Vancouver’s First Supertall Development: Georgia + Abbott Project

The Georgia + Abbott development in Vancouver has received city council approval, marking a significant milestone for the project. This development will feature Vancouver’s first supertall building, becoming the tallest tower in Western Canada. Designed by Henriquez Partners Architects and developed by Holborn, the project covers over three million square feet across interconnected sites on West Georgia Street and Abbott Street.

The centerpiece will be a 1,033-foot hotel tower with a ‘forest in the sky,’ surpassing the 300-meter threshold that defines a supertall skyscraper. Holborn’s spokesperson confirmed the approval and estimates around five years for design development, technical studies, permitting, and other approvals before construction starts.

Development and Approval Process

The city council approval follows a public hearing and the review of a site consolidation addendum earlier this year. The approval includes rezoning a Holborn-owned parking lot into a social housing tower featuring a childcare facility and an Indigenous art gallery.

Vancouver councilor Sarah Kirby-Yung expressed the council’s commitment to creating a vibrant Vancouver, aligning with the council’s priorities to enhance public benefit.

Project Impact

The development aims to create new public spaces, improve transit connectivity, support tourism, and provide significant employment and investment opportunities. The latest project renderings showcase an updated public plaza design integrating Indigenous art, gathering spaces, and active programming.

Despite some concerns about height exemptions and the developer’s history with previous projects, the council’s approval represents a key step forward.

Architectural Inspiration and Design

The development’s architecture draws inspiration from British Columbia’s rare glass-sea-sponge reefs. These ancient marine structures inform the tower’s design, including the exoskeleton and residential balconies.

Holborn described the council’s decision as a defining milestone for Vancouver’s city-building efforts, with the 920-room hotel featuring a ‘forest in the sky’ observation deck providing panoramic city views.

Housing and Other Benefits

The Georgia + Abbott project plans to deliver 1,783 homes, including market, purpose-built rental, and non-market housing. The development will offer 237 social housing units as part of its Community Amenity Contribution package.

The developer notes that the site currently lacks residential tenants, with the Abbott parcel serving as a parking lot and the Georgia site as a surface parkade. Upon completion, elements like the social housing, childcare facility, and commercial spaces for an Indigenous art gallery will be transferred to the city.

Holborn emphasizes that benefits go beyond housing, aiming to reconnect various downtown areas while focusing on revitalization. The development targets net-zero operational carbon and a significant reduction in embodied carbon compared to municipal baseline levels.

Holborn highlighted the conversion of underutilized downtown parking spaces into vibrant mixed-use destinations that offer internationally significant architecture and substantial public benefits.