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15-27 W Hastings rezoning application

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The City of Vancouver has received an application to rezone the subject site from DD (Downtown) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District. The proposal is to allow for the development of a 40-storey mixed-use rental building and includes:

  • 441 market rental units;
  • 108 below-market rental units operated by a non-profit operator;
  • Commercial space on the ground floor;
  • A floor space ratio (FSR) of 22.28; and
  • A building height of 117 m (384 ft.).

The Samuel Tower is located in the Victory Square sub area of the Downtown Eastside Plan. The proposal requests consideration of height in excess of the existing policy. The Victory Square sub-area allows a maximum height of 32 m (105 ft.).

This application is being processed and reviewed concurrently with the application to rezone 8-36 W Cordova St.

Application drawings and statistics are posted as-submitted to the City. Following staff review, the final project statistics are documented within the referral report.

The previous 2023 rezoning application has been withdrawn, and replaced by this application.


The City of Vancouver has received an application to rezone the subject site from DD (Downtown) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District. The proposal is to allow for the development of a 40-storey mixed-use rental building and includes:

  • 441 market rental units;
  • 108 below-market rental units operated by a non-profit operator;
  • Commercial space on the ground floor;
  • A floor space ratio (FSR) of 22.28; and
  • A building height of 117 m (384 ft.).

The Samuel Tower is located in the Victory Square sub area of the Downtown Eastside Plan. The proposal requests consideration of height in excess of the existing policy. The Victory Square sub-area allows a maximum height of 32 m (105 ft.).

This application is being processed and reviewed concurrently with the application to rezone 8-36 W Cordova St.

Application drawings and statistics are posted as-submitted to the City. Following staff review, the final project statistics are documented within the referral report.

The previous 2023 rezoning application has been withdrawn, and replaced by this application.


Q&A

The opportunity to ask questions through the Q&A is available from April 2-15, 2025. 

We post all questions as-is and aim to respond within two business days. Some questions may require coordination with internal departments and additional time may be needed to post a response.

Please note that the comment form will remain open after the Q&A period. The Rezoning Planner can also be contacted directly for any further feedback or questions.

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  • Share The following questions, as well the justification for asking these as part of this rezoning application, were also submitted as part my comments to the city. While the questions might not seem to be completely relevant to the rezoning application, they do help inform an understanding of what could be achieved as a condition of the rezoning application in order for the applicant to align their envisioned development with City policies regarding this property. The historic buildings comprising the subject property of this rezoning application includes the 1909-built Buscombe Block (19-27 West Hastings) and the 1913-built Rex Theatre (13-17 West Hastings). - Have any heritage assessment and/or evaluation of either of the two impacted historic buildings been undertaken by the applicant and/or City’s Heritage Planners with Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability? If not, why? And if so, what were the outcomes and recommendations of these assessments? - Will City Staff have the applicant explain and justify to them how is the demolition of century-old masonry/concrete structures, eliminating their decades of embodied carbon and depositing of their building material in the landfill, sustainable? (refer to “embracing sustainable best practices” in their rezoning rationale booklet). - Has there been any studies completed by the applicant to determine the feasibility of the façade retention of the Buscombe Block? - Has there been any investigation by the applicant to determine the extent of surviving historic exterior architectural features of the Rex Theatre? on Facebook Share The following questions, as well the justification for asking these as part of this rezoning application, were also submitted as part my comments to the city. While the questions might not seem to be completely relevant to the rezoning application, they do help inform an understanding of what could be achieved as a condition of the rezoning application in order for the applicant to align their envisioned development with City policies regarding this property. The historic buildings comprising the subject property of this rezoning application includes the 1909-built Buscombe Block (19-27 West Hastings) and the 1913-built Rex Theatre (13-17 West Hastings). - Have any heritage assessment and/or evaluation of either of the two impacted historic buildings been undertaken by the applicant and/or City’s Heritage Planners with Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability? If not, why? And if so, what were the outcomes and recommendations of these assessments? - Will City Staff have the applicant explain and justify to them how is the demolition of century-old masonry/concrete structures, eliminating their decades of embodied carbon and depositing of their building material in the landfill, sustainable? (refer to “embracing sustainable best practices” in their rezoning rationale booklet). - Has there been any studies completed by the applicant to determine the feasibility of the façade retention of the Buscombe Block? - Has there been any investigation by the applicant to determine the extent of surviving historic exterior architectural features of the Rex Theatre? on Twitter Share The following questions, as well the justification for asking these as part of this rezoning application, were also submitted as part my comments to the city. While the questions might not seem to be completely relevant to the rezoning application, they do help inform an understanding of what could be achieved as a condition of the rezoning application in order for the applicant to align their envisioned development with City policies regarding this property. The historic buildings comprising the subject property of this rezoning application includes the 1909-built Buscombe Block (19-27 West Hastings) and the 1913-built Rex Theatre (13-17 West Hastings). - Have any heritage assessment and/or evaluation of either of the two impacted historic buildings been undertaken by the applicant and/or City’s Heritage Planners with Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability? If not, why? And if so, what were the outcomes and recommendations of these assessments? - Will City Staff have the applicant explain and justify to them how is the demolition of century-old masonry/concrete structures, eliminating their decades of embodied carbon and depositing of their building material in the landfill, sustainable? (refer to “embracing sustainable best practices” in their rezoning rationale booklet). - Has there been any studies completed by the applicant to determine the feasibility of the façade retention of the Buscombe Block? - Has there been any investigation by the applicant to determine the extent of surviving historic exterior architectural features of the Rex Theatre? on Linkedin Email The following questions, as well the justification for asking these as part of this rezoning application, were also submitted as part my comments to the city. While the questions might not seem to be completely relevant to the rezoning application, they do help inform an understanding of what could be achieved as a condition of the rezoning application in order for the applicant to align their envisioned development with City policies regarding this property. The historic buildings comprising the subject property of this rezoning application includes the 1909-built Buscombe Block (19-27 West Hastings) and the 1913-built Rex Theatre (13-17 West Hastings). - Have any heritage assessment and/or evaluation of either of the two impacted historic buildings been undertaken by the applicant and/or City’s Heritage Planners with Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability? If not, why? And if so, what were the outcomes and recommendations of these assessments? - Will City Staff have the applicant explain and justify to them how is the demolition of century-old masonry/concrete structures, eliminating their decades of embodied carbon and depositing of their building material in the landfill, sustainable? (refer to “embracing sustainable best practices” in their rezoning rationale booklet). - Has there been any studies completed by the applicant to determine the feasibility of the façade retention of the Buscombe Block? - Has there been any investigation by the applicant to determine the extent of surviving historic exterior architectural features of the Rex Theatre? link

    The following questions, as well the justification for asking these as part of this rezoning application, were also submitted as part my comments to the city. While the questions might not seem to be completely relevant to the rezoning application, they do help inform an understanding of what could be achieved as a condition of the rezoning application in order for the applicant to align their envisioned development with City policies regarding this property. The historic buildings comprising the subject property of this rezoning application includes the 1909-built Buscombe Block (19-27 West Hastings) and the 1913-built Rex Theatre (13-17 West Hastings). - Have any heritage assessment and/or evaluation of either of the two impacted historic buildings been undertaken by the applicant and/or City’s Heritage Planners with Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability? If not, why? And if so, what were the outcomes and recommendations of these assessments? - Will City Staff have the applicant explain and justify to them how is the demolition of century-old masonry/concrete structures, eliminating their decades of embodied carbon and depositing of their building material in the landfill, sustainable? (refer to “embracing sustainable best practices” in their rezoning rationale booklet). - Has there been any studies completed by the applicant to determine the feasibility of the façade retention of the Buscombe Block? - Has there been any investigation by the applicant to determine the extent of surviving historic exterior architectural features of the Rex Theatre?

    Thomas Crush asked 5 days ago

    The developer has provided the following responses:

    •    The Buscombe Block and Rex Theatre are not included in the City of Vancouver’s Heritage Register, and a formal heritage assessment was not required.  

    •    The applicant is following the City of Vancouver Embodied Carbon Guidelines to limit carbon in construction. Most buildings target 50% to 75% waste diversion from landfill, these recycled materials, such as recycled concrete and steel and timber, will be repurposed into the new design or reused in other buildings or engineering projects locally where possible.

    •    The Buscombe Block has not been studied for facade retention as it is not on the City’s Heritage Register.

    •    The Rex Theatre is not listed on the City’s Heritage Register. The original leading roof cornice line and arched pediment that is visible in historic images of the Rex Theatre is visibly absent from the building today. Furthermore, based on visual comparison of historic images and the current building the location and position of the existing facade cladding appears set back from the original Rex Theatre facade which suggests the original facade was either removed or severely cut back. The full degree of intervention and alteration is unknown but appears significant.

  • Share A project of this scale will take many many years to complete. What is the estimated construction timeline, how will disruptions to the surrounding area (noise, dust, street closures, traffic) be mitigated, and how will local residents and businesses be affected during that time? on Facebook Share A project of this scale will take many many years to complete. What is the estimated construction timeline, how will disruptions to the surrounding area (noise, dust, street closures, traffic) be mitigated, and how will local residents and businesses be affected during that time? on Twitter Share A project of this scale will take many many years to complete. What is the estimated construction timeline, how will disruptions to the surrounding area (noise, dust, street closures, traffic) be mitigated, and how will local residents and businesses be affected during that time? on Linkedin Email A project of this scale will take many many years to complete. What is the estimated construction timeline, how will disruptions to the surrounding area (noise, dust, street closures, traffic) be mitigated, and how will local residents and businesses be affected during that time? link

    A project of this scale will take many many years to complete. What is the estimated construction timeline, how will disruptions to the surrounding area (noise, dust, street closures, traffic) be mitigated, and how will local residents and businesses be affected during that time?

    LLM asked 3 days ago

    •    The developer estimates that the duration of demolition and construction activities could take up to 4.5 years. 

    •    Prior to construction, the developer is required to meet with and coordinate construction and street use impacts with the City’s Engineering team. Appropriate permits are required to secure street space, and any closures must be permitted in advance with proper traffic management plans approved. Traffic management plans are reviewed closely by Engineering staff to ensure there are safe vehicular, cycling, and pedestrian provisions during construction to provide access for the local residents and businesses. 

    •    Construction on private property must be carried out between 7:30am and 8pm on any weekday that is not a holiday, and between 10am to 8pm on any Saturday that is not a holiday. Construction is not permitted on Sundays. The City’s Noise Control By-law regulates construction-related noise for private development to these same times.

    •    There are some circumstances where a variance to construction times may be permitted. This usually occurs when major construction activities are taking place (Crane installs, large deliveries) and extra time is needed for equipment setup/takedown and safety precautions to be implemented. These allowances are typically accepted on weekends to reduce impacts to the community by enabling the work to be condensed to a day or two as opposed to multiple days mid week to reduce impacts to the community.


  • Share I was under the impression that the a Woodward’s building was the only tower that was going to be granted approval for building over 15 stories in height. Has the by law changed? Why? on Facebook Share I was under the impression that the a Woodward’s building was the only tower that was going to be granted approval for building over 15 stories in height. Has the by law changed? Why? on Twitter Share I was under the impression that the a Woodward’s building was the only tower that was going to be granted approval for building over 15 stories in height. Has the by law changed? Why? on Linkedin Email I was under the impression that the a Woodward’s building was the only tower that was going to be granted approval for building over 15 stories in height. Has the by law changed? Why? link

    I was under the impression that the a Woodward’s building was the only tower that was going to be granted approval for building over 15 stories in height. Has the by law changed? Why?

    Burns asked 4 days ago

    This is a rezoning application. Should the rezoning application be successful, the underlying zoning (i.e land use by-law) will change. The rezoning application requests a height in excess of the Downtown Eastside Plan (DTES Plan), which only permits buildings up to 105 ft. in height (approx. 10-storeys). Therefore, it does not comply with the DTES Plan. It is up to City Council to decide whether to approve the rezoning application.

Page last updated: 02 Apr 2025, 08:21 AM