown, Tiah said. 'So as all these things became more and more pressing, now I guess they are now more open to the fact that, 'Hey, actually a big project like this does bring a lot of benefits' … I think more and more, over time, they warmed up to the idea.' Conversations with city hall about the earlier proposals only ever reached the pre-application inquiry stage. About 18 months ago, Henriquez Partners Architects started working on the newest iteration, and last week, the partnership submitted the first formal rezoning application for the project. Said Gregory Henriquez, the company's managing principal: 'We learned a lot from what the other architects did and tried to incorporate all the lessons learned and comments given, over the years, into this design.' Henriquez said the design is inspired by ancient glass sea sponge reefs found off the B.C. coast, and they believe the project will be a 'landmark in the heart of Vancouver.' The project has evolved over time. Earlier versions of the project included office space, but the new design has removed that component, responding to the dwindling demand. Another major change in the project's evolution was city council's decision last year to revise rules protecting public views, which enabled this site to go higher. Henriquez Partners' earlier version of the project, designed last year, planned to incorporate the heritage building at 500 Dunsmuir St., Henriquez said. After Vancouver's chief building official recommended the derelict building's demolition last December, saying it had become a 'danger to public safety,' it was demolished in January. That unexpected development prompted a redesign of the whole project, Henriquez said, changing it from two thicker towers to three thinner ones. The Abbott Street site that forms the other part of this proposal has been owned by Holborn since 2004. In 2018, Holborn applied to build a 10-storey market rental building on that site, which was approved by the city. Asked why that rental housing project never moved forward, Tiah said that the company decided it made sense to tie the development of both the Georgia and Abbott properties together, 'revitalizing two areas of town.' The project would include a total of 1,939 new homes, a 920-room hotel, 64,000 square feet of retail space and a public plaza on West Georgia Street. The Abbott site would include 378 non-market homes, in a 38-storey building, roughly the same size as the Woodward's tower across the street. Holborn is a local development company owned by one of Malaysia's wealthiest families. The developer is known for building Vancouver's Trump Tower on West Georgia, which has since been renamed, and the Little Mountain project, which was criticized because of delays in delivering the social housing units that were promised to replace those demolished on the site. dfumano@
