Vancouver council approves three tallest towers downtown

Vancouver city council has approved rezoning for a downtown block that could become home to the city’s three tallest towers. The 73 vote on Monday allows Holborn Group to move forward with plans for one 79storey tower and two 68storey towers near Georgia, Seymour, Dunsmuir and Richards streets. The proposal calls for 1,546 housing units, a 920room hotel, and a public viewing deck and garden at the top of the tallest tower. Council supporters said the project would add density and create a major new public amenity in the downtown core. As part of the decision, council also approved rezoning another Holbornowned site on Abbott Street and East Hastings for a social housing tower with child care and an Indigenous art gallery. Some councillors supported the design as a landmark project, while others questioned whether it was appropriate to approve the towers before the city finishes its broader review of tallbuilding policy. The project has also drawn criticism over Holborn’s past handling of the Little Mountain housing site. Construction is not expected to begin soon, and Nav Canada has warned that the height may need to be reduced because of aviation concerns.