One of Vancouver’s most recognizable towers will soon be coming down.
The owners of the Empire Landmark Hotel on Robson Street, the tallest free-standing hotel in Vancouver, is floating a plan to demolish the 42 storey tower and replace it with two new condo towers.
The building, an icon in the West End, was completed in 1973 and originally opened as the Sheraton Landmark hotel. The building is well-known for its revolving restaurant on the top floor, Cloud 9.
It is currently owned by Hong Kong based Asia Standard International Group. The company also recently bought two buildings along Alberni Street, directly in front of the Empire Landmark, for $160 million in a partnership with developer Landa Global Properties.
According to the Development Permit Board website, the proposal calls for two towers, 28 and 30 storeys, with a total of 280 residential units.
223 of the units will be market condos, and 57 of the units will designated as social housing in the podium. The West End Community Plan provides bonus density to developers who include social housing units in new projects.
There will be retail on the ground floor, and office space on the second floor, over four levels of underground parking accessed from the lane.
The architect is Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership, who worked on the Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver, the MNP Tower, and Bentall 5, among others.
It will be interesting to see how the building is taken down – whether it will be dismantled or is demolished in a controlled implosion.
Here are some renderings of the proposal, from the City of Vancouver’s website:
Last updated: September 23, 2016
