Downtown Vancouver Updates II

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by Changing City

The single storey retail building at 55 West Hastings was demolished in the past couple of days. Rental building approved a while ago.



[Changing City blog]

There definitely seems to be increasing activity in the western fringe of the DTES, as well as Gastown and Chinatown right now.

Anyways, very nice project, and the kind of single lot development I'd love to see be more widespread.

[Zepfancouver]

This morning - Aug 21, 2025

The Listel Hotel Vancouver demolition almost done above ground. I did not go into the back alley so I have no idea if there is a basement or parkade to be demoed


https://makeagif.com/i/R7eKE6











• Video Link

[Zepfancouver]

Oct 21, 2024 highrise fire at Nicola Street and Alberni Residents of West End highrise find nothing salvageable following 'surreal' fire

10 months to the day, what a mess, I can only image how much work is needed.

Pic by me - This morning 10:45 am

[Zepfancouver]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Pics by me July 26th:

Harwood x Thurlow
1065 Harwood St and 1332 Thurlow St

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Refreshing to see the spandrel panels glazed with a matching finish to the vision glass.

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Hard to find the final renderings for these projects whose design changed a few times.


https://changingcitybook.wordpress.com/2022/11/23/harwood-and-thurlow-streets/

Pic by me - This morning - Aug 21, 2025 - 9:50 am - From Anchor Point 1 elevator lobby

[Skali]

Looks like you took this photo shortly before the accident that seriously injured one of the workers raising the crane!

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/08/21/vancouver-west-end-crane-worker-injured/

[Zepfancouver]

Originally Posted by Skali

Looks like you took this photo shortly before the accident that seriously injured one of the workers raising the crane!

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/08/21/vancouver-west-end-crane-worker-injured/

Construction accidents always hits me defferently (harder) than all other news storys.
We don't all know each other on a job site but we all want everyone there to go home heathy and in one piece.
Hope they make a full recovery, just a forever limp can be devastating for someone who wants to work (pay is good) in the industry.

[Zepfancouver]

Drove by the site after an errand (banking) this morning and the site is busy has always but the tower crane was on pause.

Pics by me - Aug 22, 2025



EDIT: CTV News article Aug 22, 2025 According to VFRS, a large power cable that powers the crane had come loose and hit the worker’s leg, breaking it.

[officedweller]

Nothing new...

Bonnis Properties' $140M sale of Granville and Robson site sparks redevelopment speculation
https://www.biv.com/news/real-estate/bon...parks-redevelopment-speculation-11107757

[jollyburger]

It seems like they were using the crane again today on that Thurlow project that had the accident.

[Zepfancouver]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

It seems like they were using the crane again today on that Thurlow project that had the accident.

Yes, it's back in action today.

Pics by me - Aug 23, 2025 12:25 pm from Anchor Point 1 roofdeck

1065 Harwood


1332 Thurlow

[gaviscon]

Anybody know what happened to this?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by gaviscon

Anybody know what happened to this?

The same as happened to this


[Changing City blog]

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by gaviscon

Anybody know what happened to this?

Dee said his team works with patient investment partners.

"We select what we think will be great sites to work with and we hold them for a long time and we redevelop them at the right time," he said.

It's not the right time.

https://renx.ca/vancouver-hotel-project-would-ride-granville-street-renewal-wave

[griswold]

Isn't the city trying to build as many hotels as possible right now as well as revitalize Granville? Why wouldn't this move forward?

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by griswold

Isn't the city trying to build as many hotels as possible right now as well as revitalize Granville? Why wouldn't this move forward?

Because the "City" doesn't build hotels, developers do, and they need it to pencil out sufficiently to attract investment and lenders.

The market decides whether a proposal moves forward, the "City" only approves it.

[Spr0ckets]

Two things can be true:-

- Vancouver (as in the GVA) has a well-known hotel shortage - a situation that's exercarbated by the outlawing of the AirBnB/VRBO house-renting model.


....and also....

- The current market doesn't show as much support for huge hotel demand as most people seem to believe there is, which would justify for some of these developers moving forward with hotel-centered projects like this.


We've seen quite a number of hotel proposals and office-to-hotel conversion proposals over the past few years as the office market has collapsed post-pandemic with remote-work habits proliferation, but not as many seem to be moving forward as one would expect.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

We've seen quite a number of hotel proposals and office-to-hotel conversion proposals over the past few years as the office market has collapsed post-pandemic with remote-work habits proliferation, but not as many seem to be moving forward as one would expect.

It’s odd considering how expensive hotels downtown are and how much business is potentially being lost because of that. Anecdotally, a friend recently visited and chose to stay in Surrey instead because of the prices. He’s not strapped for cash by any measure either.

[officedweller]

848-850 Seymour Street
Moxy & Element Hotels

By me today:

[jollyburger]

Seems like the first permits for framing the future passport office on Granville

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=255859338

[griswold]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Because the "City" doesn't build hotels, developers do, and they need it to pencil out sufficiently to attract investment and lenders.

The market decides whether a proposal moves forward, the "City" only approves it.

No shit. The city dictates what gets built though. And they've been vocal about needing hotels. That proposal is a good one and it should be built.