Chinatown Updates Discussion

[Glow Fun City]

Originally Posted by Changing City

The proposed hotel conversion of the Vancouver Film School building at 88 E Pender may not be happening. CBRE have a listing for the entire building.

It doesn't say the terms of the lease… could be short term?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Glow Fun City

It doesn't say the terms of the lease… could be short term?

That seems unlikely. It would usually be stated explicitly, and I'm not sure the the leasing agent would produce a brochure for a short term lease.

[jollyburger]

But the listing is from early last year and the application went in last November so you assume the hotel conversion is in progress.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

But the listing is from early last year and the application went in last November so you assume the hotel conversion is in progress.

CBRE have large leasing signs on the building - although I may have missed them before. It appears to have been listed on Spacelist today.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Changing City

CBRE have large leasing signs on the building - although I may have missed them before.

Google Maps shows them from a June 2025 Street View capture.

The development permit was approved on March 4th so I guess we'll see something soon if they want to advance it.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Google Maps shows them from a June 2025 Street View capture.

The development permit was approved on March 4th so I guess we'll see something soon if they want to advance it.

You're right, the CBRE listing has been around a while - it was the Spacelist entry that seemed to be new. There are quite a few boutique hotels under construction, so maybe they're just still hoping to find a tenant before going for the conversion.

[jollyburger]

City of Vancouver seeks new restaurant to act as ‘catalyst’ for Chinatown Plaza

The City of Vancouver is seeking a restaurateur to operate a Chinese restaurant inside the Chinatown Plaza in hopes that it will act as a “catalyst” for renewed commercial activity in what used to be a thriving mall.

The popular Floata Seafood Restaurant, which was a mainstay of political parties from all levels of government to host fundraisers, closed its doors in October 2025. The Floata occupied an 18,000 square foot space on the third floor of the plaza on Keefer Street for 30 years.

The city has since posted a request for proposal (RFP) on its website seeking a new operator. A separate RFP is for a property management and merchandising services provider to boost activity in the plaza, where 13 of the 33 commercial units are vacant.

“Chinatown Plaza has experienced high vacancy rates and diminished foot traffic over the past two decades due to neighbourhood decline, competition from other Asian commercial areas, public safety challenges and an aging local community,” the RFP said.

“The situation deteriorated further during COVID in 2020 and has not recovered.”

https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-pol...as-catalyst-for-chinatown-plaza-12447013

[jollyburger]

The office to hotel conversion at 88 East Pender got their DP issued on June 10th

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=281107125

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

The office to hotel conversion at 88 East Pender got their DP issued on June 10th

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=281107125

The 610 Main office to hotel conversion is now on internal partition construction. The DP was approved in July 2024.