Vancouver approves rezoning for three tallest downtown towers

Vancouver city council has approved rezoning for a proposed three-tower development that could produce the city’s three tallest buildings.

Council voted 7-3 Monday on changes affecting the block bounded by Dunsmuir, Richards, West Georgia and Seymour streets. Holborn Group says its tallest proposed tower would rise 79 storeys, while the other two would be 68 storeys.

The project is planned to include more than 1,500 mostly market-rate homes and a 920-room hotel. Holborn has also agreed to build a social-housing building at Abbott Street and East Hastings Street, with an Indigenous art gallery and child-care facility. Supporters cited the mix of strata and rental housing, commercial space, hotel conference facilities and a public viewing platform.

The vote came before the city has completed its review of its tall-buildings policy. Green councillor and mayoral candidate Pete Fry said city staff still had analysis to complete on public feedback and argued the policy process should have been allowed to conclude.

Holborn’s record at Little Mountain was also raised during the public hearing. After buying the site in 2008, the developer displaced about 700 social-housing residents, while the property remained largely empty for about a decade. Fry said speakers remained concerned about the delayed delivery of that earlier project.

Construction could still be years away, and the final design may change. Aviation considerations, including possible requirements from NAV Canada, could result in shorter towers.