Vancouver-based real estate developer Bonnis Properties has revised its proposal for their high-profile Granville Street redevelopment project in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
The subject site of the project is 800-876 Granville Street and consists of seven parcels — 800, 810, 820, 830, 834, 868, 872 Granville Street, legally — that make up almost the entire block bounded by Granville Street, Robson Street, Seymour Street, and Smithe Street.
The properties are currently occupied by a series of low-rise commercial buildings, the most notable of which is the Commodore Building, which houses the Commodore Ballroom and also the Commodore Lanes bowling alley.
BC Assessment values the parcels at $21,640,000, $19,469,000, $12,200,000, $22,093,000, $10,420,000, $58,440,000, and $9,253,000, for a total valuation of $153,515,000. All seven parcels are owned under Bonnis Properties Inc.
After submitting a rezoning application for the site in late-2022 with a proposal for a large 17-storey mixed-use office building, the office market took a downturn and Bonnis Properties decided to cancel the project, as first reported by STOREYS in April 2024. At that point, the project had only progressed to the Urban Design Panel and had not received approval.
The 800-876 Granville Street site in downtown Vancouver. / Perkins&Will, Bonnis Properties
The proposal has since been substantially revised. Instead of one large 17-storey building that stretches almost the entire block, Bonnis Properties is now proposing a 43-storey North Tower and a 39-storey South Tower mixed-use tower with a total of 523 rental units. Accordingly, the maximum height of the proposal has been increased from 260 ft to 451 ft. The two towers would sit on either side of the Commodore Building, which will be fully retained along with the façades of four heritage buildings.
The 43-storey North Tower would sit closer to Robson Street and house 307 rental units, comprised of 82 studio units, 100 one-bedroom units, 87 two-bedroom units, and 38 three-bedroom units. The lower portion of this tower will then house 47,203 sq. ft of hotel space on the eighth, seventh, and sixth floor.
The 39-storey South Tower closer to Smithe Street would then house 216 rental units, comprised of 104 studio units, 54 one-bedroom units, 26 two-bedroom units, and 32 three-bedroom units. This tower would also house 15,416 sq. ft of single-room occupancy space that would replace the existing 73-unit State Hotel SRO building. According to Bonnis, they are including this even though the State Hotel is currently vacant because the CMHC requires 10% of units within a project to be below-market to qualify for financing. Bonnis would retain ownership of the new SRO building after it is completed.
The proposal also includes 12,969 sq. ft of restaurant space, 89,718 sq. ft of commercial space, and 13,115 sq. ft of retail space, a majority of which will be located below the North Tower. All in all, the proposal is for a total of 695,789 sq. ft of space (up from 651,503 sq. ft), which translates to a floor space ratio of 14.5 (up from 13.58). An underground parkade will then house 351 vehicle parking spaces — primarily for non-residential use — and 1,118 bicycle parking spaces.
The original proposal included approximately 470,000 sq. ft of office space, almost all of which is replaced by 455,000 sq. ft of rental housing space in the updated proposal.
The mix of uses in the original submission and the new proposal. / Perkins&Will, Bonnis Properties
A sketch of the updated proposal for 800-876 Granville Street. / Perkins&Will, Bonnis Properties
According to the City of Vancouver, 800-876 Granville Street is within the Downtown Official Development Plan (DODP) area and the rezoning proposal is seeking height and density in excess of the 90 ft and 3.5 FSR currently allowed under the policy. However, the City notes that the existing policy is being reviewed as part of the Granville Street Planning Program. The City says the DODP would need to be amended to enable this project.
"The proposed revitalization will secure the future of the historic buildings and provide protection with heritage designation," said Bonnis in its revised application. "A 3.5 FSR scheme permitted under current zoning does not allow heritage conservation, only demolition in hopes of maximizing new construction area. Increasing beyond this density allows the cost to be dispersed, making it feasible."
"By amending to tower typologies with additional uses from the previously proposed horizontal form, the design proposal creates a distinctive new silhouette for the city and allows a sensitive addition to the street, but also reinforces the block-long nature of the development by artfully bridging the two towers," Bonnis added, referring to the outdoor deck proposed for above the Commodore Building.
A ground-level rendering of the revised proposal for 800-876 Granville Street. / Perkins&Will, Bonnis Properties
"The design proposal will not be confused with ordinary downtown development, as it is distinctive and commensurate with the unique site location and the dynamic nature of the Granville Street," they concluded. "It will be a new landmark, and source of pride for the city in a way it reinvigorates the fundamental elements of Granville Street's soul — heritage assets, historical uses, and arts & culture venues."
After publishing the new rezoning application for 800-876 Granville Street on March 18, the City will be hosting a Q&A period for the proposal from Wednesday, April 30 to Tuesday, May 13.
Nearby, Bonnis also owns the large retail complex at 798 Granville Street, which they put on the market in late-2023. More recently, as first reported by STOREYS, they sold the Hollywood Theatre and Hollywood Residences in Kitsilano in late-2024 for $47.5 million.
