Cadillac Fairview has officially unveiled plans for the redevelopment of the former Sears building in downtown Vancouver.
The high-profile former Sears store is slated to become a Nordstrom department store, as part of the Seattle department store chain’s expansion into Canada.
The building is one of the least loved structures in the city, with many referring to it as “Vancouver’s longest urinal wall.” The massive building occupies a prominent site next to the Art Gallery.
The building’s shell will remain, but the white tiles will be removed and replaced with a glass façade.
“This is an extremely exciting stage in our evolution,” says Tom Knoepfel, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Cadillac Fairview.
“These plans reinforce Pacific Centre’s reputation as downtown Vancouver’s pre-eminent mixed-use property. Pacific Centre will span from Pender Street all the way to our new entrance on the corner of Robson and Granville. This will be a key factor in the centre’s continued success.”
Nordstrom will occupy three floors of space totaling 230,000 square feet. Pacific Centre will also be expanded, with 48,000 square feet of new retail shops in the basement level of the former Sears store. Pre-leasing for these spots is already underway, according to Cadillac Fairview.
The top four levels of the building will be converted into 280,000 square feet of AAA office space with some of the biggest floor plates in the city, at 70,000 square feet per floor.
The architect is James K.M. Cheng, and the contractor is Ledcor. Construction will begin in November 2012 and take 18 to 24 months to complete.
Pacific Centre opened in 1971 and attracts 18 million visits per year. It’s one of the most successful, best performing shopping centres in Canada.
The retail scene in downtown Vancouver is changing as of late, with several vacancies on trendy Robson Street. Victoria Secret is set to open a flagship store in the former HMV space at Robson and Burrard in May 2013.
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