Downtown Vancouver post office to be redeveloped into retail, offices, condos

Redevelopment could bring new retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue, Uniqlo and Loblaw CityMarket to downtown

Exciting redevelopment plans for the biggest vacant building in downtown Vancouver — the old post office — have been unveiled.

The project is still years away, and a rezoning application is not expected to be submitted until later this year, but the developer, Bentall Kennedy, plans to convert the massive old building into a mix of retail, offices and residential with four new towers built on top.

The project will consist of:

• 300,000 sq ft of retail space, including space for large format retailers. Large retailers looking for space in downtown Vancouver include Simons, Saks Fifth Avenue, Uniqlo and Whole Foods.
• One 19 storey building with 500,000 sq ft of office space on the Georgia St. side
• 850 units of rental and market condos in three towers between 12 and 16 storeys on the northern/Dunsmuir St. side of the post office
• Additional levels of vehicle parking and over 1,000 bicycle parking spaces
• Preservation of the existing Canada Post building, considered one of the finest examples of the “international style” of architecture

The redevelopment doesn’t have a name yet, but if approved, is expected to be completed by 2021. The area around the post office is undergoing huge changes with the recent opening of the Telus Garden office and condo development, as well as the Vancouver Art Gallery’s plan to move to a new building a block away at Cambie and West Georgia St.

The project will be the largest heritage revitalization in the city’s history and will continue downtown Vancouver’s expansion eastward.