The Georgia | 157m | 48 fl | Completed

[Architype]

This is from a great old postcard I have, dated around 1967. The site is where the parking garage is.

(Card by: Traveltime)

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by worldwide

i agree lets focus growth in open space and farmland. its a much better idea.

but seriously. was that site even a heratige building? i thought it was a parking garage.

yeah it was a garage, and an exceptionally ugly one at that

[nathan6969]

The building where cathedral place is, looks kinda cool, it looks like it took some design cues from the marine building.

[vanlaw]

Originally Posted by nathan6969

The building where cathedral place is, looks kinda cool, it looks like it took some design cues from the marine building.

It did - I believe the Georgia Medical & Dental Building was the "sister" building to the Marine Building.

[vanman]

So from the most recent pictures posted it looks as though demolition work has been completed and excavation of the site has started meaning this thing is officially u/c.

[nathan6969]

Originally Posted by vanlaw

It did - I believe the Georgia Medical & Dental Building was the "sister" building to the Marine Building.

How come they took this one down....it looks like it coulda been a beautiful building...

[officedweller]

The Georgia-Medical Dental Building would have been too expensive to retrofit for modern office use - i.e. low ceilings, unreinforced brick, small floor plate, etc. In addition - you can't tell from the pic - the building was "L" shaped (like the Georgia Hotel).

In that pic you ca also see the Customs House building by the Marine Building. That modernist building was by the same architect at the Vancouver Public Library and I think the Burrard Building (prior to recladding of course). It was demolished in the early 1990s and 401 Burrard was eventually built referencing some of the massing and geometry of the Customs House.

****
For the Georgia Hotel, the hotel part of the site is a Class B Heritage site and is currently being restored and is set to reopen well before the tower is completed. David Hawksworth of West fame will be operating a new restaurant in the hotel. Can't recall the name of the boutique hotel operator. Apparently much of the interior spaces will be restored - esp. on the second floor, which used to be a large open lounge that was later partitioned off into meeting rooms. The Ballroom (which I think was a leter addition to the hotel?) was demolished and will be recreated in its original form - including a mezzanine level that looked down onto the guests in the ballroom.

[vanlaw]

[QUOTE=officedweller;3364993]The Georgia-Medical Dental Building would have been too expensive to retrofit for modern office use - i.e. low ceilings, unreinforced brick, small floor plate, etc. In addition - you can't tell from the pic - the building was "L" shaped (like the Georgia Hotel).

For the Georgia Hotel, the hotel part of the site is a Class B Heritage site and is currently being restored and is set to reopen well before the tower is completed. David Hawksworth of West fame will be operating a new restaurant in the hotel. Can't recall the name of the boutique hotel operator. QUOTE]

Thanks Officedweller - I think you had mentioned the reason why the GMD was not saved in another thread recently- saved me from hunting it down.

In relation to new operator for the Hotel Georgia, has this actually been confirmed yet? I read somewhere that it was rumoured to become a "W" Hotel, but hadnt heard if anything was confirmed yet.

[jlousa]

No it wasn't W they lost out but are still looking for a Vancouver property, Can't seem to recall right now which company will manage it, I'm pretty sure it's in here somewhere.

Just found it, it will be the Valencia Hotel Group .

[Yume-sama]

Hmm, I'm not too familiar with the Valencia Hotel Group.

But, that leaves the door open for an 800 - 900 foot Mandarin Oriental Office / Hotel hybrid

[officedweller]

The Metropolitan (next to the Hotel Georgia site) was originally opened as a Mandarin in the 1980s(?).

[osirisboy]

i don't get how you think theyr'e taking down a heritage building??? it was an ugly parkade that they tore down thats all.

[ckkelley]

Originally Posted by officedweller

No, that was the old BIng Thom plan. The new design has a larger underground footprint. The ballroom was demolished (and will be recreated) allowing an "L" shaped underground parkade. The new design has office space where the old design had the above-ground parkade. Not sure how deep it'll go.

thx. OD

[officedweller]

The awning from the Georgia St. side of the Hotel Georgia building has been removed (as part of the renovation).
I think they are in the process of removing the Howe St. awning as well.

I wonder what the new ones will look like?

[officedweller]

Brick has been removed from the north side of the old hotel in preparation for construction of the new tower.

[vanman]

A quick shot.

[Stingray2004]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The Metropolitan (next to the Hotel Georgia site) was originally opened as a Mandarin in the 1980s(?).

Yeah, the bottom fell out of the economy in the fall of 1981 and the Mandarin opened up just after that, 1982, I believe. The grand opening received a lot of media coverage due to the renowned "Mandarin" name.

It's too bad they couldn't make it in this market... probably a mix of the poor economy, poor location, and bad timing.

[archiwei]

which company manage the hotel?

[jlousa]

*l* the answer to your question is half a page up.

[Delirium]

source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanmixer/2347919165/